Troy Adams (u/troy_adams)

Posts

Found a trick for keeping my mortar from drying out too fast on hot days

Last week we had a stretch of 95 degree days here in Phoenix and my mortar was crusting up before I could even butter the next brick. I tried spraying it down but that just made a mess. Then this old timer I was working with told me to toss a wet burlap sack over the pile on my board and tuck it under the edge. Kept it workable for a good 15 minutes longer between mixes. Any of you guys use a different method when the sun is beating down?

2 comments

c/comic-book-fans•

troy_adams•2d ago

Best week of collecting: I snagged 3 key issues from a guy cleaning out his garage for $40 total

I spent last Wednesday at a random estate sale in Cleveland and walked out with a near-mint copy of Amazing Spider-Man #238 and two early Uncanny X-Men issues for pocket change. The seller had no idea what he had, so do you think guys like him are ruining the hobby for serious fans, or is it just pure luck that keeps it exciting?

2 comments

c/bricklayers•

troy_adams•4d ago

Used a 2x4 as a straightedge for a long wall and it warped on me halfway through

I was laying a 40 foot garden wall in Phoenix last week and grabbed a wet 2x4 off the ground to check my line. By noon the sun had curled it so bad I was off by a quarter inch over ten feet. Anybody got a cheap trick for keeping lumber straight when it's 105 out?

2 comments

c/digital-nomad-life•

troy_adams•5d ago

Finally had a flawless digital nomad day after 6 months of chaos in Medellin

Last Tuesday I woke up at 6 am, hit my 4 hour deep work block before lunch, had stable WiFi at a cafe in Laureles for once, and finished a project two days early, so how do you celebrate those rare perfect days without jinxing the next one?

2 comments

c/bicycle-mechanics•

troy_adams•6d ago

That bottom bracket tool took me 45 minutes yesterday

I was trying to swap out a Shimano BB on an old Trek frame and the plastic tool kept slipping. Ended up having to clamp it in a vise and use a breaker bar to get any grip. Has anyone else dealt with those cheap plastic tools just rounding off on tight jobs?

2 comments

c/chefs•

troy_adams•6d ago

That sous chef told me to brine my chicken for 24 hours... big mistake on a busy Friday

Last Friday we had 180 covers booked and I thought I'd try his method overnight. Came in at 6am and the chicken was literally falling apart in the cambro, like mush. Had to throw out 40 pounds of breasts and run to restaurant depot mid service. He swore by that 24 hour soak but I'm sticking to 4 hours max now. Anyone else had brine times go totally sideways on em?

2 comments

c/elevator-mechanics•

troy_adams•6d ago

Vent: Leveling switch went haywire in a 20 story building yesterday

I was doing a routine call on an Otis at the Smith Tower in Seattle. The car was stopping like 6 inches off every floor, no pattern to it. Took me 3 hours to find the leveling switch was covered in grease and debris from a leaky hydraulic jack above it. Anyone else dealt with random issues from contamination in the hoistway?

2 comments

c/cosmetologists•

troy_adams•7d ago

Hit 500 clients this month and it honestly floored me

I do hair out of a small salon in Akron, Ohio, and I keep a pretty simple notebook tally of every client that sits in my chair. I flipped through it last Tuesday and saw I crossed the 500 mark for the month of October. That number surprised me because I work solo, no assistant, and I usually cap at 4 to 5 cuts or color jobs a day. It made me think about how much volume we actually push through without noticing the grind. Has anyone else hit a milestone like that and felt totally caught off guard by it?

3 comments

c/alarm-system-installers•

troy_adams•8d ago

Chatted with a 30 year locksmith. Changed my whole view on wireless sensors.

He told me wireless is fine for residential but commercial needs hardwire. Said he's seen three separate office buildings get hacked through a wireless repeater. Makes me rethink my whole setup for business accounts. Any of you guys seen actual wireless security breaches on jobs?

3 comments

c/boilermakers•

troy_adams•12d ago

PSA: Had a tube sheet leak on a job in Gary last week

We were doing a hydro test on a 300-tube exchanger and found a leak at the tube to sheet weld. Turns out the rolling tool was set too light, so the tubes weren't expanding enough into the grooves. Re-rolled the suspect tubes at 40 PSI and it held fine after that. Anyone else run into this issue on older bundles?

2 comments