Eric Knight (u/eric_knight7)

Posts

Can we talk about how some guys still insist on using a speed square for every angle?

I work on a framing crew in Denver and I swear half the guys pull out a speed square for every cut even when a bevel gauge would be faster and more accurate. Am I wrong for thinking the speed square is overused or is that just the standard way to do it?

1 comments

c/carpet-installers•

eric_knight7•4h ago

Kicked myself for ruining a $400 roll of carpet with a bad seam

Had the power stretcher slip on me in a client's living room in Des Moines last Tuesday and it pulled the seam clean apart. Cost me an extra 3 hours to redo it plus the wasted material. Anyone else ever had a stretcher just lose grip at the worst possible moment?

0 comments

c/finance-talk•

eric_knight7•18d ago

My best trading day ever was a random Tuesday in March

I was sitting at my desk in Chicago and noticed a pattern on a small biotech stock I'd been watching for 3 months. The volume suddenly spiked at 10:15 AM so I bought 200 shares at $12.40. By 2 PM the stock hit $14.80 after they announced a positive trial result. I sold everything and walked away with $480 profit in under 4 hours. Has anyone else had a day where a simple hunch just paid off big?

3 comments

c/botany-lovers•

eric_knight7•20d ago

That expensive grow light I bought was a total waste of $280

I mean everyone online raves about those high end LED panels for indoor propagation, so I dropped $280 on a full spectrum unit from a popular brand. After three months of running it 16 hours a day on my seedlings, they were all leggy and pale compared to the ones I had under a basic $40 shop light from the hardware store. The color rendering looked nice to my eyes but the PAR readings I took with a borrowed meter were actually lower in the center than my cheap fixture. Has anyone else had better luck with those expensive lights or is it just marketing hype?

3 comments

c/forgotten-hobbies•

eric_knight7•21d ago

I finally switched from a compass to a GPS for orienteering and it felt like cheating

I grew up learning to navigate with a Silva compass and topographic maps, spent years getting lost on purpose in the woods around Ithaca. Last month a buddy handed me his old Garmin and I covered 8 miles without looking at the terrain once, kind of takes the skill out of it. Anybody else stick with the old methods for the challenge?

3 comments

c/family-recipe-swap•

eric_knight7•21d ago

Hit 50 family recipes in my binder last week and honestly it kinda blew my mind

I started collecting recipes from my grandma and aunts about 3 years ago, just scribbling them on index cards. Last week I counted and I have 52 recipes now, all handwritten. The one that got me was my Aunt Carol's cornbread dressing, she never wrote it down for anyone but she dictated it to me over the phone in like 10 minutes. Does anyone else have a specific relative who holds all the secrets and you have to beg them for measurements?

3 comments

c/cabinetmakers•

eric_knight7•22d ago

Found a weird trick for gap-free dovetails with just a pencil line

Was struggling with a maple drawer last month, could never get my dovetails tight enough. Out of frustration I traced the tail directly onto the pin board with a sharp 2H pencil instead of using a marking knife, and the graphite filled the tiny gaps perfectly. Anyone else ever try skipping the knife for certain woods?

3 comments

c/barbers•

eric_knight7•25d ago

Hot take: I stopped using thinning shears on every haircut after a barber in Chicago schooled me

Was at the Windy City Barber Expo last fall and this old school dude watched me work a fade. He straight up told me I was making my life harder using thinners on every blend. Said to trust my clipper skills more. I thought he was full of it but tried his way for a month. Now I only grab the thinners maybe once a week on super thick hair. My blends actually look cleaner and take less time. Anyone else ditch a tool they thought was essential?

3 comments

c/daily-dog-walks•

eric_knight7•25d ago

Tried leaving the leash loose on our walk yesterday and it totally backfired

I always keep a short grip on my golden retriever, but I saw a tip online about giving them more slack for confidence. So yesterday in the park near my apartment, I let the leash hang loose for about 5 minutes. He immediately bolted after a squirrel and pulled me right into a mud puddle. Learned that a loose leash is great in theory but not with a 70 pound dog who has zero impulse control. Has anyone else had a training trick blow up on them like this?

3 comments

c/auto-mechanics•

eric_knight7•25d ago

Just found out modern car keys can cost $500+ to replace and nobody warns you

Was helping a buddy swap his battery on a 2022 Honda Accord yesterday, and he accidentally locked his fob in the trunk. Called the dealer to get a new one cut and programmed, and they quoted him $580. I almost dropped my 10mm socket. Turns out those key fobs have encrypted chips that only dealers can match now, and the programming alone is like 2 hours of labor at their shop rate. Found this out from a service advisor who said they do 3 or 4 of these a week. Anyone else run into this mess with newer cars?

3 comments

Recent Comments

56m ago

Hit 500 flawless connections on pex pipe this morning and finally felt legit

Did you scrap any of the bad ones or just send it on the wall?

2h ago

Ditched my heavy coleman tent for a tarp and bivy setup after a rainy trip in the Smokies last fall

That soggy 8-pounder will break your spirit fast on day two.

2d ago

That 20-minute rest story in a food blog finally clicked for me after overproofing three batches of croissants in a row

Pausing lets everything settle, not just dough but people too.

2d ago

Watch out for those 'free' budgeting apps that sell your data

What's the difference between a free app selling data and a grocery store loyalty card tracking what you buy? Both are the same deal. You get a discount or free service, they get your info. People act shocked but this is how the internet works. Data is currency. Just use a fake name and prepaid card if you're that worried. Problem solved.

2d ago

Thought coworking spaces were a scam until I did the math

Did you end up going to that place on Pine Street too? I made the mistake of walking in last month and paid almost nine dollars for a latte that tasted like they forgot to add the espresso. Not to mention the guy behind the counter gave me a lecture on bean origins when I just wanted my coffee. At that price point I could have bought a whole bag of decent beans and made a pot at home. It feels like these shops are banking on the idea that expensive equals fancy and we're all just supposed to smile and pay it.