That FediDB stats page is confusing. It isn’t clear whether they only count instances that have joined Fedipact, or also include instances that have blocked Threads without joining Fedipact. A quick glance at the list suggests the latter. But in that case, there are a bunch of instances missing from the list.
As for admins versus users, here on sh.itjust.works we held a vote among our users. The result was overwhelming: 78% of users voted to preemptively block Threads. https://sh.itjust.works/post/11308397
I have discovered cloaks, and I am going nuts making them. I have bought so much fabric in the past few days alone. They are so warm and so easy to make! However, I would like to make one that suits the purpose for which they were invented, so that I may wear it outside in the rain. Are there any good waterproof fabrics that won't fuck up my fiancée's #sewing machine?
There are lots of options, though I can’t say which is objectively the best. There’s usually a trade-off between waterproofness and breathability. For a cloak you probably also want something with a bit of thickness and weight so it drapes nicely.
I would start by looking at soft shell fabrics with a DWR treatment. Seattle Fabrics sells sample packs so you can feel them before you buy a lot.
Tents and rain jackets typically use nylon or polyester fabric coated with silicon, polyurethane, Teflon, or some other waterproof material on the inside face, and a DWR treatment on the outside face. I expect a cloak made with these fabrics will be too light and crinkly to hang nicely when worn. The fabrics also tend to be slippery so you might tear your hair out trying to keep your seams straight.
You can get great waterproof performance with PVC-coated nylon. Though it will feel like you’re wearing a duffel bag.
Waxed/oiled cotton looks awesome but I have never liked the feel. It’s also mediocre as far as waterproofness goes.
I suppose it depends how serious a rain are you expecting to encounter, and for how long. For walking a few blocks in a misty Seattle drizzle, boiled wool will do a fine job. The hole made by the pin would be negligible. But if you’re spending an hour outside in a downpour you’ll get soaked.
Can someone recommend a good resource for getting a neglected bike back into riding condition? What tools I need, what sort of parts I should check if they need replacement, so on?
As a general resource, Park Tool has a great collection of service and repair guides. They list the tools you need for each type of repair.
Here’s the basic maintenance checklist for an old neglected bike:
Inspect anything rubber, and replace as needed. Tires and brake pads harden over time.
Drip some thin lube (Tri-Flow or light oil) into the cable housings. Run the cables through the housings to spread the lube throughout.
Lubricate all the pivot points on the derailleur(s), as well as the axles of the rear derailleur pulleys.
Lubricate the pivot points on the brakes. Be careful not to get lube on the brake pads.
Lube the chain and check chain “stretch” using a chain gauge. Or just replace it and start fresh.
And if you really want to get into it, here are some more advanced maintenance items:
Repack the wheel hubs with fresh grease.
True the wheels.
To build a basic toolkit, start with this:
Tire levers
Phillips screwdriver, size 0 or 1.
A small flat-head screwdriver.
Metric hex/allen wrenches. 4mm and 5mm sizes are the most common. Get a set that goes from 1.5mm to 10mm. Having ball ends on the 4mm and 5mm wrenches can be a lifesaver.
Metric box-end wrenches. 8mm, 10mm, 13mm, 15mm, 17mm are all common sizes.
More advanced maintenance will require special tools specific to the parts installed on your bike. The designs of freehubs/cassettes/cranks/bottom brackets have all changed a lot over the last few decades.