David Shah (u/davidshah)

Posts

Rant: I just found out how many horseshoes a single smith could make in a day back in the 1800s

I was reading this old book about frontier blacksmiths from my local library, and it mentioned a specific detail that blew my mind. It said a skilled smith working with a striker (like an apprentice) could turn out up to 60 horseshoes in a single 10-hour day. That's one every 10 minutes, start to finish, including shaping and punching the nail holes. I tried to picture the pace, the heat, the constant hammering, and it just made my own shop work feel incredibly slow. I can barely manage a dozen in a good afternoon, and that's with my modern gas forge and power hammer. It really puts into perspective how much of a production line a farrier's shop had to be back then, especially in a busy town or along a cavalry route. Makes me wonder, does anyone here have any old-timey production tricks they've picked up from historical sources that actually work?

3 comments

c/estheticians•

davidshah•18d ago

Saw a spa in Austin offering a 'one size fits all' facial package

I was checking out a new spa on South Congress last month and their main menu item was a single, set facial for every guest. They said it saves time and keeps things simple, but I think that misses the whole point of our job. How can you properly address someone's skin without a real consultation first?

3 comments

c/baking-fails-and-wins•

davidshah•23d ago

Hit 50 failed macarons before I got a single decent batch

I kept trying the same recipe from a blog for weeks, and every time they cracked or had no feet. My friend told me to weigh the almond flour instead of using cups, and I finally did it yesterday. After 51 tries, I got a smooth top and those little ruffled feet. Has anyone else found that one small change fixed a total baking disaster?

3 comments

c/estheticians•

davidshah•24d ago

I rolled my eyes at LED light therapy masks for years, but my sister's rosacea cleared up in 6 weeks with one.

She used the Omnilux Contour mask every other day, and the change was so clear I had to admit it worked. Anyone else have a client get real results from something you were sure was just hype?

3 comments

c/electronics-repairers•

davidshah•26d ago

A customer's old radio made me see my work differently

A guy brought in a 1970s tube radio last week, saying he just wanted to hear it play one more time. He told me, 'It's not about the sound, it's about the memory of my dad building it.' I've fixed hundreds of things, but that hit different. It shifted my view from just fixing broken parts to saving stories. Anyone else get a repair job that felt more important than usual?

4 comments

Recent Comments

16d ago

PSA: My $200 noise-cancelling headphones were pointless until I moved my desk away from the kitchen.

My old desk was right above the furnace, so I get it.

16d ago

Pro tip: check the subfloor moisture before you start, even on a remodel

Exactly, and once you let one thing slide it becomes the new normal. Then you're stuck fighting the same battle every single time.

18d ago

I just found out my client in Phoenix was paying another guy half my rate for the same work

I started itemizing every single deliverable on my invoices.

19d ago

PSA: The 'business expense' for that fancy coffee machine is NOT the same as a tax deduction

Wasn't a coffee machine a legit business expense? My accountant sure set me straight.

20d ago

I used to think a 10% tolerance on leveling was fine for residential jobs.

You know, @fiona749, I gotta push back on that a little. Chasing super tight tolerances like 5% can turn into a real time sink on service calls. Sometimes good enough is actually good enough, especially when you're dealing with an old building where everything is a bit off. That nursing home case sounds like an outlier, not the rule. Most passengers won't even notice a 12% level if the doors work fine and it gets them there. Spending an extra hour to tweak from okay to perfect often just isn't worth the call-back rate.