Rowan Wilson (u/rowan849)

Posts

That old repair shop in Portland had a different way of doing things

Back in 2018 I visited this little shop in Portland run by a guy who'd been fixing cameras since the 70s. He showed me how he used a specific jeweler's screwdriver to adjust a shutter without taking the whole thing apart, and it totally changed my approach to leaf shutters. Has anyone else picked up weird regional tricks from traveling?

2 comments

c/cabinetmakers•

rowan849•3d ago

That moment I realized I'd been sanding wrong for 10 years

I was at a shop in Cincinnati last month, helping a buddy with some custom kitchen cabinets. He watched me sanding a face frame and just goes, 'You're using way too much pressure, you're just making the scratch pattern deeper.' I'd been leaning into it hard my whole career, thinking I was getting it done faster. Sure enough, I backed off and the finish came out way smoother on the next piece. Anyone else have a basic habit they had to unlearn way later than they should have?

2 comments

c/budgeting-wins•

rowan849•5d ago

I fell for the meal prep container hype and wasted $80

Bought a set of glass meal prep containers from a trendy brand last January thinking they'd save me money by helping me plan meals. Turns out the lids cracked after 3 weeks and the glass started chipping at the corners by month two. I spent $80 on 12 containers that I barely used because they leaked in my bag every time. Now I just use old salsa jars and reused takeout containers for free. Has anyone else had better luck with a specific brand that actually lasts more than a month?

2 comments

c/binge-worthy-shows•

rowan849•8d ago

Question about sticking with a show that drags on

I used to force myself through every episode of a series no matter what, but after bailing on season 4 of The Walking Dead halfway through last month, I now drop shows the second they lose my interest, has anyone else gotten pickier about finishing things?

2 comments

c/digital-art-showcase•

rowan849•9d ago

Paid $80 for a brush pack and immediately regretted it

I saw this ad for a digital art brush set that promised to make my paintings look like oils and watercolors. Pulled the trigger on it last Tuesday, figured $80 was worth the upgrade for my showcase pieces. Opened the pack and realized half the brushes were just slightly different blobs that barely changed texture. I could have gotten the same effect by tweaking default settings for free. Anyone else been burned by overhyped brush bundles that didn’t deliver?

2 comments

c/bricklayers•

rowan849•10d ago

My level was off by a hair and suddenly I had a 3-inch gap to fix

I was building a garden wall in my backyard last Saturday and everything looked perfect until I dry fit the last course. Turns out my spirit level got knocked out of whack when I dropped it on a concrete slab earlier. I spent 4 hours tearing down two entire sections and re-laying them just to close a stupid gap. Has anyone else ever had a level go bad on them mid project and not realize it until way too late?

2 comments

c/electricians•

rowan849•13d ago

Found out I was grounding through EMT threads wrong for 10 years

Tbh I was on a job last week swapping out an old panel in a warehouse outside Columbus and this kid fresh out of trade school watched me tighten a locknut. He goes "you know you have to scrape the paint off the box threads for a solid ground path right?" I thought he was messing with me but he pulled a file out of his bag and showed me. I have literally never done that in a decade of service work. I always just cranked it tight and assumed the threads cut through. We tested a few of my old installs with a meter and sure enough some had resistance. Now I feel like an idiot but hey I learned something instead of burning down a building.

2 comments

c/auto-mechanics•

rowan849•13d ago

Hit 1,000 brake jobs last Tuesday and my hands still smell like grease

I was just counting up jobs in my shop's book and realized I crossed 1,000 brake jobs last week. That's a lot of calipers, rotors, and pads. I remember my first brake job on a 1998 Civic, took me three hours and I still messed up the bleeding. Now I can do a full set on a F-150 in under 45 minutes. The funny part is I still grab the wrong size socket sometimes and have to walk back across the shop. Has anyone else hit a weird number like that and felt old all of a sudden?

3 comments

c/backyard-structures•

rowan849•14d ago

Can we talk about spending $400 on a premade shed kit vs building from scratch?

I was dead set on building my own 8x10 shed until I priced out lumber and hardware and realized the kit saved me about $150 and three trips to the hardware store, has anyone else found the kits are actually worth it?

3 comments

c/cable-installers•

rowan849•15d ago

Swapped from fish tape to a glow rod for attic runs and man what a difference

I used to fight with fish tape in attics for years, getting it stuck on insulation or snagging on every rafter. About 6 months ago I finally grabbed a 50 foot glow rod set from the supply house, figured why not. Now I can push through blown-in insulation and around corners in like half the time, no more wrestling with a steel tape that wants to kink up. The rigid sections just lock together and I can guide it straight to the drop point without a second trip. Only downside is they take up more space in the truck, but the time saved is worth it. Anyone else made the switch and found better results in tight spaces?

2 comments