When google shits on your bright idea

[slfmade]

So i was just sitting here thinking about how much easier it would be if I could just run some of my own labs here at home - you know simple stuff. Hgb, Hct, Na, K, BUN, Crea - maybe a blood gas every now and then (why a blood gas? hell I don't know. Maybe I want to check my lactate just for the hell of it). I used to be able to do this at work, but they've cracked down and now require us to enter a pts MRN and it automatically uploads to a pts chart so that ended that without any workarounds.

For those of you that don't know what an iSTAT is; It's a small handheld device about the size of an old school cell phone (think Zack Morris - saved by the bell if you're somewhere in or close to your 4th decade of life). Anyway, you place a few drops of blood into a cartridge and snap...you've got your labs. It's like a big fancy glucometer.

A glucometer is around 50 bucks and test strips around 10-30 bucks. While, I didn't expect it to be that cheap, I figured if I could get one for under 500.00 with some test cartridges under 100 bucks then it'd probably be worth it - especially since my 80 year old in-laws live with me - there may be a day when I need to get a quick blood gas on them or something.

So I type in "iState machine" into google. How much would you guess this glorified glucometer is? $18,790.02!!!!

The fuckers didn't even round it down! But hey, at least they offer free shipping. And test cartridges? - close to 400 bucks for a 10 pack. Even dead/"parts only" istats are running over 500 bucks. Hell, I can get a gently used Mass Spectrometer at that price - wtf.

Google shitting on me happens fairly frequently - most often it's indirectly. I do custom furniture building as well. I build a beautiful live edge dining table - post it for sale. Then some numb nuts sends me a link he found on google for a shitty ikea table for about 90% cheaper than what I'm selling mine for. Or like a few months ago, I decided I was going to build my own home gym. But not just any home gym - a stand alone building - 30x40 gym. The gym would be upstairs and it addition to the woodworking shop that I'm going to deduct from taxes anyway - sssshhhhhhh. It was when I googled the cost of equipment that google shit on my dreams. I'm like Rogue wants how much for that Power Rack? Hammer Strength has got to be out of their mind to want that much for a damn isolateral bench. 1500.00 bucks for dumbells? Well, it's still gonna happen. But being the redneck DIY guy that I am, with a welder and powdercoating equipment, a lot of the shit is going to built by me - and better. Regardless, it's extra work, so thanks Google search, thanks for shitting on my bright idea once again.

When was the last time google shit on your bright idea?

[Quester]

I use Googlemaps as my phone book. I called the ortho, this morning, and a lady wanted my birth date before she would let me know if they had any appointments, with a lot of attitude. So, I the other place and a lady said the system wasn't working, not for a whole week, but we had a decent exchange and laughed. So, I called the first number/place and it was the second lady, she said she now needed my birth date. So, I dodged and we joked and I got her to suggest another place-because it would be easier for both of us. She gave me the names of two other places, neither of which is listed under orthopedic or sports medicine (they are listed by the name of the health care-hospital conglomerate which owns them) and I got an appointment for Wednesday.
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Of greater concern, Google is working with the Chinese to develop military hardware. In particular, Google is developing guidance software for the Chinese Air force. Google recently turned down a contract to do the same thing for our Drone force.

[slfmade]

I use Googlemaps as my phone book. I called the ortho, this morning, and a lady wanted my birth date before she would let me know if they had any appointments, with a lot of attitude. So, I the other place and a lady said the system wasn't working, not for a whole week, but we had a decent exchange and laughed. So, I called the first number/place and it was the second lady, she said she now needed my birth date. So, I dodged and we joked and I got her to suggest another place-because it would be easier for both of us. She gave me the names of two other places, neither of which is listed under orthopedic or sports medicine (they are listed by the name of the health care-hospital conglomerate which owns them) and I got an appointment for Wednesday.
-
Of greater concern, Google is working with the Chinese to develop military hardware. In particular, Google is developing guidance software for the Chinese Air force. Google recently turned down a contract to do the same thing for our Drone force.

