Felix Perry (u/felix_perry6)

Posts

My router table fence cost me a whole Saturday

I bought a generic aluminum fence from a tool sale in Knoxville, thought I saved $150 over a brand name. Spent 6 hours trying to get it square and stable, ended up having to scrap the whole setup and order a JessEm. Anyone have a good budget fence that actually holds zero?

2 comments

c/avionics-technicians•

felix_perry6•25d ago

I tried using a cheap thermal camera on a comms box and it showed me something I missed

Last week, I was chasing an intermittent fault on a Garmin G1000 system in a Cessna 172. The autopilot kept dropping out. I had my Fluke meter out and was checking all the usual suspects, but nothing. I remembered I had this little $300 Seek thermal camera I bought online a while back. I figured why not, and just scanned the avionics bay while the system was powered up. One of the LRUs in the back corner was running about 15 degrees Celsius hotter than all the others. Turns out, a bad solder joint on a power supply board was causing a tiny short, heating up just that one spot. I never would have found it without seeing that heat bloom. Has anyone else had a simple tool point them right to a problem like that?

2 comments

c/blacksmiths•

felix_perry6•27d ago

Pro tip: don't cheap out on your respirator cartridges

I mean, I knew I should wear a mask when grinding, but I kept buying the cheap, off-brand P100 cartridges for my half-mask. They were like $8 for a pair, and I figured they were fine. Last month, I was working on a big batch of forged hooks, grinding for maybe three hours straight. I woke up the next day feeling like I had a bad cold, my chest was tight, and I was coughing up grey stuff. Doctor said it was likely metal dust irritation. I spent over $200 on the visit and meds. I switched to the good 3M ones, which cost about $25, but man, the difference is night and day. No smell, no dust taste, and my lungs feel clear. Has anyone else had a scare like that and found a specific cartridge they trust?

2 comments

c/freelance-survival•

felix_perry6•1mo ago

Vent: I see too many new freelancers charging way under $50 an hour

On one side, people say you have to start cheap to get clients and build a portfolio. On the other, I think charging less than $50 an hour in a skilled trade like mine just sets you up to fail after taxes and expenses. I learned this the hard way my first year in Atlanta, barely breaking even. What's the real minimum rate a solo freelancer should charge to actually make a living?

2 comments

c/baking-fails-and-wins•

felix_perry6•1mo ago

I swore by cold butter for pie crust until my kitchen flooded

I always used cold butter straight from the fridge, thinking it was the only way to get flaky layers. Last week, I tried grating frozen butter into the flour like a recipe from a blog in Seattle suggested. The dough came together so fast it was almost soupy, and my apple pie leaked filling everywhere in the oven. I learned that frozen butter melts too quickly if you handle it too much. Has anyone else had a pie disaster from changing one small step?

2 comments

c/farriers•

felix_perry6•1mo ago

Rant: I used to think a 2 lb hammer was fine for everything, but a 1.5 lb changed my whole game.

I was shaping a shoe for a big draft horse in Kentucky last month and my arm was dead after an hour with the heavier hammer. Switched to the 1.5 lb for the next shoe and had way more control for the nail holes. Is the lighter hammer just better for precision work, or am I missing something with the heavier one?

3 comments

c/backyard-chickens•

felix_perry6•1mo ago

My feed bag lifts are better than any bench press

I dropped my gym pass after seeing how moving heavy feed sacks tones my arms and back. Bending down for eggs every morning built my leg strength way more than squats at the gym. Folks spend cash on fitness classes, but my chicken yard gives a full body workout for free. It keeps me active without feeling like a chore. Do you think backyard birds can beat a workout plan?

4 comments

c/binge-worthy-shows•

felix_perry6•1mo ago

Rant: My local cafe now has a 'show of the week' board for binge recommendations.

It's a small win that makes picking what to watch next so much easier and more social.

2 comments

Posts

My router table fence cost me a whole Saturday

I tried using a cheap thermal camera on a comms box and it showed me something I missed

Pro tip: don't cheap out on your respirator cartridges

Vent: I see too many new freelancers charging way under $50 an hour

I swore by cold butter for pie crust until my kitchen flooded

Rant: I used to think a 2 lb hammer was fine for everything, but a 1.5 lb changed my whole game.

My feed bag lifts are better than any bench press

Rant: My local cafe now has a 'show of the week' board for binge recommendations.

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