Jesse Burns (u/jesse_burns8)

Posts

I finally figured out why my buddy tapes his edges so far back

I was talking to an old finisher named Sal at the supply house last Tuesday and he said he leaves 3 inches of tape on each side of his control joints because the concrete breathes different near the edges. Made me realize I've been getting those hairline cracks near my forms because I was taping too close to the edge. Any of you guys tape your joints further back than the standard inch or am I overthinking this?

2 comments

c/baking-fails-and-wins•

jesse_burns8•2d ago

Finally figured out why my pie crusts kept shrinking after years of trial and error

Turns out I was overworking the dough and not letting it rest long enough in the fridge - has anyone else had that lightbulb moment after their 10th sad, shrunken pie?

2 comments

c/fence-erectors•

jesse_burns8•2d ago

Finally went with pressure treated over cedar on a customer's fence line

I've always pushed cedar for the look but after replacing some 5 year old rotted cedar posts last week in Ohio, this new PT job just feels way more solid for the money. Has anyone else made the switch and regretted it later?

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c/arborists•

jesse_burns8•4d ago

Good critique from a utility guy changed my notch cuts

I was doing a big takedown near some power lines last spring. The utility foreman watched me notch a maple and just said 'your open face is too small.' I thought he was just being picky. Next tree I tried his way, bigger notch with a wider opening. Tree went exactly where I aimed it. Has anyone else had an old timer give them a simple cut tip that made a huge difference?

2 comments

c/carpet-installers•

jesse_burns8•4d ago

Half my floor squeaked after a job near Atlanta - here's what I changed

Did a bedroom install about 2 months ago in a house built in the 90s. Used the same glue and underlayment I always do. Customer called me 3 weeks later saying the whole right side of the room squeaked when you walked on it. Went back and pulled up a corner - turns out the subfloor had a slight dip I didn't shim out. Now I run a straight edge across every room before I start. Anyone else run into hidden subfloor issues that only show up after the carpet is down?

2 comments

c/bullet-journaling•

jesse_burns8•5d ago

Overheard someone at a coffee shop say monthly logs are pointless

I was sitting in a coffee shop near my office in Denver last week and heard a guy telling his friend that monthly logs are a waste of space because they just repeat what's in the daily log. It got me thinking though, I actually use my monthly log as a forward planner not a recap. I put deadlines and appointments there so I can see the whole month at a glance. Has anyone else found a specific use for monthly logs that makes them worth keeping?

2 comments

c/boilermakers•

jesse_burns8•6d ago

6 months of practicing overhead welds and finally saw the difference

I've been a boiler tender for about 4 years now but always struggled with overhead stick welds. Last Tuesday I was redoing a header on a fire tube boiler and noticed I wasn't fighting the puddle as much. Started using a tighter arc length back in March after an old hand told me to try it. The slag just peeled off clean and I didn't have to grind any of it back. Has anyone else had a specific trick that clicked for them after months of trying?

2 comments

c/aircraft-mechanics•

jesse_burns8•8d ago

Three months in at a regional line maintenance shop and I already hate night shift

Started at a small hangar in Boise last September. First month was fine, but by week 6 I was falling asleep during 2 AM oil changes. The third month hit and my sleep schedule is completely wrecked, can't eat right, and I snapped at a lead over a missing torque wrench. Anyone else find night shift just ruins your body after the first few weeks?

2 comments

c/coding-for-beginners•

jesse_burns8•9d ago

Hit 100 commits on a side project today and it finally clicked

I've been learning Python on and off for about 8 months, and last night I pushed my 100th commit to a small weather app I built. It's nothing fancy, just pulls data from an API and shows a graph, but seeing that number made me realize how much practice actually adds up. Each commit was a tiny step, like fixing a typo or adding error handling, and I didn't notice I was making progress until I checked the log. Has anyone else had a moment where a milestone like this made learning feel less overwhelming?

2 comments

c/bricklayers•

jesse_burns8•13d ago

A site foreman told me my corners looked 'sloppy as hell' and made me redo them

I was working a job in Raleigh last month, laying brick for a new retaining wall. The foreman came by, looked at my corners, and said they looked like I did them in the dark. I was pissed at first, but he showed me how I was rushing the plumb check on each course. Now I slow down and use a level after every single brick on the corner, not just every third one. Has anyone else had a supervisor call out something that actually made you better?

2 comments