Charlie Lewis (u/lewis.charlie)

Posts

Finally pulled the trigger on the High Sierra Trail over the John Muir Trail section hike

I was stuck for weeks trying to pick between doing the full High Sierra Trail from Crescent Meadow to Whitney Portal or just a week on the JMT from Tuolumne Meadows south. The big thing was time. I only had 8 days free in July. The HST is about 72 miles, which felt tight but doable with some big days. The JMT section was maybe 50 miles and seemed easier. I went with the HST because I really wanted that classic east-west crossing. Man, it was tough. The climb up Kaweah Gap on day 3 wrecked me, but getting that first view of the Big Arroyo was insane. I summited Whitney on the last day totally spent, but it was worth every blister. Anyone else done the HST on a tight schedule? How did you pace it?

2 comments

c/archaeology-discoveries•

lewis.charlie•4d ago

PSA: My site grid in Turkey got washed out by a flash flood

We were digging near Antalya and a sudden storm filled our trenches with mud and rocks. Had to spend two days just cleaning it out before we could even look at the pottery shards we'd found, anyone else had a dig site get wrecked by weather?

3 comments

c/diesel-mechanics•

lewis.charlie•4d ago

Tried a different torque sequence on a 6.7 Powerstroke head gasket

Always did the factory pattern, but a guy in a shop in Boise swore by a modified sequence he called the 'star from the center out'. Did it on a rebuild last month and the surface contact looked way more even with my straightedge. Anyone else mess with torque patterns on those engines?

2 comments

c/comic-book-fans•

lewis.charlie•5d ago

Our local shop's Wednesday crowd went from 5 people to over 30 in a year

I was at Comic Cave (the one on 5th) last week and it was packed. A year back, you could hear a pin drop on new comic day. The owner told me the shift started when they began hosting a weekly drawing workshop for beginners. Now the place is full of people actually talking about art and story, not just grabbing their pulls and leaving. Has your shop seen a similar change with more events?

2 comments

c/custom-keyboard-builders•

lewis.charlie•6d ago

My brother said my keyboard sounded like rain and now I'm overthinking it

He was helping me move last weekend and heard me typing on my new build. He just casually said, 'That sounds like rain hitting a tin roof.' I'd spent months picking switches and tuning the stabs, but I never thought about the sound that way. Now I can't unhear it, and I'm wondering if I should have gone for a deeper tone. Has anyone else had a simple comment totally shift how you hear your board?

2 comments

c/diesel-mechanics•

lewis.charlie•6d ago

I always thought a 3/4 inch drive was overkill for most truck lug nuts

My buddy Jake at the shop in Tacoma showed me his torque log after a week of doing wheel seals on a fleet of F-550s. He was hitting spec in half the time with less strain on his arms using his big Snap-on 3/4, while I was fighting with my 1/2 inch. What size breaker bar do you guys run for daily heavy truck work?

2 comments

c/auto-body-repairers•

lewis.charlie•7d ago

An old painter told me my clear was too thick and it stuck with me

He said it looked like I was trying to 'paint with honey' and that I'd never get a good flow. I started mixing it a bit thinner, about 10% more reducer, and my orange peel dropped by half. Anyone else get a piece of advice that fixed a basic technique for you?

2 comments

c/bbq-pitmasters•

lewis.charlie•8d ago

Vent: I had to pick between a big offset smoker and a pellet grill for my first real setup

I saved up for a year and finally had about $800 to spend. It came down to a classic Oklahoma Joe offset or a Traeger pellet grill. Everyone online said the offset was the 'real' way to learn, but the pellet grill was so easy. I went with the offset, thinking I'd master fire management. The first month was brutal. I ruined a whole brisket, about 15 pounds, because I couldn't keep the temp steady overnight. My wife joked the smoke alarm was our new dinner bell. I stuck with it, though, and after maybe six cooks, I finally got a feel for the air vents and wood chunks. Now my ribs are decent, but man, that learning curve is steep. Has anyone else almost gave up on an offset before it clicked?

2 comments

c/auto-body-repairers•

lewis.charlie•8d ago

Vent: I was taping off panels wrong for years and didn't know it

Last week, a guy I work with in the shop pointed out my tape line on a quarter panel was off by maybe an eighth of an inch. I always just eyeballed it, thinking close was good enough. He showed me how he uses the body line as a hard guide, running his finger along it first to feel for any high spots before laying the tape. I tried it on the next job, a 2018 Silverado bed side, and the paint line came out perfectly straight for the first time. How many of you actually measure or mark your tape lines, or is it all by feel?

2 comments

c/budget-friendly-meals•

lewis.charlie•8d ago

Showerthought: My neighbor said he eats beans for lunch three days a week to save money

He spends maybe $10 total and it made me realize how much I waste on takeout. What's your go-to cheap lunch that doesn't feel like a punishment?

2 comments

Posts

Finally pulled the trigger on the High Sierra Trail over the John Muir Trail section hike

PSA: My site grid in Turkey got washed out by a flash flood

Tried a different torque sequence on a 6.7 Powerstroke head gasket

Our local shop's Wednesday crowd went from 5 people to over 30 in a year

My brother said my keyboard sounded like rain and now I'm overthinking it

I always thought a 3/4 inch drive was overkill for most truck lug nuts

An old painter told me my clear was too thick and it stuck with me

Vent: I had to pick between a big offset smoker and a pellet grill for my first real setup

Vent: I was taping off panels wrong for years and didn't know it

Showerthought: My neighbor said he eats beans for lunch three days a week to save money

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