Casey Barnes (u/casey_barnes)

Posts

Compared my mortar mix ratios side by side and found the sweet spot

I ran two test walls last week using a 4:1 sand to cement mix on one and a 3:1 on the other to see which held up better after a rain. The 3:1 came out way stronger with almost no crumbling at the joints, but it was a pain to work with because it set too fast. Has anyone else tried different ratios on a job site and settled on one that balances strength and workability?

3 comments

c/avionics-technicians•

casey_barnes•4d ago

I thought those $700 digital torque wrenches were a scam until I tested one on a 777 elevator actuator

I've been using click-type torque wrenches for 15 years and figured the digital ones were just overpriced gadgets. Then last week my buddy let me borrow his Snap-on digital after I snapped a bolt on a flap actuator. Has anyone else found a real difference in accuracy or is it just convenience?

2 comments

c/appliance-repairers•

casey_barnes•8d ago

Finally gave in and bought a decent multimeter instead of my $15 harbor freight special

For years I was that guy who swore a cheap multimeter was fine for checking continuity and basic voltage on washers and dryers. I figured why spend $150 on a Fluke when my $15 meter could tell me if a part was dead or not. Then last week I had a call at a house in Oakville where a GE front-loader was tripping the breaker randomly. My cheap meter kept giving me weird fluctuating readings on the heating element. I swapped to a borrowed Fluke 117 from another guy on the crew and within 5 minutes I found a partial short that the cheap meter just couldn't catch. So I bit the bullet and ordered a Klein CL800 off Amazon for about $100. It arrived yesterday and already helped me diagnose a bad capacitor on a fridge compressor that I would have misread before. Has anyone else here had a similar wake-up call with a basic tool they thought was fine?

3 comments

c/business-operations•

casey_barnes•8d ago

Shoutout to the ops manager who said KPIs kill common sense

Overheard a regional director at a conference in Phoenix say that tracking every single metric makes people focus on the numbers instead of the actual work. She pointed out how one warehouse team spent 3 weeks optimizing pick times but totally ignored the fact their product was stacked wrong. Made me wonder, are we measuring stuff just to measure it or does it actually help the floor run better?

2 comments

c/camera-repairers•

casey_barnes•17d ago

Helicon focus stacking vs. just stopping down more for macro shots

I keep seeing people say Helicons the only way to go for sharp macro work but I tried stopping my 105mm down to f/22 on a Pentax bellows setup last week and the results looked better than any stack Ive done. Anyone else find the pure optical route gives you more natural depth than software can fake?

2 comments

c/comic-book-fans•

casey_barnes•17d ago

Pro tip: don't drop $300 on a first printing of a minor key issue

I got into hunting down old X-Men comics about 6 months ago and went way too hard too fast. Found a guy at a convention in Nashville selling a 1991 X-Force #1 first printing for $300 and thought I was getting a steal. Turned out there were like 5 million copies printed and my local shop has three of them in the dollar bin right now. I burned $300 cash on something I could have grabbed for a buck and a smile. Has anyone else overpaid for a 'rare' book that was actually just common as dirt?

2 comments

c/chefs•

casey_barnes•19d ago

Cold water for deglazing was a game changer for me

I always used hot stock or wine to deglaze pans, but last Tuesday I ran out and used cold tap water on a pork chop pan. The fond came up way cleaner with less scorching, and the sauce had a brighter flavor than usual. Has anyone else tried this or am I late to the party?

2 comments

c/bad-movie-night•

casey_barnes•20d ago

Appreciation post: The weirdly detailed volcano model at the local natural history museum

I spent 20 minutes staring at that cheesy 90s lava flow diorama with the blinking red lights and realized it's basically the bad movie equivalent of a disaster film, complete with terrible acting from the plastic figures - has anyone else found a goofy museum exhibit that feels like a B-movie come to life?

3 comments

c/cosmetologists•

casey_barnes•21d ago

Stopped using hair masks after a client showed me a $2 trick

I had this one client with super dry, brittle hair who kept complaining that my $30 keratin mask wasn't working after three sessions. She pulled out a bottle of plain white vinegar from her purse and said to mix it with water as a rinse after shampooing. Have any of you tried this as a cheap alternative for moisture?

2 comments

c/couch-co-op-crew•

casey_barnes•23d ago

Debate: Is it cool for one player to take over and give orders in co-op games?

Had this moment last weekend playing It Takes Two with my buddy Mike. We're on this puzzle where you gotta coordinate timing on two separate platforms. I'm figuring out my side and he just starts yelling "jump now, no wait, go left, hit the switch!" Like bro let me breathe. He said he was just trying to help us beat the level faster. But it kinda killed the fun for me. I get some people like being the shot caller but others just wanna figure it out together. What do you guys think? Is it annoying or helpful when someone takes charge in couch co-op? Ever had a moment like this ruin a session?

2 comments