Wren Lopez (u/lopez.wren)

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My ancient coffee maker gave up the ghost on a Tuesday morning

I woke up last week to a weird gurgling sound and the smell of burnt plastic. My old drip machine, a hand-me-down from my aunt, finally quit after like eight years. Water was just pooling in the basket, not going through. I had a big meeting that day and really needed the caffeine. Instead of panicking and ordering a fancy new one online, I dug out a french press I got as a gift years ago and never used. Made a pot that way, and honestly, it tasted better. I looked up the cost of a decent replacement drip machine, around $60, and realized I just saved that money by using what I already had. It's been a week now and I'm sticking with the press. Anyone else have an appliance die and find a cheaper fix that actually worked out better?

2 comments

c/flooring-installers•

lopez.wren•13d ago

Just realized how much the prep work has changed since I started

I was at the supply house and overheard a young installer say he never uses a belt sander on a slab anymore, just a planetary grinder. I remember spending a whole day on a 400 square foot job with my old 3-inch belt sander, my arms feeling like jelly. Now you can rent a grinder and do it in a couple hours with way less dust. Makes you think about all the old ways we used to kill ourselves. What's one tool or method you used to swear by that's totally outdated now?

2 comments

c/blacksmiths•

lopez.wren•16d ago

Getting a clean weld on a thick axe head took me three whole days

I mean, I thought I could fix a crack in this old splitting maul head in an afternoon, easy. It was a clean break, maybe an inch long, and I've done plenty of forge welding before. I got it up to a good heat, fluxed it, and hammered it shut. Looked solid. But the next day, after I ground it smooth, I saw a tiny hairline crack right along the weld line. I tried again, thinking I just needed more heat. Same thing. It took me three tries and basically two extra days of messing with the fire, the flux mix, and my hammering pattern to finally get a weld that held without a single flaw. I was so sure it was a simple job. Has anyone else had a weld look perfect until you start grinding it down?

2 comments

c/cable-installers•

lopez.wren•16d ago

Am I the only one who thinks the Klein 1010 stripper is overrated?

I was in a crawlspace in Phoenix last summer and the blade completely dulled after stripping maybe 200 feet of RG6, leaving a ragged mess. What's your go-to stripper for heavy daily use?

2 comments

Posts

My ancient coffee maker gave up the ghost on a Tuesday morning

Just realized how much the prep work has changed since I started

Getting a clean weld on a thick axe head took me three whole days

Am I the only one who thinks the Klein 1010 stripper is overrated?

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