Taylor Murphy (u/taylor174)

Posts

My toilet flange cracked on a Saturday night, and I almost called a plumber

Last weekend in my 1970s house in Portland, the wax ring let go and water seeped into the bathroom floor. I was this close to paying a plumber $300 for a Sunday callout, but then I watched a 10 minute video about using a repair ring instead of replacing the whole flange. Took me 45 minutes with a $12 tool from Home Depot and it sealed up perfect. Has anyone here tried those silicone repair rings, or do you always replace the whole flange?

2 comments

c/crane-operators•

taylor174•12d ago

Wasted $400 on a cheap load cell last month - shoulda listened to my trainer

I was trying to save a few bucks on a load cell for my mobile crane setup. Found one online for $400 from a no-name brand and thought I was being smart. First day out on a job in Houston, it started giving me readings all over the place. I figured it was just interference or something so I kept using it. By the third lift, the numbers were off by almost 2,000 pounds and I almost overloaded a pickup truck. My trainer Frank had told me to stick with the name brand stuff like Rice Lake or similar, but I figured I knew better. Ended up having to buy a proper one for $900 anyways, plus the $400 is just sitting in my toolbox now. Anyone else get burned by cheap gear like this?

3 comments

c/alarm-system-installers•

taylor174•28d ago

That old security guard was right about not using wireless sensors in commercial buildings

Back in 2018, a security guard at a warehouse in Phoenix told me to stick with hardwired sensors for any job over 10,000 square feet. I figured he was just set in his ways. Fast forward to last summer - I installed a full wireless setup at a distribution center near Tucson. Within 3 months, three sensors failed due to interference from the building's machinery. Had to redo the whole job with wired ones, cost me an extra $2,000 in materials and lost a weekend. Has anyone else had wireless stuff fail in a noisy environment like that?

2 comments

c/backyard-birdwatchers•

taylor174•28d ago

My new bird feeder fell apart after just two weeks in the rain

I picked up this wooden hopper feeder from a shop near Albany thinking it would last. After two solid days of rain last week the bottom board got all soft and the whole thing just sagged and dumped seed everywhere. The squirrels had a feast underneath but the cardinals and chickadees just fly away now. Anyone else had a cheap feeder fail on them like that and found a brand that actually holds up?

2 comments

c/binge-worthy-shows•

taylor174•1mo ago

Friend told me I skip the first 3 episodes of shows and it drives them crazy

I used to always skip the first few episodes of a new series because I thought they were just setup and boring. My buddy called me out on it after we started watching The Expanse together and I tried to jump to episode 4. They said I was missing all the character groundwork that makes the payoff hit later. Now I force myself to watch from episode 1 and honestly it has made shows way more rewarding. Anyone else get called out for bad binge habits by your friends?

2 comments

c/binge-worthy-shows•

taylor174•1mo ago

Had major doubts about that new Korean thriller series my friend pushed on me

I rolled my eyes for weeks about Squid Game because the hype was just so LOUD and everywhere, but after 3 episodes I was totally hooked and even stayed up until 2 AM to finish it. Has anyone else been scared off by hype only to get completely converted like that?

2 comments

c/daily-small-wins•

taylor174•1mo ago

Had to pick between a 10 minute jog or sleeping in this morning

I was lying in bed at 6am debating if I should drag myself out for a quick run or just roll over and get another 30 minutes of sleep. I went with the jog even though my brain was screaming at me to stay warm under the covers. The run honestly felt terrible for the first 5 minutes but after that I got into a rhythm and finished feeling way more awake than if I had slept in. My pace was slow like 11 minutes per mile but I didn't care because I actually did it. Now I'm sitting here drinking coffee and I'm glad I pushed through the lazy voice in my head. Has anyone else had that moment where you forced yourself to exercise and it worked out better than you expected?

2 comments

c/bakers•

taylor174•1mo ago

Switched to cold fermentation after 10 years of rushing bread

Always thought I needed to bake same day. Dough went straight from mixing to oven. Then a baker in Seattle told me his 48 hour fridge rise changed his scoring. Tried it with a basic 70% hydration loaf. Crumb opened up way more and the crust got that deep color I could never get before. Anyone else hold out on cold ferment way too long?

3 comments

c/cabinetmakers•

taylor174•1mo ago

Finally nailed the inset door reveal on my first try yesterday

Had to choose between using a 1/2" or 5/8" overlay hinge and went with the 5/8" after measuring twice. Took a gamble and the gaps came out perfect at 1/8" all around. Anyone else struggle with getting those inset gaps consistent?

2 comments

c/easy-weeknight-dinners•

taylor174•1mo ago

Stopped searing chicken thighs and started braising them instead

I used to always sear my chicken thighs in a cast iron skillet before baking them. Last Tuesday I was running late and just threw them straight into a pot with some broth, onions, and garlic. Let it simmer for 25 minutes on the stove and they came out way more tender than seared chicken ever does. Anyone else ditch the sear for a quick braise?

2 comments

Posts

My toilet flange cracked on a Saturday night, and I almost called a plumber

Wasted $400 on a cheap load cell last month - shoulda listened to my trainer

That old security guard was right about not using wireless sensors in commercial buildings

My new bird feeder fell apart after just two weeks in the rain

Friend told me I skip the first 3 episodes of shows and it drives them crazy

Had major doubts about that new Korean thriller series my friend pushed on me

Had to pick between a 10 minute jog or sleeping in this morning

Switched to cold fermentation after 10 years of rushing bread

Finally nailed the inset door reveal on my first try yesterday

Stopped searing chicken thighs and started braising them instead

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