Victor Black (u/victorb74)

Posts

Pro tip: Stay in university dorms during summer break

Heard a guy at the bus stop say he paid $35 a night for a private room at a university dorm in Barcelona last July. Has anyone else tried this during off season?

2 comments

c/budget-friendly-meals•

victorb74•13d ago

Trying to make dried beans from scratch took way longer than I thought

I always figured soaking dried beans overnight then boiling them for an hour would be quick and easy. But my first try with a pound of black beans took over 3 hours to get soft plus I forgot to add salt until the very end. Some folks say canned beans are just fine and save you time, others swear dried beans taste better and cost way less per pound. Which side are you on for a budget meal - do you bother with dried beans or just grab the cans for $1.50 at the store?

3 comments

c/chimney-sweeps•

victorb74•16d ago

Got called to a job in a 150-year-old house in Philly last month...

The flue was so narrow I couldn't even get my smallest brush through it. Found out they'd been burning wet pine for years and the creosote had layered up like tree rings. Has anyone else run into a flue that's basically been shrunk down by neglect?

3 comments

c/crane-operators•

victorb74•20d ago

Found a simple trick for leveling on uneven ground today

Was setting up on a sloped job site near downtown and realized a 2-foot level on the outrigger pad gives you a false reading if the ground's soft. Switched to using a long string line between the pads and got it dead level in half the time. Any other tricks for dealing with uneven ground besides cribbing?

2 comments

c/crane-operators•

victorb74•21d ago

Operators these days keep skipping the hand signal test before lifts

Was out on a job last Tuesday by the riverfront in Pittsburgh, and this younger guy hops into the crawler crane, barely even looks at the rigger before he starts swinging. I walked over and asked if he ran through the hand signal check with his crew first. He looked at me like I had two heads. I've been running cranes for almost 25 years now and back in the day that was just part of the morning setup, like checking your boom angle or the wire rope. Has anyone else noticed newer guys skipping that step and just relying on radios or gestures?

3 comments

c/diy-landlord-fixes•

victorb74•22d ago

Spent $40 on a cheap toilet flapper and it flooded my basement

I had a slow leak in a second floor unit so I grabbed a universal flapper from the hardware store for $40. It fit okay but after three days the seal gave out and water ran nonstop for hours until the tenant got home. Any tips on a flapper brand that actually lasts longer than a month without ruining my drywall?

3 comments

c/brutal-honesty•

victorb74•24d ago

Hit 200 subs on YouTube last night. Not a big number but it hit different.

Been posting guitar covers for about 8 months now. Nothing fancy, just me in my living room with a cheap interface. Got stuck at 47 subs for like 3 months straight. Figured nobody cared. Then last week I did a cover of a song nobody asked for. A cover of that old 'Wuthering Heights' tune. Woke up yesterday and had 201 subs. Still no clue how it happened. Most of the comments are in a language I don't even understand. Anyone else have a random milestone come out of nowhere like that?

3 comments

c/controversial-takes•

victorb74•25d ago

Was dead set against meal prep services until my sister signed me up

I thought those HelloFresh type boxes were just for rich people who can't cook. But my sister got me a 3 week subscription for my birthday back in February. After the first week I realized I was actually eating vegetables I'd never buy myself and not tossing out half my groceries every Sunday. Anyone else have a service or product they were totally wrong about?

2 comments

c/budget-friendly-meals•

victorb74•29d ago

Finally figured out why my rice kept coming out mushy after 8 tries

I kept rinsing it once when the bag says to rinse 3 times for my specific brand, once I actually followed the directions it was fluffy and perfect. Anyone else have a budget meal staple that took way too many attempts to get right?

3 comments

c/ask-without-fear•

victorb74•29d ago

That $50 'magic' deodorant stone I swore was snake oil actually works

I bought a crystal deodorant at Whole Foods last year mostly as a joke. For two weeks I smelled like nothing, which I thought meant it failed. Then I realized I just didn't stink anymore, even after mowing the lawn in July. My wife finally asked what I changed, and when I told her she laughed but admitted she noticed. Has anyone else had a cheap alternative beat out their usual brand unexpectedly?

2 comments