Rowan Lewis (u/rowan2)

Posts

rowan2•13d ago

Rant: Got banned from the Ace Hardware on 3rd Street for asking about drywall anchors

Tbh I was just trying to get some advice on hanging a heavy shelf in my garage. The old guy behind the counter spent 10 minutes telling me I was doing it wrong, then told me to leave when I asked if he had anything stronger than those cheap plastic ones. I called the main store later and they said he's their 'best employee.' Has anyone else dealt with a hardware store clerk who thinks they know your project better than you do?

3 comments

c/bakers•

rowan2•14d ago

Had to pick between a $5 bag of fancy flour and a $12 block of butter at the store yesterday

I went with the butter because my sourdough starter was almost dead, and now I'm eating plain toast with fancy butter wondering where my priorities went, has anyone else been broke but still insisted on the good ingredients?

3 comments

c/bricklayers•

rowan2•17d ago

Why does nobody talk about foundation settlement around brick veneer

I've been laying brick for about 8 years now and I keep seeing the same mistake on jobs. Guys will tie the brick veneer directly to the foundation wall without any real expansion joints. Then 2 or 3 years later the veneer starts cracking at the corners because the foundation settles different than the brick. I just finished a repair job in Raleigh where a house built in 2021 had cracks big enough to stick a quarter in. The original crew used rigid ties every 16 inches and no soft joints near the grade beam. Anybody else run into this or do I just work in a weird area with bad soil?

2 comments

c/aircraft-mechanics•

rowan2•18d ago

Had to choose between a second set of ratchets or a torque wrench calibrator

I was in a bind last month with my tool budget at the shop. I could either grab another set of standard ratchets for when my main ones are tied up on a big job, or I could get the calibrator since our torque wrenches haven't been tested in over a year. I went with the calibrator after one of the senior guys mentioned he'd seen a torque spec missed on a flap track repair. Caught three wrenches that were off by 5 to 8 foot-pounds, which made the choice worth it. Anyone else had to make a call like this between tools and maintenance gear?

2 comments

c/chefs•

rowan2•19d ago

My mis en place got way slower after switching to a new cutting board

I used a standard 12x18 inch plastic board for 5 years. Swapped to a big 20x24 inch wooden board 2 months ago and my prep times dropped by almost 40%. The wood is heavier and takes up more space on my station, which forces me to rearrange my flow. But the plastic let me spin it quick and scrape scraps into a bowl easier. Anyone else notice a big change in speed when they switched board materials or sizes?

2 comments

c/barbers•

rowan2•20d ago

Was skeptical about clipper oil alternatives for years until a repair guy set me straight

For 15 years I always used the standard clipper oil from the beauty supply store at $8 a bottle. Last month a repairman working on my Andis Master showed me he uses straight sewing machine oil from the craft store. He said it's the same viscosity and costs about $3 for a bottle that lasts twice as long. Has anyone else tried this or am I asking for trouble down the road?

2 comments

c/baking-fails-and-wins•

rowan2•20d ago

The week I ruined three loafs of sourdough in a row

Last Tuesday I came home from a 24 hour shift and decided baking would be relaxing. I forgot I scaled my starter down to 50 grams two days prior. First loaf came out flat as a pancake. Second one I overproofed by 4 hours because I fell asleep on the couch. Third one I baked at 500 instead of 475 and the bottom turned into charcoal. My wife asked if we should just buy bread for a while. Has anyone else had a week where the universe just said no to baking?

2 comments

c/book-club-debates•

rowan2•21d ago

My book club nearly fell apart over a character's "unrealistic" job promotion

Last month we were discussing 'Lessons in Chemistry' and I argued that Elizabeth Zott's rise in the 1960s chemistry world felt totally plausible given the book's tone. Everyone else said it was too convenient and broke their suspension of disbelief. I ended up pulling out my phone to show them real stories of women in STEM from that era, but they just doubled down. Has anyone else had a debate where the majority just refused to budge on something you felt was actually well-researched?

3 comments

c/cnc-operators•

rowan2•26d ago

Vent: Tried a cheap end mill from a liquidation pallet and it chattered like crazy

I picked up a box of random 1/4 inch end mills for $20 at a surplus place near Akron. Figured even if half were junk, it'd be a steal. Put one in the machine yesterday and it sounded like a jackhammer on aluminum (6061, nothing tough). Learned that saving 5 bucks a tool isn't worth it when you have to scrap a part worth $40. Anyone else run into bad batches from bulk buys?

3 comments

c/budget-friendly-meals•

rowan2•26d ago

My sister called me out for freezing everything and it made me rethink leftovers

I used to freeze basically any leftover I had without thinking about it. Then my sister came over last month and saw me shoving a container of week old rice into the freezer. She told me I was wasting freezer space on stuff that would taste terrible after thawing. At first I got defensive but then I actually tried her frozen rice trick. She said to spread cooked rice flat on a baking sheet, freeze it for an hour, then bag it. That way it doesn't clump up into one gross brick. I also stopped freezing things like cucumber slices or watery veggies that turn to mush. Now I think about my freezer like a planned menu instead of a black hole. Has anyone else had a family member call them out on a bad kitchen habit?

3 comments

Posts

Rant: Got banned from the Ace Hardware on 3rd Street for asking about drywall anchors

Had to pick between a $5 bag of fancy flour and a $12 block of butter at the store yesterday

Why does nobody talk about foundation settlement around brick veneer

Had to choose between a second set of ratchets or a torque wrench calibrator

My mis en place got way slower after switching to a new cutting board

Was skeptical about clipper oil alternatives for years until a repair guy set me straight

The week I ruined three loafs of sourdough in a row

My book club nearly fell apart over a character's "unrealistic" job promotion

Vent: Tried a cheap end mill from a liquidation pallet and it chattered like crazy

My sister called me out for freezing everything and it made me rethink leftovers

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