I feel like I could make America a better place for most people if I just reexamined my life goals and set my sights on becoming a dictator. Lol like gather everybody up in a big room once a week and give them 30 seconds to present an idea and them yes or no. No, no, yes, no, no, you're stupid, no, hell no, yes, your face stupid so no, something like that. Haha I can tell you one thing, Google wouldnt be jerking the Chinese.

[charger69]

Hey- wood worker.... I just made a power rack out of wood. It is very sturdy. $200 and includes a pull up bar. Building my own home gym. Even the building.
I have no clue, but I will figure it out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Quester]

Hey Charger, I was thinking about this myself. Please share some pics?

[Quester]

Here's what I found. Is that basically what you did? Got any tips?

[slfmade]

Hey- wood worker.... I just made a power rack out of wood. It is very sturdy. $200 and includes a pull up bar. Building my own home gym. Even the building.
I have no clue, but I will figure it out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I thought about doing one out of wood but I've decided to go all out and build it using using 3x3 11g steel (for the power rack) and for the structural parts of the machines and a lesser guage when I can get away with it. I'm set up to both powder coat and cerakote and I'll probably do some custom colors. I'm just going to knock off some rogue designs with some of my own ideas. If I'm being honest with myself, I'll probably biuld the power rack first. It'll be bad ass, but it'll take me months to complete and when it's all said and done, I'll decide it's not worth the effort to continue and I'll just end up paying the stupid prices these retailers are asking.

But if you're more determined and disciplined than I am to stick to it, you should consider using steel when possible. If you go to a wholesaler, it can be fairly inexpensive. Then all you need is a welder...you can pick up a good 220v welder for under 300 bucks or less. A drill press and...well, that's pretty much it. You don't have to powder or cerakote these. You can get some Rust-Oleum spray paint and call it good. If you can find a good metal bending machine for cheap that'd be nice too if you wanted to make your equipment look less square and more commercial level. I picked up a used heavyweight commercial grade metal bending machine for a couple hundred bucks about 7 years ago. They're pretty common...at least they were.

Now all of this is to say that this is your new permanent gym. If this is just a temporary fix until gyms open back up, then save the effort and just build out of wood.

Now that I think about it though. Just for fun... How awesome would it be to have a power rack made out of hand carved and oiled hickory. It'd be a piece of rustic modern art. Added to my long list of projects.

[Beetlegeuse]

G**gle has never shat on me but I shit on G**gle with great regularity.

There is no free lunch and G**gle slowly has got you accustomed to sacrificing your privacy in dribs and drabs for the shiny baubles they offer. I figured out early on that they're evil fucks and been giving them a wide berth ever since. And the G**gle-less world is a wonderful place.

[Honkey_Kong]

I thought about doing one out of wood but I've decided to go all out and build it using using 3x3 11g steel (for the power rack) and for the structural parts of the machines and a lesser guage when I can get away with it. I'm set up to both powder coat and cerakote and I'll probably do some custom colors. I'm just going to knock off some rogue designs with some of my own ideas. If I'm being honest with myself, I'll probably biuld the power rack first. It'll be bad ass, but it'll take me months to complete and when it's all said and done, I'll decide it's not worth the effort to continue and I'll just end up paying the stupid prices these retailers are asking.

But if you're more determined and disciplined than I am to stick to it, you should consider using steel when possible. If you go to a wholesaler, it can be fairly inexpensive. Then all you need is a welder...you can pick up a good 220v welder for under 300 bucks or less. A drill press and...well, that's pretty much it. You don't have to powder or cerakote these. You can get some Rust-Oleum spray paint and call it good. If you can find a good metal bending machine for cheap that'd be nice too if you wanted to make your equipment look less square and more commercial level. I picked up a used heavyweight commercial grade metal bending machine for a couple hundred bucks about 7 years ago. They're pretty common...at least they were.

Now all of this is to say that this is your new permanent gym. If this is just a temporary fix until gyms open back up, then save the effort and just build out of wood.

Now that I think about it though. Just for fun... How awesome would it be to have a power rack made out of hand carved and oiled hickory. It'd be a piece of rustic modern art. Added to my long list of projects.

It's not going to be temporary. Even when we are allowed out of house arrest, there's going to be so many conditions to our probation that it's still going to suck. Everybody should if they have the space and the money build the gym they always wanted.