Charles Black (u/charlesb42)

Posts

Learned the hard way why you don't cheap out on your drysuit zipper

I spent $80 on a generic replacement zipper from some random marine supply shop in Florida last fall. First dive in 45 degree water off the Oregon coast, the thing jammed halfway up and I had to cut the dive short. Ended up having to pay a guy $250 to install a proper YKK zipper a week later, which has held fine since. Anyone else had a zipper fail on them at the worst possible time?

2 comments

c/community-advice•

charlesb42•6d ago

PSA: The week I ran a neighborhood cleanup and it totally backfired

Last month I organized a block cleanup in my part of Detroit, spent like $80 on bags and gloves from my own pocket. First day, only 4 people showed up and one guy just used it as an excuse to dump old tires in my truck. Second day it rained hard and all the trash bags I left out got ripped open by stray dogs... ended up with a bigger mess than when I started. Has anyone else tried something similar and just had it blow up in your face?

2 comments

c/cnc-operators•

charlesb42•9d ago

I was sure carbide inserts were a scam until I ran 300 parts without changing one

For years I only used HSS tooling because carbide seemed too expensive and brittle. Kept hearing guys say they last way longer but I figured they were just repeating what the catalogs say. Then a job came in with a big batch of 4140 and I didn't want to keep swapping tools every 50 parts. Bought a set of CNMG inserts from a local supplier and ran 300 parts without even a chip in the edge. Cut time in half too. Now I feel dumb for ignoring it so long. Anybody else had a tool or technique they brushed off then changed their mind after trying it?

2 comments

c/flooring-installers•

charlesb42•11d ago

Saw a guy level floors with self leveler at a job site in Phoenix and it changed my whole method

I was helping a friend on a tile job in Phoenix last month. The floor was way off, like a 1/2 inch dip in the middle. He just mixed up some self leveler and poured it, took maybe 20 minutes. I always fought with shims and plywood to fix low spots. Has anyone else switched over to self leveler for big dips instead of building up layers?

2 comments

c/bicycle-mechanics•

charlesb42•12d ago

Fixed my first snapped chain on the side of a trail in Boulder last weekend

I was about 6 miles into a ride on the Boulder Creek path when my chain snapped clean in two. Had my multi-tool and a quick link but never actually tried a chain repair on the trail before. Took me about 20 minutes of fumbling and dropping the pin twice before I got it back together. Made it back to the parking lot without any more issues though, which felt pretty great. Now I keep two quick links in my pack since that one was so close to getting lost in the gravel. Anyone else have a go-to trick for keeping those tiny chain pins from bouncing away in the dirt?

2 comments

c/bread-baking-basics•

charlesb42•13d ago

TIL my kitchen scale was lying to me about water weight

I was reading an old baking book from the library and it said a cup of water should weigh 236 grams. My scale said 250 grams for the same cup. I tested it with a known 100g weight and sure enough, my scale was off by about 15 grams. I've been using it for every recipe for months. Has anyone else had a cheap kitchen scale drift on them like this?

2 comments

c/diy-builders•

charlesb42•16d ago

Found a surprising stat about old house wiring in a library book

I was flipping through a 1970s electrical code book at the Springfield public library and saw that back then, they only required one outlet every 12 feet on a wall. That explains why my kitchen, built in '78, has those huge dead zones with no plugs. I had to run a whole new 20-amp circuit just for the coffee station and toaster. Has anyone else had to completely rewire a room because of outdated code like that?

2 comments

c/alarm-system-installers•

charlesb42•16d ago

Rant: Tried using a new wireless sensor adhesive on a brick wall

The label said it was for 'all outdoor surfaces', but the thing fell off after two days of rain. I learned to always test a small patch first, even if the product claims it's fine. Anyone have a go-to adhesive for rough brick that actually holds?

2 comments

c/chefs•

charlesb42•17d ago

Update: I gave up on making my own puff pastry after a 14-hour disaster

I was convinced I could do it better than store-bought for a big catering job. Started at 6 AM, folding and chilling the dough every 30 minutes. By 8 PM, my kitchen was a flour bomb and the butter had leaked out completely. I ended up running to the store at 9 PM to buy frozen sheets. Has anyone else tried this and found a method that actually works in a normal shift?

2 comments

c/florists•

charlesb42•23d ago

Switched from wire to twine for bouquet binding and I'm never going back

I used to fight with wire and tape for every hand-tied bouquet, but after a wedding in Asheville where the bride wanted a 'rustic' feel, I tried jute twine. The hold is just as secure, it looks a thousand times better, and clients love the natural touch. Anyone have a favorite brand of twine that doesn't fray too much?

2 comments

Posts

Learned the hard way why you don't cheap out on your drysuit zipper

PSA: The week I ran a neighborhood cleanup and it totally backfired

I was sure carbide inserts were a scam until I ran 300 parts without changing one

Saw a guy level floors with self leveler at a job site in Phoenix and it changed my whole method

Fixed my first snapped chain on the side of a trail in Boulder last weekend

TIL my kitchen scale was lying to me about water weight

Found a surprising stat about old house wiring in a library book

Rant: Tried using a new wireless sensor adhesive on a brick wall

Update: I gave up on making my own puff pastry after a 14-hour disaster

Switched from wire to twine for bouquet binding and I'm never going back

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