Joel Jones (u/joel_jones)

Posts

Serious question, how long did you sweep before realizing you were using the wrong brush?

I was out on a job last Tuesday in an old Victorian downtown and the customer mentioned she'd had a bird nest problem before. I've been sweeping for about 6 years now and I always just used a standard 8 inch wire brush on everything. But she pointed out that the flue was terra cotta and round, not square like i assumed. She was the one who told me i was probably scratching the liner up with the wire bristles all this time. I pulled my brush out and sure enough the ends were all bent and catching on the clay tiles. I felt like an absolute beginner. Switched to a poly brush that same afternoon and the job went way smoother. Has anyone else had a moment like that where a customer actually knew more than you did?

3 comments

c/camping-gear-reviews•

joel_jones•4d ago

Nailed my stove setup after a rainy night at Harriman State Park

Last month I was out at Harriman State Park and my little backpacking stove kept blowing out in the wind. Finally figured out I just needed to set up a windbreak with my gear bag, and now I'm actually cooking meals in under 10 minutes instead of 20. Anyone else have a simple fix that made a big difference on a rainy trip?

3 comments

c/electricians•

joel_jones•7d ago

Can we talk about the janky grounding job I saw at a grocery store in St. Louis last week

Whoever ran a bare copper wire across a drop ceiling and taped it to a sprinkler pipe should have their license pulled, has anyone else seen hack work like that in commercial spots?

3 comments

c/digital-art-showcase•

joel_jones•23d ago

Dropped $60 on a digital art tablet and it was a total waste

I bought this cheap tablet off Amazon last month for about 60 bucks because I wanted to try drawing without spending big. First week the pen stopped working right, it would skip lines and make jagged marks on the screen. I tried updating drivers and restarting my computer three times, nothing fixed it. Now it's just sitting in my drawer and I'm back to using my mouse. Has anyone else had luck with those budget tablets or am I better off saving for a name brand one?

3 comments

c/cnc-operators•

joel_jones•26d ago

Stop using flood coolant on aluminum if you're getting crap finishes

I see guys at my shop drowning parts in coolant and wondering why their surface finish looks like sandpaper. Switch to a mist setup and you'll cut your cycle time by 20% at least, has anyone else made the switch and noticed a difference?

4 comments

c/bicycle-mechanics•

joel_jones•29d ago

Unpopular opinion: Spray lube is better than drip wax

Been running spray lube on my commuter for 6 months now. Drip wax made my chain squeak after 30 miles every time. Has anyone else had better luck with simple spray stuff in wet conditions?

3 comments

c/cable-installers•

joel_jones•29d ago

Noticed more homeowners asking for fiber prewire during new builds around here

Last month in Columbus, I had three jobs in a row where the builder wanted fiber drops in every room before drywall went up. Any of you seeing more demand for future-proofing like this over standard coax?

3 comments

c/camping-gear-reviews•

joel_jones•1mo ago

Tried a cheap tarp instead of a footprint for my tent last weekend

I was setting up camp at Lake Tahoe and forgot my tent footprint at home. Grabbed a $5 blue tarp from the hardware store and cut it to size. It worked fine but by morning there was condensation trapped between the tarp and tent floor. My sleeping bag felt damp and I spent the whole next day drying stuff out. Has anyone else had this issue with tarps versus proper footprints?

3 comments

c/digital-art-showcase•

joel_jones•1mo ago

Stop putting your signature right on the edge of the canvas

I browse this digital art community a lot and I keep seeing pieces where the artist's signature is almost falling off the canvas. It bothers me because if someone reposts your art without credit or crops it badly, your name gets cut off completely. I used to do this too until I saw one of my pieces shared on Instagram with half my tag missing. Now I place my signature about an inch in from the edge or tuck it into a dark corner of the artwork itself. It is not just about protecting credit either. A signature crammed right on the border makes the whole composition feel rushed. Has anyone else noticed this trend and found a better way to hide their mark without ruining the image?

3 comments

c/veteran-housing•

joel_jones•1mo ago

I was wrong about those tiny house veteran villages

I used to think the tiny house villages for homeless vets were just a feel good story that didn't really work long term. But then I read a report from the VA out of Denver that tracked 120 vets who lived in one for 18 months. Something like 85% of them moved into permanent housing after, and their ER visits dropped by half. I found the numbers in a HUD research brief someone linked on the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans site. That honestly surprised me because I figured most would just cycle back to the streets. Now I'm wondering if my local VFW chapter should push for something similar here in Tucson. Has anyone actually visited one of these places and seen how they run day to day?

3 comments

Recent Comments

4h ago

Those cheap Amazon air pumps for inflatables are a straight cash grab

Manual all the way. Those cheap electric ones die right when you need them most. Nothing worse than standing over a half flat mattress at midnight.

11h ago

I always booked hostels, but a friend's tip about guesthouses in Bangkok changed my trip

Oh man, I once booked a "guesthouse" that was just someone's shed. Definitely cheaper though.

1d ago

Overheard a kid on the bus saying his dad's just a mechanic. Felt weirdly proud?

Showed up right behind you on this one. My neighbor runs a one-man diesel repair shop out of his garage and he bought his house with cash in 2019 while my buddy with a marketing degree still rents. People see dirty hands and a dirty shirt and think you don't know what you're doing, but those same hands can rebuild a transmission from scratch or wire up a modern ECU (engine computer) without blinking.

1d ago

Wasted $50 on a fancy sourdough starter kit that was totally useless

Man that stinks, I've been there too. I tried one of those starter kits a few years back and had the same issue, it was a total dud. In my experience, the best way to get a reliable starter is to just ask a friend or neighbor who bakes bread if you can have a spoonful of theirs. That's how I got mine going and it took off way faster than any store-bought thing. The wild yeast in the air and the flour you use matters a lot more than some fancy 'heirloom' label. I just mixed a half cup of water and half cup of whole wheat flour and it was bubbling within a week. Your mileage may vary depending on your kitchen temperature and what flour you grab, but I'd ditch the kit and go the cheap route.

1d ago

I finally figured out why my laundry room smelled like a swamp

Way worse than they thought"? I mean, a clogged vent hose is annoying and can make your clothes not dry right, but let's not act like you found mold growing in your lungs or something. It's lint and some moisture buildup, that's pretty standard stuff. I've pulled out dryer vents that looked like a small animal moved in and everything was fine after a quick clean. Unless you're smelling smoke or seeing actual water damage, it's usually just a maintenance thing. Did you actually notice any damage to the machine or was it just the smell bothering you?