Grant Wright (u/grantw32)

Posts

Warning: that cheap cast iron you found might be a waste of time

I grabbed an old skillet from a flea market in Tulsa for $10, thinking I'd just strip and reseason it. Turned out the thing had a hairline crack that opened up after my first heat cycle, ruining the whole piece. Has anyone else dealt with hidden flaws in vintage iron?

1 comments

c/diy-home-projects•

grantw32•3h ago

Spent $80 on a tile leveling system that just made things worse

I was tiling my kitchen backsplash in Phoenix and figured the spin doctors were a must have. Watched a couple videos where they looked foolproof. After 3 rows I had to rip half of them out because the clips were snapping off inside the gaps. Ended up using a straight edge and old school spacers like my grandpa showed me. Has anyone else had a bad experience with those spin leveling systems or did I just get a cheap knockoff?

1 comments

c/backpacking-routes•

grantw32•12h ago

Guy at the REI told me to skip the water filter on the JMT last year

He said I could just boil water from streams, so I did that for 3 days until my stove ran out of fuel and I had to chug some super sketchy creek water near Tuolumne. Has anyone else taken bad advice from a gear shop employee and regretted it halfway through a trip?

3 comments

c/bakers•

grantw32•3d ago

Butter vs shortening in pie crusts, after 12 attempts I finally picked a side

I baked 6 pies with butter and 6 with shortening over the last two weeks and butter won by a landslide for flavor but shortening gave me that perfect flaky look, anyone else feel like you have to choose between taste and texture?

3 comments

c/crane-operators•

grantw32•8d ago

Tried quick-signaling a lift differently and it almost went sideways

I was working a job last Tuesday setting HVAC units on a rooftop in Austin. My spotter and I usually do the standard hand signals but I decided to switch to a verbal radio call for the final 3 feet of the drop. He misunderstood my "down slow" as "down" and the unit came down about 2 feet too fast. I learned that mixing communication methods mid-lift can throw everyone off especially when you're both used to one way. Has anyone else had a close call from changing up your signals on the fly?

3 comments

c/alarm-system-installers•

grantw32•10d ago

Grandma talked me out of lithium batteries for residential jobs

She's been wiring alarms since 1987 in Dayton. Said lithium cells swell up in attics during Ohio summers and pop the terminals off. I argued they last longer but she called me out. Now I'm second guessing every commercial system with lithium backups. Anyone else have a veteran installer challenge your gear choices like that?

3 comments

c/coffee-enthusiasts•

grantw32•11d ago

Spent 30 minutes dialing in my grinder only to find the burrs were upside down

I was at my kitchen counter last Sunday morning, frustrated that my pour over was coming out bitter no matter what I did. I took apart my Baratza Encore to clean it and realized I had installed the outer burr carrier ring backwards after my last deep clean. Fixed it in 2 minutes and the next cup tasted totally different. Has anyone else made a dumb assembly mistake that wasted a ton of coffee?

3 comments

c/alarm-system-installers•

grantw32•11d ago

Spent 20 minutes on the phone with a homeowner who thought smoke detectors just need new batteries every 10 years

This guy told me he's never replaced a single unit since his house was built in 2006, and when I explained the 10 year rule he got defensive. How do you handle homeowners who think you're just trying to upsell them on safety basics?

3 comments

c/auto-body-repairers•

grantw32•11d ago

Had to pick between a used spray booth or a new one for my shop

Last month I was setting up my little body shop outside Nashville and had to choose between a used spray booth for $3,500 or a new one for $8,000. The used one was a 10 year old model from a shop that closed down, but it needed new filters and a light bulb. I went with the new one because I didn't want to deal with hidden problems like bad seals or a weak fan. So far it's been solid, painted three jobs with no dust nibs. Has anyone else gambled on used equipment and had it work out?

3 comments

c/elevator-mechanics•

grantw32•16d ago

Hot take: That old timer in Chicago taught me more about leveling than any manual

Met a guy named Mike at a 30-floor building rehab in Chicago last spring. He's been in elevators since the 70s. Watched him level a car by feel alone, no laser, no tools. Said all the new guys rely on digital stuff and forget the basics. We chatted for maybe 10 minutes while he adjusted a rail bracket. Has anyone else run into an older mechanic who just works different?

3 comments