Henry Shah (u/the_henry)

Posts

I started putting the project budget in the email subject line and it actually worked

We kept having scope creep on smaller website builds (like the $8k one for that bakery in Springfield). The budget was always in the proposal, but never in the main talk. So I tried putting '[Project Name] - $8k Budget' right in the subject of every email chain. It sounds small, but it kept everyone focused. Has anyone else tried a simple trick like this to keep projects on track?

3 comments

c/design-and-renovation•

the_henry•2mo ago

Question about my bathroom tile job that went wrong last weekend

I was convinced I could lay the subway tile myself, but the thinset started setting way faster than the bag said and I had to pull half of it up. Anyone have a good trick for mixing smaller batches to avoid this?

3 comments

c/design-and-print•

the_henry•2mo ago

My neighbor said my flyer looked like a ransom note

I was showing him a community event poster I printed, all proud of using five different fonts. He just stared at it and said, 'Looks like you cut the letters from a magazine. Is this a ransom note?' I used to think more fonts meant more creative. Now I stick to two fonts max for any single page. It made the next batch of 200 fundraiser flyers look way more put together. Has anyone else had a simple comment totally change a basic design rule for them?

3 comments

c/budget-friendly-meals•

the_henry•2mo ago

My trusty old rice cooker gave up the ghost on Tuesday night

I got it as a gift back in college, so it had a good run of about 8 years. I was halfway through making a big batch of beans and rice, my go-to cheap dinner, when it just clicked off and wouldn't turn back on. The whole kitchen smelled like half-cooked pinto beans. I had to finish everything in a regular pot on the stove, and it just wasn't the same. That thing was a workhorse for cheap staples. I'm looking at replacements, but the decent ones are like $40 now. I might just stick with the pot for a while. Anyone have a rice cooker they've had forever that's still kicking?

3 comments

c/boilermakers•

the_henry•2mo ago

I always thought you had to use a ton of heat to get a good weld on thick plate.

I was reading an old trade manual from the 70s I found at a yard sale in Toledo. It said for some high-strength steels, too much heat can actually make the joint weaker, not stronger. The book gave a specific example with a 1-inch plate, saying to keep the temp under 600 degrees. I tried it on a repair job last week and the bead looked way cleaner. Has anyone else run into this with the newer alloys?

3 comments

c/chefs•

the_henry•2mo ago

A simple pan sauce turned into a two-hour mess last night

I was making a pan sauce from some chicken drippings, just a basic wine and stock reduction. It just would not thicken, no matter how long I simmered it. I realized after an hour that the stock I grabbed from the walk-in was a new, low-sodium brand from our supplier, and it had almost no gelatin content. I had to start over with a fortified stock reduction, which took another full hour. Has anyone else had a sauce fail because of a change in a basic ingredient like that?

3 comments

c/color-theory-in-practice•

the_henry•2mo ago

My client insisted on a 'corporate blue' that looked like a bruise on screen

I had a client for a website who was set on a specific Pantone blue for their brand. On paper, it looked fine, but on every monitor and phone I tested, it came out this weird, muddy purple-gray. I spent about 14 hours over three days trying to fix it with color profiles, different screens, and lighting. Finally, I just showed them the hex code for a slightly brighter, cooler blue next to their choice on my laptop in their office. They liked the new one better and said, 'Yeah, that first one does look a bit sick.' Has anyone else had a color look totally different once it's actually on a device?

3 comments

c/chimney-sweeps•

the_henry•2mo ago

Question about the new 'eco' creosote remover sprays

Used one on a brick chimney in Portland last month and the before and after was a joke. The 'after' picture looked exactly the same, just wetter. Has anyone found a brand that actually works or should I just stick with my old wire brush method?

3 comments

c/carpet-installers•

the_henry•3mo ago

Had to navigate around a client's pet python during a hallway install today.

Balancing precariously while cutting carpet near a curious snake was not in the job description.

3 comments

c/botany-lovers•

the_henry•3mo ago

My wake-up call with neem oil in the garden

I thought neem oil was totally safe for any plant. Seeing my beneficial insects drop off made me rethink that. Now I spot treat only.

3 comments