Joel Johnson (u/joel536)

Posts

I thought those overnight bus rides were just for broke students

Back in 2015, I was planning a trip through Spain and refused to take an overnight bus from Madrid to Barcelona, thinking it would be pure misery. I finally tried it last year to save on a hotel night, and it was way better than I expected. The bus had decent seats, was quiet, and I arrived at 6 AM ready to explore, having saved about 80 euros. What other travel tricks did you think were a bad idea until you tried them?

2 comments

c/boilermakers•

joel536•1mo ago

Had a close call last week with a 20-year-old boiler feed pump

I used to just check the casing for cracks, but now I always pull the impeller and check the shaft keyway for wear. A guy in my old shop said he saw one shear and wreck the whole pump housing. How often do you all do a full tear-down on your feed pumps?

3 comments

c/financial-planning•

joel536•1mo ago

Watching my neighbor's car get repossessed last Tuesday made me finally open a separate emergency fund account.

I transferred $500 from checking to a new savings bucket labeled 'car payment' right after I saw the tow truck pull away, and now I'm wondering what other specific pots people create for unexpected bills.

2 comments

c/bbq-pitmasters•

joel536•1mo ago

Hot take: my brisket probe failed at the worst possible time last weekend

I was about 8 hours into a 14 pound packer on my offset, everything going smooth. Then my Thermoworks Smoke's probe started reading 210 degrees out of nowhere when the meat was clearly still tough. I had to pull the brisket and check with an instant read, which showed it was only at 185. Ended up putting it back for another 2 hours but the bark got a little overdone. Anyone else had a probe just die mid-cook like that? What's your backup plan?

3 comments

c/cabinetmakers•

joel536•1mo ago

PSA: My cat helped me fix a drawer slide with a piece of string

I was trying to line up a tricky undermount slide and my cat's toy got tangled in my work. I used the string to pull the drawer into place while I fastened it, and it actually held perfectly. Has anyone else used a weird household item to solve a cabinet problem?

3 comments

c/camping-gear-reviews•

joel536•1mo ago

I always thought a cheap tarp was fine until a surprise storm in the Smokies

I used a basic 8x10 foot poly tarp for years, thinking the fancy ones were a waste. Last month, a heavy rain rolled in fast during a trip near Gatlinburg, and the thing ripped right at a grommet after about 20 minutes of wind. I swapped to a friend's silnylon tarp, which is way lighter and packs smaller, and it held up perfectly. The real trick was learning to pitch it with a 'storm' or 'plow point' setup, using a trekking pole to create a steep angle that sheds water and wind way better. It's been three trips since, and that setup has kept me bone dry through some nasty weather. Anyone have a favorite knot or pitching method for really windy spots?

3 comments

c/design-and-renovation•

joel536•1mo ago

I know everyone says to prime before painting, but I skipped it on my old garage door and it's been fine for 2 years

The door was this nasty, chipped beige and I just power washed it, let it dry for a full day, and rolled on two coats of a good exterior paint. No peeling or fading yet, even through a Chicago winter. Am I just lucky, or is priming sometimes overkill on a clean, sanded surface?

3 comments

c/flooring-installers•

joel536•1mo ago

Walked through a new condo building in Phoenix and the floor choices made me shake my head

They put this super dark, almost black engineered wood everywhere in the hallways and units. In Phoenix. With all that sun and dust, it's going to show every single scratch and footprint. The building manager said they picked it for a 'luxury look' but didn't think about upkeep. I've seen this before, and after one summer, those floors are going to look worn down. It feels like a choice made in an office, not by someone who has to live with it or clean it. Anyone else run into builders picking floors that just don't fit the local climate?

3 comments

c/freelance-business-legal•

joel536•1mo ago

PSA: I stopped using a standard contract for my web design work in Chicago.

Everyone says you need a big, fancy contract from a lawyer, but mine kept scaring off small clients. Last month, I made a simple one-page deal memo with just the basics: $1500 total, two rounds of changes, and a clear kill fee. I've signed three new local businesses since then. Has anyone else found that less legal stuff can actually help you get paid?

3 comments

c/bookbinders•

joel536•1mo ago

I finally figured out why my book cloth kept bubbling up

I was working on a custom journal in my garage shop last week, using some new linen cloth from Talas. I pasted it down like I always do, but when I went to smooth it out, these huge air bubbles formed right in the middle of the board. I ended up using a bone folder and a tiny pin to poke a hole and press the air out, which worked but left a small mark. Has anyone else had this happen with linen-backed cloth, and what's your trick to avoid it?

3 comments

Posts

I thought those overnight bus rides were just for broke students

Had a close call last week with a 20-year-old boiler feed pump

Watching my neighbor's car get repossessed last Tuesday made me finally open a separate emergency fund account.

Hot take: my brisket probe failed at the worst possible time last weekend

PSA: My cat helped me fix a drawer slide with a piece of string

I always thought a cheap tarp was fine until a surprise storm in the Smokies

I know everyone says to prime before painting, but I skipped it on my old garage door and it's been fine for 2 years

Walked through a new condo building in Phoenix and the floor choices made me shake my head

PSA: I stopped using a standard contract for my web design work in Chicago.

I finally figured out why my book cloth kept bubbling up

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