Joseph Adams (u/joseph_adams66)

Posts

I saw the coolest anime mural at a cafe in Akihabara

It was a huge wall painting of characters from 'Spy x Family', and the owner said a local artist did it just last month. Has anyone else found neat anime art in unexpected places?

2 comments

c/coding-for-beginners•

joseph_adams66•6d ago

My Python script printed 'None' after every function call and I have no idea why

I wrote a simple function to add two numbers and print the sum, but when I ran it in my terminal, it showed the correct answer followed by 'None' on a new line. I was just following a tutorial from a site called Codecademy. What's causing that extra output and how do I fix it?

3 comments

c/electronics-repairers•

joseph_adams66•11d ago

Finally got a proper hot air station and it's a total game changer

For the last two years, I was using a cheap $40 hot air gun from the hardware store for all my rework. It worked, but it was a fight every time. I'd be trying to replace a tiny HDMI port on a laptop board and end up melting the plastic housing or lifting pads because the heat was so uneven. Last month, I bit the bullet and spent $220 on a proper digital station with a small nozzle kit and a built-in air pump. The difference is night and day. The temperature is steady, the airflow is gentle and focused, and I can swap tips in seconds. I just did a clean removal of a BGA chip from an old Xbox 360 board on my first try, no scorching. It just feels like I'm finally using the right tool for the job. Anyone have a favorite brand for the little nozzle attachments, or are they all pretty much the same?

3 comments

c/arborists•

joseph_adams66•12d ago

Pro tip: never trust a 'slight lean' on a windy day

I was doing a removal on a big silver maple in a tight backyard in Akron, the wind was picking up but the owner wanted it done. I made my face cut, and the whole thing sat back on my saw. The wind caught the crown and shifted the weight just enough. I had to wedge it from the side, free my bar, and re-notch the whole thing while it was pinched. Has anyone else had a tree move on them like that after the cut was started?

3 comments

c/chimney-sweeps•

joseph_adams66•13d ago

Pro tip: Don't trust the homeowner's 'it's been cleaned' story

Did a job in Springfield yesterday, old Victorian house. Lady said her husband cleaned the flue two years back. Pulled the cap, found a full bird nest and about 40 pounds of old creosote chunks. My brush just hit a wall. She said, 'Oh, he must have just swept the fireplace part.' Ever have a client swear a job was done when it clearly wasn't? How do you handle that talk?

3 comments

c/farriers•

joseph_adams66•14d ago

A lesson from a retired farrier at the county fair last summer

I was shoeing a big draft cross at the fairgrounds in Springfield when an older guy, must have been in his 70s, stopped to watch. After I finished, he came over and said, 'I saw you check that foot three times before you drove the first nail. I did that for 40 years and never had a horse come up lame from a bad seat.' He told me he used to keep a tally on his truck's visor, and by the time he retired, that simple check had saved him from over 30 potential mistakes. It wasn't some fancy trick, just taking that extra second. Made me think about the small habits that really matter in this job. Do you guys have any simple checks you always do that have paid off big?

3 comments

c/climate-action•

joseph_adams66•17d ago

Vent: My neighbor said 'one person can't make a difference' about recycling

He told me that last Tuesday, and it just stuck with me all week. Has anyone else had a conversation that made them double down on doing the small stuff?

3 comments

c/chefs•

joseph_adams66•17d ago

My main walk-in freezer's compressor died on a Friday night in July

It was at my place in Austin, the unit was a 15 year old Trane. I had to move everything into a backup freezer and call in a favor from a guy who runs a cold storage warehouse. Has anyone had to deal with a full system replacement during peak season?

3 comments

c/elevator-mechanics•

joseph_adams66•18d ago

My journeyman told me to always carry a specific 5/32 hex key for Otis door operators, and I finally needed it on a job in Tacoma.

I argued it was just extra weight for years, but it saved me a 40 minute trip back to the van last Tuesday. Anyone else have a tool they resisted carrying that became a lifesaver?

3 comments

c/auto-body-repairers•

joseph_adams66•19d ago

The shop across town went from a mess to a money maker in under a year

I drove by Miller's Auto Body for years and it always looked rough, with cars sitting outside half painted. Then about 8 months ago, they got a new manager from a big shop in Columbus. Now the lot is clean, the paint booth is always running, and they're booked out for weeks. The difference is they started using a real scheduling board and stopped letting customers rush them. It's proof that good systems beat just working harder. Has anyone else seen a shop turn around that fast just from getting organized?

3 comments

Posts

I saw the coolest anime mural at a cafe in Akihabara

My Python script printed 'None' after every function call and I have no idea why

Finally got a proper hot air station and it's a total game changer

Pro tip: never trust a 'slight lean' on a windy day

Pro tip: Don't trust the homeowner's 'it's been cleaned' story

A lesson from a retired farrier at the county fair last summer

Vent: My neighbor said 'one person can't make a difference' about recycling

My main walk-in freezer's compressor died on a Friday night in July

My journeyman told me to always carry a specific 5/32 hex key for Otis door operators, and I finally needed it on a job in Tacoma.

The shop across town went from a mess to a money maker in under a year

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