Not long ago — in the 32-bit days of MacOS, the OSX days — it had a feature built-in to the Keychain Access tool that would create pronounceable passwords.
Quick tool to generate meaningful memorable password phrases.
Presently in macOS 10.15.5, the Password Assistant offers only these four options with (examples for reference):
Letters & Numbers: BWib0hGLZg0N…
Numbers Only: 3311049148…
Random: x*B{m6MNH…
FIPS-181 Compliant: wehritirby…
Every one of them will generate a password that is either quite difficult for a human to remember, or, paradoxically, trivially-simple for a computer to brute-force. See also: xkcd #936
This is an expeditious interim solution.
Uses the word list that is included with all macOS / OS X versions and randomly selects a word length and uses generally-safe characters to separate them.
Usage
Only need to run the passphrase.sh script:
./passphrase.sh
Also, seriously, just read the shell script before you run it. It’s not very long at all and not at all complex — it does contain some rather uncommon bash terms.
But if you’re scratching your head for a password when you create a new account somewhere, rather than rely on the old standards of ‘changeme’, ‘password1’, ‘12345’, or ‘correct horse battery staple’ (or any other amazingly common passwords), just type passphrase.sh and it’ll create and present to you a sufficiently-random password that you can just copy/paste into the account creation and your keyring.
It can manifest in ways considered by many to be inconsequential.
For example, I will often insist that I can do some_task and steadfastly never ask another for help or assistance or guidance or opinion… to the point that it’s becomes self-destructive.
“Yeah…”, people will say, “that’s just the way he is. He’s just really independent that way…”
That extreme independence is the result of the combination of my own narrow-mindedness that I now attribute primarily to a lifetime of shaming and negative criticism that I’d received from a young age. After awhile, I simply accepted that I would either be tormented endlessly, or that I’d simply stop asking for help and set to figuring out a way to achieve whatever some_task I was interested in.
Tack on an unsettling degree of, what I’d find out many years later that we all cope with to some extent, Imposter Syndrome and… well… here we are.
Yes, Extreme Independence is most certainly a trauma response.
We were reminded today that the third quarter in the program begins in about 8 weeks (7 weeks by the time I post this). We were also reminded that we need to get onto ordering tools for our next portion of classwork labs sooner rather than later. Very probably, none of the tools will be available locally.
Fair warning: this is, so far, the most expensive combination of tools to be obtained — and the majority of cost is likely within the first two or three items. Yes, really. Even considering what I’d said before about not needing to buy the most expensive/best/tool-truck-brand tool that can be found.
So… the list is below along with some of the sources I’ve found.
Lower chest tool box, recommended size 20”x30”x40”, 1 ea
Yep, gone are the days that we’ll just need a few screwdrivers and wrenches. We’ll need a bit more than can be carted around in a semi-portable toolbox. There are loads of options to be had and several that can be obtained new for about $300. There are also a few rather good options from Harbor Freight.
One could write a novel on what is and isn’t a good rolling toolbox to contain one’s tools. But here are some of the variations:
It doesn’t seem there are many options available. Although I admittedly simply don’t know enough about rivet guns other than to say that you absolutely should not buy the cheapest thing you find. I ordered one from Aircraft Tool Supply then received an email a day later cautioning that they’re awaiting delivery, so it’ll be two weeks until they ship.
Not to worry.
Oh, they also have “designer colors” — as long as a designer fancies black, red, blue, or fashionable lime-green… no, wait — they call it jade-green.
Pneumatic. Not battery-powered, nor 1-phase/household current operated. And while it’s very much my opinion, I would discourage any keyed-chuck options unless your goal is ten-thousandths-precision, in which case you wouldn’t be doing the work with a hand-held tool. Also, that key is one more thing to keep track of. And if you misplace it, your drill is effectively a paperweight. I’ve preferred keyless chucks whenever possible.
Okay, you’ll need to order one female end for one end of your air hose and male ends for every other pneumatic tool in your kit. You aren’t going to just use your regular pneumatic tools in the shop.
