I was at a friend's workshop last Saturday and he watched me sharpen my favorite 1 inch chisel. He just shook his head and showed me the tiny burr I was leaving on the wrong side. Turns out I had been dragging the chisel across the stone with the bevel flat instead of lifting the back edge just a hair. No wonder my dovetails always looked rough even after a fresh sharpen. I felt like an idiot but also relieved because now my joints actually fit tight. Has anyone else had that moment where a small change in technique fixed everything?
I was grabbing a latte yesterday and this dude next to me told his friend that cold brew is 'just iced coffee for people who can't wait.' I've always thought cold brew was smoother and less bitter, but he had a point about the time thing. Takes 12-20 hours to steep versus just pouring hot coffee over ice. Which side do you land on - is cold brew worth the wait or just a fancy excuse?
I was at the Target on 3rd Street last Tuesday, reaching for some dill spears on the top shelf, and my entire cart tipped sideways into the pickle display. Glass jars smashed everywhere, pickle juice pooled under my shoes, and a store employee just stared at me with this blank look for like 10 seconds. Has anyone else had a shopping cart betray them over something that stupid?
I run a small tree service outside of Boise, and last spring I had to choose between a new Stihl gas trimmer and an Echo battery model. The gas one costs about $350 new, but the battery setup was $400 with two batteries and a charger. I went battery because I'm tired of dealing with mixed fuel and carburetor cleanings on my crew's old equipment. First week using it, I cleared a half mile of fence line on a single charge, which surprised me. But then I hit a thick patch of blackberry vines and the battery died after 45 minutes. I swapped to the spare and finished the job, but it was tight. Now I'm wondering if the gas guys have the same issue with heavy brush or if I just picked the wrong tool for that specific task.
I switched from the store brand tablets to a mid-range box back in July. Three months in, I noticed my drinking glasses were getting this cloudy film I couldn't scrub off. Turns out the cheap ones don't have enough rinse aid built in and leave mineral deposits over time. My mom saw them last week and asked if I'd been cleaning with hard water. Has anyone else dealt with that foggy look on glassware?
Back in January, the plow clipped my metal mailbox and bent it crooked. I just hammered it back and called it good. Come April, the hinge totally snapped off after wind rattled it. So I replaced the whole post with a 4x4 sunk into concrete, 30 inches deep. Which fix do you think actually holds up longer - the quick bend-back or the permanent rebuild with concrete?
I was looking at a bottle of "maple flavored syrup" at the store yesterday and noticed the ingredients list is like 15 items now. Found an old recipe online from the 1950s that was literally just corn syrup and artificial maple flavor. That's it. It surprised me because I always figured there was more to it. Has anyone else noticed food labels getting way more complicated over the years?
Picked up a beat-up Oster bread machine at a garage sale in Austin for $8 last Saturday. Figured it would be a fun disaster, but the loaves come out way fluffier than what my modern $100 machine makes. I think the old heating element just cycles more evenly or something. Anyone else have luck with older kitchen gadgets over shiny new ones?