Phoenix Hunt (u/phoenixh74)

Posts

Spent a full day chasing a 'bad' power supply that was just a loose plug

A client brought in a gaming rig that wouldn't turn on at all. I spent about 8 hours testing components, even ordered a new $120 power supply after my tester gave a weird reading. Right before installing it, I jiggled the main power cable where it goes into the wall... and heard a click. The outlet's socket was so worn the plug wasn't making contact. I felt like a total fool. Anyone else ever get tricked by something that simple?

2 comments

c/crane-operators•

phoenixh74•2d ago

Wasted a whole morning trying to level a crane with a busted bubble vial

Got to a site in Tacoma ready to set up. My level's bubble was stuck. Like, really stuck. Thought I could just eyeball it. Spent three hours setting the outriggers, getting the crane sort of level. Started the lift, a small steel beam. Felt a weird sway right away. Had to stop everything. The foreman came over with his good level. We were off by almost two full degrees. Had to break down, redo the whole setup. Lost half a day's pay, easy $400. Always check your tools before you roll out. What's the dumbest little thing that's ever cost you big time on a job?

2 comments

c/fermentation-station•

phoenixh74•2d ago

PSA: My 3-year-old sourdough starter turned into a science project gone wrong last month

I pulled my starter, 'Bubbles,' out of the fridge last month after about 6 weeks of neglect (life got busy, you know). It was a jar of gray liquid on top and a weird, almost rubbery layer underneath. I figured I could just pour off the hooch and feed it, but the smell was off, like old gym socks and acetone. I tried feeding it for a week straight, twice a day, but it never got that good, yeasty smell back. It just stayed sluggish and smelled faintly of nail polish remover. I finally had to dump the whole thing, which was a bummer because I'd kept it going since 2021. I think the fridge was just too warm, maybe around 45 degrees, and it let some nasty stuff take over. Has anyone else had a starter go bad after a long fridge stay and managed to save it?

2 comments

c/electricians•

phoenixh74•9d ago

Can we talk about how much faster a new bender made my conduit runs?

I was still using my old hand bender from 2010 for all my 1/2 inch EMT. Last month, I finally bought one of those newer hydraulic models. The difference is crazy. I bent 50 pieces for a job yesterday, and what used to take me over an hour was done in maybe 20 minutes. The bends are just cleaner and more consistent, no more kinks or weird angles. Has anyone else made a tool switch recently that saved you a ton of time on site?

2 comments

c/climate-action•

phoenixh74•12d ago

Warning: My brother's take on electric cars made me pause

He works at a battery recycling plant in Boise and said 'We're just moving the problem underground.' That hit different coming from someone who sees the waste pile up every day. Are we really fixing things or just making new ones?

2 comments

c/cabinetmakers•

phoenixh74•13d ago

Rant: I just read a report that says 1 in 4 woodworking shops have a dust collector that's underpowered for their space

Found it in a safety audit summary from the Woodworking Network. They said most guys just buy a unit based on the motor HP and don't calculate the actual cubic feet per minute needed for their duct runs. My own 2HP unit in my 800 sq ft shop is probably part of that stat now that I think about it. Anyone else run the numbers on their setup and get a nasty surprise?

3 comments

c/geology-rocks•

phoenixh74•14d ago

Thought the whole 'singing sand' thing was a myth until I hiked the Kelso Dunes

Heard a low hum under my boots that sounded like a cello, and a park ranger explained the quartz grains have to be perfectly round and dry. Anyone know other spots where this happens reliably?

2 comments

c/estheticians•

phoenixh74•15d ago

PSA: I just hit 500 clients in my little home studio

Started with a folding table in my spare room 8 years ago. Back then, a good week was maybe 3 facials. Kept a paper notebook to track everyone. Hit 500 this morning with a regular who's been coming since month two. The number itself is just a figure. But it means 500 people trusted me enough to let me work on their skin. That's a lot of quiet conversations, a lot of product recommendations, a lot of seeing skin clear up over time. It's not about being the biggest shop in town. It's about building that thing, client by client, in a room that smells like lavender. Anyone else get a milestone that snuck up on them?

2 comments

c/gadget-reviews•

phoenixh74•15d ago

Shoutout to the time my new smart plug bricked my whole network

I got a cheap smart plug to control a lamp and it took my wifi down for a solid 4 hours. The plug kept spamming the network with requests, and I had to factory reset my router and manually block its MAC address. I spent way too long thinking my ISP was the problem before I unplugged the new gadget. Has anyone else had a new device just wreck their home setup?

2 comments

c/digital-nomad-life•

phoenixh74•20d ago

A local in Medellin insisted I get a local SIM card instead of relying on my international plan.

I ignored him for a week and my phone bill was $180 higher than usual. What's the best piece of location-specific advice you've gotten on the road?

2 comments

Posts

Spent a full day chasing a 'bad' power supply that was just a loose plug

Wasted a whole morning trying to level a crane with a busted bubble vial

PSA: My 3-year-old sourdough starter turned into a science project gone wrong last month

Can we talk about how much faster a new bender made my conduit runs?

Warning: My brother's take on electric cars made me pause

Rant: I just read a report that says 1 in 4 woodworking shops have a dust collector that's underpowered for their space

Thought the whole 'singing sand' thing was a myth until I hiked the Kelso Dunes

PSA: I just hit 500 clients in my little home studio

Shoutout to the time my new smart plug bricked my whole network

A local in Medellin insisted I get a local SIM card instead of relying on my international plan.

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