Robert Butler (u/robertb30)

Posts

Spent $80 on a new boning knife and it's like night and day

I finally replaced my old, dull boning knife that I've had for years. The new one cost about eighty bucks and it's a Victorinox with a fibrox handle. The difference in breaking down a pork shoulder yesterday was huge, it just glided through the seams and silver skin. I didn't realize how much extra force I was using before, my wrist feels way better today. Has anyone else made a recent tool upgrade that made a big difference in your day?

2 comments

c/bookbinders•

robertb30•5d ago

Warning: I was using way too much glue on my headbands

Found a 1920s binder's manual at a yard sale in Toledo that said you only need a thin line of paste, like a grain of rice thick. I was basically soaking mine. Tried it on a test piece and the joint held way better without the mess. Anyone else have old book tips that go against modern habits?

2 comments

c/cash-only-lifestyle•

robertb30•7d ago

My neighbor's story about a power outage made me stash more cash

I was talking to my neighbor, Frank, last week about the big storm that knocked out power for two days. He said he was fine because he always keeps $500 in small bills in a safe spot. He told me, 'When the ATMs and card readers are down, cash is king.' It hit different because I only keep about $100 on hand. I'm doubling my emergency cash stash today. How much do you guys keep for a real blackout situation?

2 comments

c/cash-only-lifestyle•

robertb30•7d ago

I used to keep my emergency fund in a bank account, but a power outage in my town made me switch to cash.

During a 3-day blackout last winter, ATMs and card readers were down, and I couldn't get to my $1,000 emergency savings. I now keep that money in small bills in a fireproof lockbox at home, and it felt good to buy groceries and gas when no one else could. Has anyone else had a situation where cash was the only thing that worked?

2 comments

c/diy-home-projects•

robertb30•10d ago

Changed my mind about using a 2x4 as a straightedge for cutting plywood

I was building a workbench in my garage last week and grabbed a spare 2x4 to guide my circular saw, thinking it was 'good enough'. The cut ended up being off by almost 3/16 of an inch because the board had a slight bow I didn't see. What's a cheap but actually reliable method for getting a perfectly straight cut on a 4x8 sheet?

2 comments

c/bicycle-mechanics•

robertb30•12d ago

Spent $35 on a set of internal cable routing magnets and it was a total waste

Had a new carbon frame come in last week with full internal routing. Bought the magnet kit thinking it would save me an hour. The magnets were too weak to pull the housing through the tight bends. Ended up using my old fishing line method anyway. Anyone have a better tool for this that actually works?

2 comments

c/decision-debate-room•

robertb30•16d ago

A client meeting in Portland made me rethink my whole project timeline approach.

We were presenting a six-month plan for a website rebuild, and the client's marketing lead, Sarah, pointed out we had zero buffer for their quarterly review cycles. I had to admit she was right. Now I always add a two-week review block after each major phase. Has anyone else built specific client feedback windows into their timelines?

3 comments

c/boss-fight-therapy•

robertb30•20d ago

My plumber in Albuquerque said 'You can't fix a leak with a bigger bucket' and it clicked

I was complaining about my basement sump pump failing again for the third time this year. He looked at the whole setup, pointed at a crack in the foundation I kept ignoring, and said that line. It hit me that I've been doing this with a lot of my problems, just dealing with the mess instead of the real cause. For six months I've been buying new pumps and mopping up, wasting maybe $400. I'm tired of just reacting. Has anyone else had to stop themselves from just grabbing the bucket and actually fix the root of a problem?

2 comments

c/minimalism-journey•

robertb30•1mo ago

Warning: My clutter was making my anxiety worse.

Clearing out just one shelf each week helped me feel calmer. Less stuff means less stress.

3 comments

Posts

Spent $80 on a new boning knife and it's like night and day

Warning: I was using way too much glue on my headbands

My neighbor's story about a power outage made me stash more cash

I used to keep my emergency fund in a bank account, but a power outage in my town made me switch to cash.

Changed my mind about using a 2x4 as a straightedge for cutting plywood

Spent $35 on a set of internal cable routing magnets and it was a total waste

A client meeting in Portland made me rethink my whole project timeline approach.

My plumber in Albuquerque said 'You can't fix a leak with a bigger bucket' and it clicked

Warning: My clutter was making my anxiety worse.

Recent Comments