That said, it’s just 1/4 inch NPT, so you can rapidly assemble an adapter making your own shop air compatible with the Lincoln Long style connectors.
Aviation Snips, set of 3, ATS 865-3 or MKR or equal, 1 set
Fiskar’s scissors, they aren’t.
There’s a reason that they’re aviation snips and why there are three different kinds. When you cut metal, you’ll need to have left, right, or straight-cut of material depending on needs.
You may want one of those coiled/recoil type hoses, but don’t. They’ll become a trip-hazard for anything except the smallest of crafty spaces with one person to step over it.
Also, avoid the “combination” sets or kits that have extra pneumatic fittings, gauges, nozzles, inflators,
Just a regular heavy-duty hose.
Oh, and if it comes with fittings (many will) then you’ll need to swap out its fittings with the L-fittings above.
Cleco kit, clecos & pliers, ATS CL50K or equal, 1 ea
The CL50K kit comes with 12 or 13-each of commonly-used Clecos. Totally sufficient for our needs.
#1 – #60 Numbered Drill bit set, 1 set
Fortunately, ATS has a numbered-bit set here. You might be able to find a cheaper/more-readily-available option if you shop around.
1/8″ – 1/2″ Fractional Drill bit set, 1 set
ATS also has a fractional set of bits that seem to fit our needs as well. Includes 1/16″ to 1/2″ in 1/64″ increments.
I’m sensing a trend here: ATS seems to be either the only place that has the needed tools… or it’s the only place that I bothered to look. Save a few dollars and opt for the RG031 kit. It’s quite adequate.
Brass drift (3/8 x 10)
ATS does not have brass drifts. They have center punches and pin punches, but no drifts. Fortunately, yep, Amazon.
You know it has occurred to me that if SCC were to let ATS know what they needed, they could select specific part numbers and students could just order the “SCC 3Q ARCFT Kit”. Sure, people could shop around and find something equal… except as students learning about aviation, it may be that something is thought to be equal, but isn’t.
Babbling rant aside, a set of needle files can be had at ATS:
12 or 16 oz. Ball Peen hammer
ATS does have ball peen hammers. But you can also find them on Amazon or pick one up from one of a local DIYcenters. Just a 12 or 16 oz ball peen.
Hmm, on the heels of the remark about not knowing if something equal, now we’ll consider deburring tools. Can one be found at Lowe’s? Home Depot? And, no doubt, many of them can also be found on Amazon.
Or, since you’re already selecting items from ATS, you could go with the list’s recommendation. Also, they do seem rather comparable in price.
It’s just going to be a tool to dimple metal to mark a center point for drilling. You could go with a lower-tech two-hand solution. Or a higher-tech one-hand tool.
I wonder if the more expensive, super-awesome, high-tech $29 digital option is equal to the $17 GT17.
Hint: no, they’re not equal — one is nearly twice the cost of the other with little functional gain.
Mechanic hook & pick set, 5″ or greater
I honestly didn’t know that such things have a measurement or size classification. So, would these be 5-inch?
Eh, probably not. But we can probably go pick one from the assorted shops.
4″ C-Clamps, 2 ea
And you thought those C-clamps in your great-granddad’s toolbox were outdated and old-fashioned. Hardly. You can easily find several options across the interwebz. Caution: it seems that the assorted tool purveyors are including their own recommendations: “Here are some locking C-clamps and C-clamp pliers… they’re more better!”
No, thanks, just the old-style C-shaped clamp with the single, threaded screw.
#40 drill bit, 10 ea
Hmm… ten of them? I was wondering why we were going to need ten of them… if only somebody offered them in packs of two or three… wait… they really do readily offer #40’s in bulk packs?
This is the second of the cheapest items you’ll need.
Extension cord, 25′ outdoor quality, 1 ea
You know, having lived The RV life, I have several heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cords that I can retask for the hangar.
Do not buy the cheapest, and absolutely do not buy anything listed at “16/3 Heavy Duty Outdoor” — its description rather underscores that it’s inadequacy.
