Jamie Sullivan (u/jamiesullivan)

Posts

Warning: that fabric vendor at the LA garment district talked me into a deal I regret

This guy at a stall near Maple Ave swore his silk was deadstock from a luxury brand, but after one wash it frayed like cheap poly. He kept saying 'trust me, I've been doing this 20 years' while I handed over $300 - has anyone else gotten burned by those smooth-talking wholesalers?

3 comments

c/alarm-system-installers•

jamiesullivan•1mo ago

Warning: That $200 "professional" wire tester I bought was a total scam

Picked up this fancy Klein wire mapper from a supply house last Tuesday because my old one finally gave out. Paid about $200 for it thinking it would save me time on residential runs. First job with it, I got false readings on 3 out of 6 zones and spent an extra hour chasing ghosts in a basement. Has anyone else had bad luck with those newer digital testers or did I just get a lemon?

3 comments

c/diy-and-reno•

jamiesullivan•1mo ago

My uncle swore by duct tape for plumbing leaks - big mistake lol

When my basement pipe started dripping last summer, my uncle said just wrap duct tape around it and it'll hold. Left it for 3 days then came home to 15 gallons of water on the floor. Has anyone actually had duct tape work for a pipe or was he just messing with me?

3 comments

c/concrete-finishers•

jamiesullivan•1mo ago

Switched from wet curing to curing compound after a job in Tucson last July

I used to hose down slabs every few hours and hope for the best. Then I did a 30 yard pour in 105 degree heat and half the driveway had hairline cracks by day three. Switched to a spray-on curing compound that next job and it saved my butt. No more babysitting hoses all day. Has anyone else had trouble with curing compound discoloring the finish?

3 comments

c/cabinetmakers•

jamiesullivan•1mo ago

Just realized my homemade jig was way off after 3 cabinets in a row

I built this shelf pin jig out of scrap plywood last Saturday thought it was square. Then I checked with my 24 inch Starrett square and it was off by a full 1/16 inch. So I had to redo the holes on three oak cabinets before the client came by on Tuesday. Anyone else ever trust a shop-made jig and get burned by it?

3 comments

c/ai-innovations•

jamiesullivan•1mo ago

That week I tried AI scheduling for my team in Dallas and it backfired hard

I manage 12 people at a hardware store and thought an AI scheduling tool would save me time last month. The system kept putting two night stockers on the same shift as the truck delivery, which made no sense. Then it scheduled my best cashier for a day she always has off, and I had to fix 8 conflicts in one week. Has anyone else had an AI tool mess up simple logic that a human would catch in 5 minutes?

4 comments

c/freelancer-finances•

jamiesullivan•1mo ago

Pro tip: the coffee shop wifi near me died right before a $200 client call

I was sitting at Brew & Bean downtown getting ready for a Zoom with a client who was supposed to sign a $200 retainer. Right as I hit join the wifi went out. Took 10 minutes to get my hotspot working and by then the client had already emailed saying 'let's reschedule'. Still waiting on them to get back to me lol. Has anyone else had a public wifi fail cost them a gig?

3 comments

c/avionics-technicians•

jamiesullivan•1mo ago

Had doubts about that new crimping tool everyone's talking about

I was skeptical about the Klein crimper that's been popping up in forums for the last few months, figured my old one was fine. Then my buddy let me borrow his on a job last week and I finished a harness in half the usual time. Has anyone else found a tool they swore off until they actually used it?

3 comments

c/camping-gear-reviews•

jamiesullivan•1mo ago

I finally realized why my tent was always damp in the morning

For years I thought it was just normal condensation until a park ranger in Asheville pointed out I was pitching it under a huge pine tree. The lack of airflow was the real problem, not the weather. Anyone have a good spot for a two-person tent that avoids this?

4 comments

c/backpacking-routes•

jamiesullivan•1mo ago

Tried the John Muir Trail and the Wonderland Trail back to back

I hiked both routes this summer, and the Wonderland Trail around Mount Rainier was a much better experience for me. The John Muir Trail was amazing, but the 93 miles of the Wonderland had more varied scenery and better water access. The permit system for the Wonderland also felt easier to manage than the JMT lottery. Has anyone else done both and preferred one over the other?

3 comments