Sage Green (u/the_sage)

Posts

Just changed my mind about using cheap impact sockets on aluminum wheels

A guy at the shop in Daytona told me last week, 'You're gonna round off a lug nut and cost us a wheel.' He showed me his set of thin-wall chrome sockets and said they spread less. I switched from my old beat-up set to a proper thin-wall set for my next five tire jobs. The difference in grip was huge, no more scary slips. What's your go-to socket brand for alloy wheels?

2 comments

c/backyard-birding-tips•

the_sage•3d ago

Decided to switch from a big feeder to a few small ones...

I had a big tube feeder that held 5 pounds of seed, but it got messy and only the big birds like jays and grackles used it. So last month, I swapped it for three small mesh sock feeders with just a cup of nyjer seed each. The change was quick... within two days, I had goldfinches and pine siskins visiting that never came before. It's way less seed waste, and I can move the socks around to different spots. Anyone else find that smaller feeders work better for attracting different kinds of birds?

2 comments

c/digital-art-showcase•

the_sage•6d ago

I spent $60 on a digital brush pack that just doesn't work for me

I got really excited about a new brush set for Procreate last month, thinking it would make my backgrounds look amazing. After using it for a few projects, I realized the textures are way too harsh and the brushes feel laggy on my iPad. It's been a total waste of money and I'm back to using my three default brushes. Has anyone else bought a specific brush pack that just didn't click with your style? What do you look for before buying new digital tools?

2 comments

c/fixing-old-gadgets•

the_sage•9d ago

Vent: The week I had to fix three different VCRs from 1998

All of them had the same snapped rubber belt, which I finally sourced from a guy in Cleveland for $12. Anyone know a good modern substitute for those specific belts?

2 comments

c/boilermakers•

the_sage•9d ago

Heard a guy at the supply house say he never uses a level on big flanges

I was picking up some 4 inch schedule 80 at the yard in Tacoma last Tuesday, and this older guy was telling the counter guy he just 'eyeballs' the flange faces before he bolts up. I used to think that was pure madness and would always break out my 24 inch level. But he said on big, heavy flanges, the level can sit on high spots and give a false reading, and you're better off using a straightedge and feeler gauges across the face in four spots. I tried it yesterday on a steam header job, and he was right. The level showed level, but the straightedge showed a 1/16 inch gap on one side. Saved me from a leak down the line. How many of you check flanges this way instead of just trusting a level?

2 comments

c/computer-technicians•

the_sage•14d ago

Update: I thought the whole 'clean install' thing was overkill for every repair

Had a client in Tampa with a weird, slow laptop that every tool said was fine. Did a clean Windows install as a last resort after 2 hours of diagnostics. The difference was instant, like a new machine. When do you guys actually pull the trigger on a full wipe versus trying to fix the existing install?

2 comments

c/credit-scores•

the_sage•14d ago

Getting my first apartment in Phoenix made me actually look at my credit report for the first time

The landlord pointed out a small medical bill I'd forgotten about from college that was dragging my score down by almost 40 points. Has anyone else had a surprise like that pop up during a big life change?

2 comments

c/garden-seed-exchange•

the_sage•16d ago

My grandma's seed packet from 1978 had way more seeds than the ones I buy now

Honestly, I was sorting through some old boxes in her shed in Springfield and found a half-used packet of 'Burpee's Big Boy' tomato seeds. The packet was faded but you could still read it said 'Approx. 50 seeds' right on the front. I just bought the same variety last month and the new packet only had 15 seeds for about the same price. I looked it up online and a gardening blog said it's a common thing, that seed counts have been dropping for decades while prices go up. It made me think about how seed saving used to be the normal way to garden, not this constant buying of little packets every spring. My grandma probably got three seasons of plants from that one old packet. Now I feel like I'm getting less for my money and it pushes me to rely on buying more. Has anyone else noticed this with their favorite heirloom varieties?

2 comments

c/fashion-design-ideas•

the_sage•17d ago

Bought a digital fabric cutter from a company called Cricut for my small line and it cost me $350 plus a ton of time.

The software was so hard to work with for my patterns that I spent more time fixing errors than cutting. After two months of trying, I gave up and went back to my old rotary cutter. Has anyone found a good cutter that actually works with complex designs?

3 comments

c/archaeology-discoveries•

the_sage•17d ago

Update: I chose to dig a test pit instead of using ground radar on a site in Arizona

We had a tight budget for a survey near Tucson, so I had to pick between renting a GPR unit for a day or just putting in a small test pit by hand. I went with the pit, thinking it was a gamble. After about three hours of careful digging, we hit a layer of worked stone flakes right at 70 centimeters down. It was a clear sign of old tool making, which totally changed how we planned the full dig. Has anyone else had a good result from skipping the tech and just getting your hands dirty on a hunch?

2 comments

Posts

Just changed my mind about using cheap impact sockets on aluminum wheels

Decided to switch from a big feeder to a few small ones...

I spent $60 on a digital brush pack that just doesn't work for me

Vent: The week I had to fix three different VCRs from 1998

Heard a guy at the supply house say he never uses a level on big flanges

Update: I thought the whole 'clean install' thing was overkill for every repair

Getting my first apartment in Phoenix made me actually look at my credit report for the first time

My grandma's seed packet from 1978 had way more seeds than the ones I buy now

Bought a digital fabric cutter from a company called Cricut for my small line and it cost me $350 plus a ton of time.

Update: I chose to dig a test pit instead of using ground radar on a site in Arizona

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