12/3 will work and you can find them at Lowe’s, HF, Amazon, and HD. Going larger to 10/3 would, while suitable, have diminishing returns. It would be more expensive than is necessary and wrangling the additional bulk will be problematic.
#2 Phillips stubby screwdriver, 1 ea
Stubby straight screwdriver, 1 ea
I already have some to re-task into aviation, but these can be foundvia the usualsuspects.
I don’t have a clue about anything involving welding apart from comprehending that soldering!=brazing!=welding. But I’ll go out on a limb here and say that having a super-awesome, instantly dimming, LCD helmet is not what you’ll want. When you’re learning to weld, it’s the wrong time to have the auto-dimming battery fail. Also: unless you selected a rolly-toolbox with a suitable space, you won’t be able to store it in there.
So, just goggles.
Oh, and ensure that they’re #5 shades.
Yes, you could check with Lincoln Electric or Eastwood and perhaps they have something that might work. I’m somewhat lazy and tend to go to the places that have worked well enough for me in the past: Lowe’s and HD are questionable, but oddly, HF, and, surprise, Amazon, have options.
So, everything else welding-related on the list is very much in the realm of “I haven’t a clue”. 🤷 But these might work.
Welding gloves (light duty for oxy-acetylene or MIG), 1 pr.
It doesn’t seem that vendors clearly state in some titles whether they’re E6013 or E7014, or vice-versa. So, click through and read the product description.
Paint gun (HVLP-recommend 20oz. reservoir)*, 1 ea
Disclaimer: I do have extremely-particular taste and preference in painting equipment. I painted houses and businesses professionally for several years before I was in Computer Science.
I hear from good authority (a student who graduated last term) that there was only cause to use the cup-gun (HVLP sprayer) for like one project.
If there’s only one painting project, it absolutely doesn’t justify the cost of a Wagner Spraytech HVLP or even a Spray Max (both nice) or a Graco 7.0 3-stage turbine HVLP (very nice) but neither one suitable. Nor the pneumatic Graco Edge II or the aviation-specific Graco AirPro.
Oh, and while you’re searching around for HVLPs, you’ll no doubt see ads and sales pitches directing you (insisting? demanding?) to buy burp-guns. Don’t. It’s a trap.
Just a super-basic, gravity-fed or cup-gun pneumatic sprayer.
Paint respirator (ProTech B242 or equal), 1 ea
Okay, this is an odd one — there doesn’t seem to be a “ProTech B242” respirator to be found. And I’m unfamiliar with the name
Well, there is a “ProTech”, but it’s not likely what we’ll need. The ProTech you’ll find online is one of those tactical-related vendors.
I don’t know if SCC requires a PPV respirator (doubt it, but for those with beards, it may be appropriate eventually) so something like a basic 3M painting respirator (Lowe’s, Home Depot) may work fine. Generally, cartridges in a painting respirators need to be replaced every day or so under regular use.
That’s about it. So far.
From what I’ve calculated, this is indeed the most expensive tool list of the lot.
Apart from the toolbox, which I already have, the greatest expenses, in order, were: the rivet gun, the drill, the drill bits, and the Cleco kit. Most other items were within the range of $2 to $20.
*Per the tools list: “New tools may say they include an air hose fitting but it will not come with Lincoln Long fittings, nor will air hoses.”
I am rather fond of lower-displacement motorcycles. Yes, yes, larger bikes are wonderful… “you’ll want one eventually!”
I’ve ridden, currently own, and have owned bikes of various sizes over the years — all kinds: Yamaha V-Star, Kawasaki Ninja, Harley-Davidson Road King, Honda Gold Wing, even a few 50cc-class city scooters.
And, yet, I find smaller bikes somewhat intriguing.
Motorcycle.com did a comparison of two of Honda’s lightweight auto/semi-auto bikes.
Strangely, these two offerings from Honda are rather high in my interest list. No, one wouldn’t ride them year-round here, but they can absolutely fill the needs for transportation six or nine months out of the year.
When the opportunity presents itself, I’m still quite happy with my V-Star… perhaps I’ll make some space in the stable for another when finances change.
the rest of me 