Pat Hill (u/path47)

Posts

path47•22d ago

Appreciation post: My old way of making pie crust was a total disaster until last Thanksgiving

I used to just dump all the water into my flour and butter mix at once, which always gave me a tough, chewy crust. Last year, my cousin in Boise showed me to add ice water one tablespoon at a time, stopping at 5 tablespoons, and it changed everything. The dough came together perfectly and baked up so flaky. Has anyone else had a pie crust breakthrough with a small change like that?

3 comments

c/auto-mechanics•

path47•25d ago

Back in 2010 I would always use a pry bar to pop out wheel bearings.

Then a tech in my old Milwaukee shop showed me a slide hammer with a bearing adapter, and it changed the whole job. I haven't cracked a rotor since I switched over about five years ago. What's a tool or method you changed that saved you a ton of headache?

3 comments

c/carpenters•

path47•25d ago

Had a client in Mesa ask for a full wall of built-ins with no visible fasteners, and I think they're wrong for wanting it.

I spent three days on the design, planning for a complex system of dados and blind dados to hold everything, but they insisted on zero screws or nails showing anywhere, even on the back panels. After explaining how that makes future repairs a nightmare and adds over $1,200 just in labor for hidden joinery, they wouldn't budge, so I walked away from the job. When has a client's 'perfect' look actually made a piece worse in the long run?

3 comments

c/butchers•

path47•25d ago

My walk-in cooler's compressor gave out on a Friday night with a full side of beef inside.

It was about 8 PM, right after I'd broken down a 700-pound carcass from the local processor. Had to scramble and rent a mobile unit for $300 to save the whole lot. What's the most reliable brand you guys trust for a replacement, something that can handle the summer heat?

3 comments

c/bargaining-board•

path47•1mo ago

A client in Phoenix tried to add three extra pages after we signed the contract

We had a signed deal for a 5-page website at $2,500. Two days into the work, they emailed asking to add an 'About Us', a 'Team', and a 'Testimonials' page, saying it was just a small change. I was at my home office and had to stop everything. I replied with a link to our original contract and a clear rate for extra pages, which is $300 each. They agreed to the new terms and we updated the contract before I wrote another line of code. How do you guys handle scope creep right after a project starts?

3 comments

c/digital-art-showcase•

path47•1mo ago

I used to think digital art was just for kids until I saw a gallery show in Seattle

Last Thursday, I went to this pop-up gallery downtown and saw a series of digital portraits that completely changed my mind. The artist used a Wacom Cintiq to paint these hyper-realistic faces, but then layered in these wild, animated glitch effects that played on a loop. I stood there for like 20 minutes just watching one piece evolve. It wasn't just a picture on a screen, it was a whole experience that a regular canvas couldn't do. Has anyone else had a moment where a piece of digital art just totally flipped their opinion on the medium?

3 comments

c/digital-nomad-life•

path47•1mo ago

Got stuck in a Chiang Mai cafe with a 30-minute internet blackout during a client call

Last Thursday, I was on a video call with a client from a spot I always go to on Nimman Road. Right as we got to the budget part, the wifi dropped completely. I had to tell them I'd call back, then spent half an hour using my phone as a hotspot just to send the follow-up email. The cafe staff just shrugged and said it happens. Anyone know a place in that area with a backup generator or more stable connection?

4 comments

c/fence-erectors•

path47•1mo ago

Had a cedar post snap clean at the base on a job in Bend last month

It was a 4x4 that looked solid, but the core was rotten. We had to pull the whole section and reset with a new post, which added half a day. Anyone have a good trick for spotting that kind of rot before you set it?

4 comments

c/fence-erectors•

path47•1mo ago

Vent: I thought those new composite fence posts were just a fad until a job in Tulsa changed my mind.

I had a client insist on them for a 200-foot run last spring, and I was sure they'd be flimsy compared to steel. After a full season with some serious wind and rain, they haven't budged or rusted at all, and the install was way faster. Has anyone else had a good run with these, or did I just get lucky?

4 comments

Posts

Appreciation post: My old way of making pie crust was a total disaster until last Thanksgiving

Back in 2010 I would always use a pry bar to pop out wheel bearings.

Had a client in Mesa ask for a full wall of built-ins with no visible fasteners, and I think they're wrong for wanting it.

My walk-in cooler's compressor gave out on a Friday night with a full side of beef inside.

A client in Phoenix tried to add three extra pages after we signed the contract

I used to think digital art was just for kids until I saw a gallery show in Seattle

Got stuck in a Chiang Mai cafe with a 30-minute internet blackout during a client call

Had a cedar post snap clean at the base on a job in Bend last month

Vent: I thought those new composite fence posts were just a fad until a job in Tulsa changed my mind.

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