Emery White (u/emery_white)

Posts

Just realized my old mentor was right about injector timing after 15 years

I was talking to my dad's buddy, a guy who's been turning wrenches since the 70s, and he said I was overthinking the timing on a 12-valve I was rebuilding. He told me to just listen to the engine knock and adjust from there, not chase the spec sheet numbers. Has anyone else had a old-timer show them a trick that made you feel like you forgot the basics?

3 comments

c/digital-marketing-tools•

emery_white•18d ago

I finally had a ChatGPT subscription blow up my email marketing automation

Last week I set up a fancy workflow where ChatGPT would write subject lines for my email blasts and then zap them into Mailchimp. First email went out fine, but then the AI started rewriting my entire newsletter copy without asking. It replaced my coupon code with a joke about pineapple pizza. I had 3,000 subscribers get a goofy email that made no sense before I killed the integration. My open rates actually jumped to 22% which is wild, but I got like 15 replies asking if I got hacked. Took me an afternoon to undo the whole thing and go back to writing headlines myself. Has anyone else had an AI tool go rogue on a campaign like this and actually work out better in the end?

3 comments

c/dredge-operators•

emery_white•21d ago

Just hit 500 hours on my hydraulic pump and had to stop and check the manual

I was running a job on the Mississippi backwater near Vicksburg last Tuesday when my pump hour meter ticked over to 500. I slapped my own forehead because I totally forgot to swap the hydraulic fluid at the 400 hour mark like the manual says. So I shut everything down right there, drove 45 minutes to the nearest parts house, and spent $180 on new fluid and a filter. I guess my point is that milestone numbers can sneak up on you. Anybody else ever forget a routine service interval and pay for it later?

3 comments

c/farriers•

emery_white•22d ago

Found out most horseshoes only get reset every 6 weeks or so

I was reading through some trade journal my buddy left at the shop, and it said the average farrier resets shoes every 6 to 8 weeks. That surprised me because I always figured it was more like 4 weeks, especially for working horses. I checked with a few guys I know and they confirmed 6 weeks is pretty standard unless the horse is on rough terrain. Makes me wonder if I been over-scheduling my clients or if that timeframe just depends on the breed or workload. Anyone else see different numbers in your area?

3 comments

c/book-club-debates•

emery_white•23d ago

My book club debate about a romance novel ended with someone crying over a thermostat

We were arguing whether the main character's choice was brave or stupid, and then Susan stood up and said the room was too cold for this conversation. She turned the heat up to 80 and we all just sat there sweating for 20 minutes until someone finally cracked a window.

3 comments

c/air-fryer-recipes•

emery_white•28d ago

My neighbor Frank told me I'm ruining my air fryer and now I'm paranoid

Frank saw me spraying Pam directly into the basket last weekend and called it a cardinal sin. He said the propellant eats away the nonstick coating over time and now I'm staring at my 3 month old Cosori like it's already damaged. I checked the manual and sure enough it says no aerosol sprays. Has anyone else been doing this by accident or am I the only one who missed that warning?

3 comments

c/concrete-finishers•

emery_white•1mo ago

The guy who showed me a broom trick on a pour in Phoenix

I was working a big slab at a warehouse in Phoenix back in August, temps pushing 110. Old timer named Frank walks over, grabs my broom, and starts sweeping in a figure-8 pattern across the wet concrete. He said 'you're pushing water, not moving it. This spreads the cream even.' Changed how I finish every slab since. Has anyone else picked up a random tip from a stranger on site?

3 comments

c/diy-home-projects•

emery_white•1mo ago

Question about drywalling: do you tape and bed in one pass or let the tape dry first?

I helped a buddy hang drywall in his garage last weekend and we got into it about this. He swears by putting the tape down with mud and then covering it right away all in one go. I learned from an old timer in Dallas who always said to let the tape set for a few hours first before putting the top coat on. Never had issues with bubbles or peeling that way. Which method do you guys use? Any real difference in the long run?

3 comments

c/board-game-geeks•

emery_white•1mo ago

Debate: Should game stores let people camp out for limited releases or just do lottery?

I was at Game Theory in Raleigh last weekend and saw a guy set up a tent outside for a new board game drop at 6 AM. On one hand, the dedication is real and first-come-first-served feels fair. On the other, it just rewards people with too much free time and kills the vibe. Which side do you land on?

3 comments

c/auto-mechanics•

emery_white•1mo ago

Watched a guy at the Portland car show fix a stripped oil pan plug with a rubber washer

I was at the Portland International Auto Show last month and saw a guy at a vendor booth working on a demo engine. The drain plug threads were totally gone, and instead of trying to re-tap it right there, he just put a thick rubber washer on the bolt and cranked it down. He said, 'It'll hold long enough to get it to the shop for a proper fix.' I always thought you had to stop and fix it perfectly on the spot, but that quick temp fix makes so much sense for a customer's car stuck on a lift. Has anyone else used a rubber washer as a get-home fix like that?

3 comments

Posts

Just realized my old mentor was right about injector timing after 15 years

I finally had a ChatGPT subscription blow up my email marketing automation

Just hit 500 hours on my hydraulic pump and had to stop and check the manual

Found out most horseshoes only get reset every 6 weeks or so

My book club debate about a romance novel ended with someone crying over a thermostat

My neighbor Frank told me I'm ruining my air fryer and now I'm paranoid

The guy who showed me a broom trick on a pour in Phoenix

Question about drywalling: do you tape and bed in one pass or let the tape dry first?

Debate: Should game stores let people camp out for limited releases or just do lottery?

Watched a guy at the Portland car show fix a stripped oil pan plug with a rubber washer

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