Question about those old clay flue liners in historic homes

Last week in the old Victorian district, I found a liner from the 1920s that was cracked in a spiral pattern I'd never seen. It made me think about how the mortar mixes back then were so different, and the tools we use now to assess them. Anyone else run into a specific failure pattern with pre-war liners that taught them something?

PSA: I spilled a full cup of coffee on my bullet journal at the library

I was setting up my monthly log at the downtown branch last Tuesday when it happened. The coffee soaked through 15 pages of my Leuchtturm1917, ruining my future log and a habit tracker. Everyone says to just let it dry, but I took a different route. I carefully tore out the damaged pages, used a hair dryer on low heat for about 10 minutes on the rest, and then pressed the whole book under a stack of heavy cookbooks overnight. The journal is warped but usable, and I actually like the character the stain adds to the edge. Has anyone else salvaged a journal after a major spill, and what method did you use?

Just logged my 500th 'no power' repair and realized they're almost all the same three things

I was updating my service log last night and the counter hit 500 for that specific issue. It's crazy how 90% of them just boil down to a bad power supply, a blown fuse, or a loose DC jack. What's your go-to first check when a device has zero signs of life?

I dropped $300 on a drone for abandoned site scouting and it was a total waste

I was trying to get a better view of an old factory roof in Detroit to plan a safe entry point. The drone kept losing signal behind the brick walls and crashed into a pile of rubble on the second try. The camera was okay, but a motor arm snapped, and the repair quote was almost as much as a new one. Has anyone found a cheaper or more reliable way to check out upper floors before going in?

Just realized my 'big find' last week was a total bust

I was helping a friend dig a new garden bed in his backyard in Phoenix last week. We hit something hard about a foot down and I got so excited, thinking it was an old tool or maybe a piece of pottery. After carefully brushing it off, I held up what looked like a weird, curved bone. My friend's dad, who was watching, just started laughing and said, 'Son, that's a plastic tiki mug handle from my 2004 luau party.' Felt pretty silly holding a 20 year old party cup like it was a treasure. Has anyone else had a 'discovery' turn out to be modern junk?

I finally tried making fries from scratch in my air fryer after my neighbor swore by it

He said he soaks the cut potatoes in cold water for an hour before cooking, claiming it makes them crispier. I tried it and they were good, but honestly, my usual 20 minute soak worked just as well for me. Is that extra 40 minutes really worth it, or is it just a kitchen myth?

My boss insisted on using a specific sealant for a big storefront job in Phoenix

He said the heat wouldn't crack it, but after one summer, we had three panes with seal failure. Anyone have a better product for extreme sun areas?

Dropped $80 on a 'smart' light switch that bricked my whole setup for a day

Overheard a framer talking about his glass order at the lumber yard

He was telling the guy at the counter about a big picture window for a house in Greenville. Said the glazier had to order it three times because the first two shipments had tiny scratches. Made me think about how much we trust our suppliers. How do you guys check your glass before you even start a job? Do you look at every piece under the lights?

TIL a trick for cleaning old book cloth that saved me a project

I was reading a forum thread from 2015 where someone said they gently clean old cloth covers with a soft eraser, like a white vinyl one. I tried it on a 1950s repair job with some grimy green cloth, and it worked way better than I thought it would. Do you have any other gentle cleaning methods for old materials?