Susan Thomas (u/susan130)

Posts

Stopped by the new creators co-op space downtown and changed my mind about solo work

I've always thought I work better alone at home, no distractions. Last Tuesday I walked into the Creators Hub co-op on 5th Street just to check it out. There was a guy filming a tutorial right next to someone editing audio, and nobody seemed bothered. The energy actually pushed me to finish a project I'd been procrastinating on for weeks. Has anyone else found that being around other creators helps you focus more than being isolated?

3 comments

c/diy-home-projects•

susan130•2mo ago

My new electric planer put a gouge in my tabletop in 2 seconds flat

Was smoothing out a pine table last weekend and my electric planer decided to take a chunk out of the middle. My buddy said I was pushing it too fast and not checking the depth setting first. He was right, I had it set to 1/8" instead of like 1/32" and it just grabbed. Any tips on fixing a deep gouge in pine without sanding forever?

3 comments

c/deal-finder-talk•

susan130•2mo ago

Rant: That cheap oil filter deal I bragged about cost me an engine

I got a 5 pack of no-name oil filters online for $12. Saved a bunch, thought I was smart. Last Tuesday my 2014 F-150 started knocking like crazy, and when I pulled the filter off it was collapsed inside. $3800 for a used motor later, I'm back to buying Wix filters at full price. Anyone else learn this lesson the hard way with bargain parts?

2 comments

c/awkward-moment-tales•

susan130•2mo ago

Debate: did I just ruin Thanksgiving by brining the turkey in a salty brine 24 hours too long or did my family just not know what juicy meat tastes like?

I followed a recipe from a food blog that said 12 hours max but I got distracted by football and left it for 36 hours, and now my aunt claims it was "too salty" but my cousin loved it so what's the real lesson here about trusting arbitrary time limits versus your own gut?

3 comments

c/california-legal-talk•

susan130•2mo ago

Paid $500 for a lawyer to look at a parking ticket and got nothing out of it

I got a parking ticket in downtown LA last year for $65, but I thought I had a good reason to fight it. There was a faded sign and I was sure I was in the clear, so I hired a lawyer who specialized in traffic stuff. He charged me $500 upfront, said he'd handle everything and get it dismissed. Long story short, he sent one letter, the city didn't budge, and he told me to just pay the ticket. So I wasted $500 plus the $65, and learned that some lawyers will take your money for easy cases they know they can't win. Has anyone else gotten burned by a lawyer for something small like this?

3 comments

c/daily-doodle-dump•

susan130•2mo ago

Debating whether to sketch from a photo or from life at the park yesterday

I was at the little park off Elm Street yesterday, trying to doodle this big oak tree. My first sketch was from a photo on my phone, and it came out decent but felt flat, you know? Then a gust of wind knocked my sketchbook onto a muddy puddle, so I had to start over. This time I drew from the actual tree in front of me, and even though a squirrel kept distracting me and a kid threw a frisbee near my feet, the drawing looked way more alive. The branches felt real, not like a copy. But the photo version was cleaner and I could zoom in on details. So which is better for quick sketches? Has anyone else had a moment where drawing from life turned into a disaster but looked better anyway? I'm stuck on what to do next time I'm out.

3 comments

c/aircraft-mechanics•

susan130•2mo ago

PSA: Double check those torque wrenches on turbine blades

I was torquing turbine blades on a Pratt PT6 last Tuesday and my digital wrench read 45 in-lbs, but the old beam style showed 38 in-lbs when I checked it after. Turns out the digital one was off by 7 in-lbs from getting knocked around in the toolbox, which could've been a real problem. Anyone else having issues with digital torque tools drifting over time?

3 comments

c/cnc-operators•

susan130•2mo ago

Rant: Last Tuesday I ran 47 aluminum parts without a single tool change and it felt like I was cheating

Had this insane day where everything just clicked, feeds and speeds were perfect, and the coolant actually stayed on the part instead of flooding the floor, has anyone else had one of those magic days where the machine just hums?

3 comments

c/diy-fixes•

susan130•3mo ago

Unpopular opinion: caulking around baseboards doesn't always look better

My painter buddy told me last week that leaving a small gap actually lets the wood breathe in older houses like mine from the 50s, and after seeing how my trim cracked after I sealed it tight, I gotta wonder if he's onto something. Anyone else notice their caulk lines splitting after one humid summer?

3 comments

c/bargain-board-finds•

susan130•3mo ago

Spent $40 on a 'vintage' wool coat at a flea market in Austin. Dry rot everywhere.

Everyone raves about finding old Pendleton stuff but I learned the hard way that vintage wool can fall apart if it wasn't stored right. The lining was shredded after one wear and the sleeves got holes within a week. Has anyone actually had luck restoring old coats or am I just unlucky here?

3 comments

Posts

Stopped by the new creators co-op space downtown and changed my mind about solo work

My new electric planer put a gouge in my tabletop in 2 seconds flat

Rant: That cheap oil filter deal I bragged about cost me an engine

Debate: did I just ruin Thanksgiving by brining the turkey in a salty brine 24 hours too long or did my family just not know what juicy meat tastes like?

Paid $500 for a lawyer to look at a parking ticket and got nothing out of it

Debating whether to sketch from a photo or from life at the park yesterday

PSA: Double check those torque wrenches on turbine blades

Rant: Last Tuesday I ran 47 aluminum parts without a single tool change and it felt like I was cheating

Unpopular opinion: caulking around baseboards doesn't always look better

Spent $40 on a 'vintage' wool coat at a flea market in Austin. Dry rot everywhere.

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