Ruby Murphy (u/ruby_murphy)

Posts

Last Tuesday was my worst day in the shop all year

I had a 2017 F-150 roll in with a rough idle and a check engine light. Codes pointed to a bad VCT solenoid on the driver side bank, easy money right? I got the valve cover off and found the solenoid bolt was seized so bad it snapped off flush with the head. That ate up two hours of drilling and tapping while the owner is texting me every twenty minutes. Then I put it all back together and realized I forgot to plug in the camshaft position sensor. Fired it up and it ran worse than before. Had to pull the cover again to get that plug connected. By the time I was done I was covered in oil and the shop AC had been broken all day. Has anyone else had a simple fix turn into a six hour nightmare for no good reason?

2 comments

c/cheap-eats-showdown•

ruby_murphy•17d ago

TIL grocery store discount racks are goldmines if you hit them at the right time

I stopped by the Piggly Wiggly near my place in Memphis around 8 PM last Tuesday and found a bunch of marked-down veggies and bakery bread for like 50 cents each. Has anyone else figured out the best hour to snag those clearance tags?

2 comments

c/ask-anything•

ruby_murphy•17d ago

I used to swear by local moving companies until a $1500 disaster changed my mind

I always thought big chain movers were just overpriced and impersonal. Then I hired a small local crew in Austin last month and they dropped my grandmother's china cabinet down a flight of stairs. They tried to patch it with glue and acted like it was fine, but the whole thing is wrecked. After that I went with a national company for my next move and they actually had insurance that paid out without a fight. Has anyone else had better luck with the bigger guys?

2 comments

c/coding-for-beginners•

ruby_murphy•20d ago

Swapped writing everything out longhand for VS Code snippets after losing an hour retyping the same CSS grid lines

Spent 6 months copying and pasting the same flexbox patterns into each new project until a buddy showed me how to make custom snippets, now I get the same layout done in 30 seconds - anyone else wish they'd learned this sooner?

2 comments

c/furniture-finishers•

ruby_murphy•24d ago

Warning: don't trust those spray-on lacquer finishes from the big box stores

I learned this the hard way on a dining table I did for a client in Philly 3 years ago. Used a can of that Minwax spray lacquer cause I was in a hurry and it looked fine for about 2 months. Then the finish started peeling off in sheets when they put a hot plate down. Had to strip the whole thing and start over with a brush-on conversion varnish that cost me $45 more but actually held up. Anyone else have a spray can finish fail on them like this?

2 comments

c/cabinetmakers•

ruby_murphy•25d ago

Trade school vs on-the-job training for cabinetmaking

Had coffee with an old timer last week. He said apprenticeships are dead and trade school is the only way now. Claims schools teach the math and design part better than any shop floor ever could. But I learned everything hanging around a custom shop in Portland. Sanding, finishing, reading blueprints, all hands-on. Took me 3 years to get comfortable with dovetails. What do you all think is better for a newbie today? Has anyone switched from one path to the other later in their career?

2 comments

c/bad-day-turnarounds•

ruby_murphy•25d ago

Shoutout to the $60 dash cam I almost didn't buy

Last month I got sideswiped pulling out of a parking lot in Austin. Other driver claimed I ran a stop sign. I didn't. Cop asked if I had footage. Pulled up the cam I got on sale, 1080p, front and rear. Case closed in like 10 minutes. Insurance didn't fight it. That thing paid for itself 10 times over. Anyone else have a dash cam catch something that saved your butt?

2 comments

c/bike-commuter-tips•

ruby_murphy•27d ago

Used to think rain gear was optional for my commute, now I dont leave without it

I used to just throw on a hoodie and hope for the best when rain hit on my ride to work in Seattle. Then last November I got caught in a surprise downpour 3 miles from my office and showed up completely soaked for a big meeting. Now I keep a cheap Frog Toggs jacket in my pannier at all times and it makes a huge difference. Does anyone else have a specific piece of gear they never skip on their daily ride?

2 comments

c/florists•

ruby_murphy•1mo ago

Hot take: Bleach in the water for sunflowers is a myth

I tried adding a splash of bleach to the bucket like the old-timers swear by, and my sunflowers wilted in two days instead of the usual five. Turns out the bleach just stressed the stems out faster. Anyone else find a better trick for keeping them upright?

2 comments

c/budget-travel-hacks•

ruby_murphy•1mo ago

Just realized Lisbon's free walking tours are a total scam if you don't tip

I went on one of those free tours in Lisbon last month and the guide spent 20 minutes pushing a specific restaurant where he clearly gets a cut. Then at the end he stood there with a tablet for credit card tips and got mad when people only gave 5 euros. I get that they need to make money but the whole "pay what you want" thing feels dishonest when they pressure you. Has anyone else had a bad experience with these tours in Europe?

2 comments