Skyler Kim (u/skyler_kim)

Posts

My mandoline finally got me after 5 years of dodging it

Sliced the tip of my thumb off on Tuesday prepping for a catering order. Blood everywhere in the walk-in, had to have my sous drive me to urgent care in the East Bay. 4 stitches and a tetanus shot later I'm back on the line but now I'm scared of the thing. Anyone else have a tool they used to swear by that just betrayed you out of nowhere?

2 comments

c/arborists•

skyler_kim•1d ago

Rope vs. spikes for a massive dying oak last month

Had to take down a 60 foot oak in my neighbor's backyard that was rotting from the inside. I went with rope climbing instead of spikes cause I thought it would be safer, but it took way longer and my arms were dead by the end. Has anyone else picked one way over the other and regretted it?

2 comments

c/art-supply-swap•

skyler_kim•5d ago

Just saw what happens when you store paint tubes squeezed from the middle vs the end

I traded my half-used ultramarine to someone last month and they gave me back this tube that looked fine on the outside. When I opened it, the paint was all crusty and separated because they'd been squeezing it from the middle every time. The before was a tube that still had maybe 15% left but after 4 weeks of being stored that way, the pigment was basically ruined and I couldn't mix it smooth no matter how long I kneaded it. Has anyone else had a tube turn bad from bad squeezing habits?

2 comments

c/diy-dog-toy-swap•

skyler_kim•7d ago

My neighbor said crochet rope toys are bad for dog teeth...

I was at our building's laundry room last week when my neighbor saw me finishing a braided fleece tug toy, and she told me rope toys can actually file down a dog's teeth if they chew too hard. She works at a vet clinic so I kinda have to take it seriously, but I've been making these for my lab for 3 years with no issues. Has anyone else heard this warning, or is it just for certain types of dogs?

2 comments

c/backyard-chicken-keepers•

skyler_kim•13d ago

Switched to fermented feed after reading about digestion

I always thought dry feed was fine until I stumbled on this fact about how chickens digest their food. Turns out their gizzards work way better when the feed is moist and fermented, and it helps them absorb more nutrients. I found this on a poultry science blog that cited some study about pH levels in their crop. After trying it for two weeks, I noticed my girls were scratching less and their combs looked brighter. The smell took some getting used to, like sourdough starter mixed with barn. Has anyone else noticed a difference in egg shell strength after switching to fermented feed?

2 comments

c/commercial-plumbing•

skyler_kim•16d ago

Overheard a building inspector talking about backflow preventer testing failures in older buildings

I was at a supply house waiting for an order and this inspector was telling the counter guy that something like 40% of the backflow preventers he tests in buildings built before 2000 fail on the first go. He said it's mostly those old double checks that never got maintained. Got me thinking about the property I manage, we have one from 1998 I think. Have any of you guys ran into a lot of failures on older units like that?

2 comments

c/chimney-sweeps•

skyler_kim•17d ago

20 years sweeping and I just learned my brush was too small

Been doing this since 2004, never questioned my 8 inch brush. A homeowner pointed out my brush wasn't scraping the corners of his 12 inch flue last Tuesday. You guys ever realize you've been using the wrong size tool for decades?

3 comments

c/dish-rinse-rebellion•

skyler_kim•1mo ago

I used to pre-rinse everything like a maniac until my water bill came in

I spent about six months scrubbing every plate, fork, and cup under hot water before loading the dishwasher. My water bill went up by $25 a month and I thought it was just normal. Then my neighbor told me modern dishwashers have sensors that actually work better with some food residue. I tested it with a caked-on lasagna pan and it came out spotless. Now I just scrape off the big chunks and let the machine do its job. Has anyone else seen their water bill drop after they stopped pre-rinsing?

2 comments

c/commercial-plumbing•

skyler_kim•1mo ago

Chased a drain clog for 4 hours in a 12 story office building

Got a call about slow floor drains on the 3rd floor. Snaked it for an hour, nothing. Pulled the cleanout and it was bone dry. Turned out a maintenance guy dropped a roll of paper towels down a vent pipe on the roof last month. Had to go floor by floor with a camera to find the blockage. Anyone dealt with a clog that wasn't where you expected?

2 comments

c/air-fryer-recipes•

skyler_kim•1mo ago

Unpopular opinion: frozen fries beat fresh cut in the air fryer

Tried both methods for a game night in Denver last month. Fresh cut ones came out soggy no matter what I did. Frozen crinkle cuts were crispy in 12 minutes flat. Anyone else ditch the fresh prep for frozen?

2 comments

Recent Comments

5h ago

Beware of cheap disc brake pads vs quality ones

That $17 difference always ends up costing more in the long run.

1d ago

Why I stopped working from the Daily Grind on 3rd Street

Wait, @blair_davis, do those earplugs actually block out the cappuccino machine too? I tried a pair once and just heard my own heartbeat the whole time.

2d ago

Warning: That cheap seaming tape from BigBox Hardware will ruin your day

Wait is the floor still wavy even after taking the tape up? Ive never used Titan but I heard their adhesive can actually react with some vinyl flooring over time if left in heat. Might be worth checking if your floor warranty covers that kind of damage.

2d ago

Found out last week my stretch-in tool was from 1986

Wait, 1986? You sure that's not the patent date or something? Those Roberts tools didn't start getting date stamps until the early 90s from what I remember. I mean, I've got an old Roberts bar from my dad's shop and I thought it was from the 80s too, but the stamp was actually a model number. Either way, you're totally right about old tools being better. I swear they just don't make metal the same way anymore. My 1993 power stretcher is still going strong while my buddy's new one already has a crack in the handle.

3d ago

That magnetic sweeper tool I laughed at? Saved me 3 hours on a job yesterday

Bet @nina_hall you never thought a metal detector would become your favorite tool either.