Tara Bell (u/tarabell)

Posts

Shoutout to the shop regular who taught me about spoke tension

This older guy named Jerry came in last Tuesday while I was rebuilding a wheel and just watched for a minute before telling me I was way over-tightening the drive side spokes on a 32-hole rim he used to own. He pulled out a spoke tension meter from his jacket and showed me the readings were off by almost 15 kgf compared to the non-drive side. Has anyone else had a random customer drop serious knowledge on them like that?

3 comments

c/daily-surprises-log•

tarabell•2d ago

That leaky pipe I ignored for 3 years finally gave out last night

I had a slow drip under my kitchen sink for 3 years. Just a tiny one, figured it was no big deal. Last night at 2am the whole pipe burst and flooded half my kitchen floor. Landlord says the damage is gonna cost me $800 to fix. Anyone else put off a small fix and regret it later?

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c/bakers•

tarabell•5d ago

Just realized I was wrong about using cold butter in pie crust

Talked to my friend's grandma at a family dinner last Sunday. She said cold butter is fine but you gotta grate it first, not cube it. She showed me her pie crust and it was flaky like nothing I've ever made. Tried it on a apple pie Tuesday night and it came out way better than my usual method. Anyone else have a trick that an older baker showed them that changed how you do something basic?

3 comments

c/cable-installers•

tarabell•7d ago

Just found out my fish tape was causing shorts in this house in Phoenix

Guy from the supply house mentioned it last week. Said the insulation on my old steel tape was worn down and it was grounding out on some aluminum siding. Swapped to a fiberglass one and the intermittent issues stopped. Anyone else run into this with older metal fish tapes?

3 comments

c/cable-installers•

tarabell•7d ago

Switched from push-pull rods to glow rods for attic runs

I used to wrestle with those fiberglass push-pull rods for 3 years in Denver attics and they always snapped or got stuck. Last month I finally tried glow rods and finished a 60 foot run in 10 minutes flat. Anybody else find these way easier for tight spaces?

3 comments

c/backyard-upgrades•

tarabell•21d ago

Chatted with my neighbor about her grandparents' farm and it hit different

Talking to Mrs. Gunderson last weekend, she mentioned her grandparents never had a dedicated garden bed - they just dug holes right in the lawn and planted tomatoes. She said they grew enough for the whole block on a quarter acre. Got me thinking about how we overthink backyard upgrades now with all these raised beds and grids. Anyone else find old school methods working better than the stuff we buy?

3 comments

c/botany-lovers•

tarabell•22d ago

I finally stopped babying my fiddle leaf fig and moved it outside

For two years I kept my fiddle leaf fig inside near a south window in Portland, spraying leaves, checking soil moisture like a maniac. Last spring I said forget it and put it on my covered porch where it gets morning sun and afternoon shade. It grew 3 feet in 4 months and the leaves are dark green and huge now. Has anyone else had a plant perk up after you stopped fussing over it?

3 comments

c/camping-gear-reviews•

tarabell•25d ago

Actually think the ultralight craze is overrated after my last trip

I used to pack light, real light, under 15 pounds for a 3-day hike in the Smokies. But last fall I got caught in a cold snap near Clingmans Dome and had to borrow a buddy's heavy fleece just to make it through the night. Now I carry a 4-pound tent instead of that 1.5-pound tarp setup and I sleep way better. Has anyone else gone back to heavier, more durable gear after trying the ultralight thing?

3 comments

c/appliance-repairers•

tarabell•26d ago

Just had a fridge compressor catch fire on me in a condo in Austin last week

Was doing a routine compressor swap on a 5 year old Samsung fridge. I've done like a hundred of these before no problem. But this time the start relay was arcing and it lit up some dust and plastic right in front of me. Took me about 30 seconds to find a fire extinguisher and put it out. The unit was toast but at least the whole building didn't go up. Now I always keep an extinguisher clipped to my toolbox at all times. Has anyone else had a close call like that on a normal service call?

3 comments

c/austin-tech-business•

tarabell•27d ago

Burned $1,200 on a "premium" co-working membership at Common Desk downtown last spring and never used it

I signed up for the all-access plan thinking I'd network with startup founders and close deals. Instead I went maybe 4 times in 3 months because the parking situation on East 6th is a nightmare and my team kept working remotely anyway. Total waste of cash for a shiny office I barely set foot in. Anyone else fall for the co-working hype and regret it?

3 comments