Ray Webb (u/ray_webb6)

Posts

I wasted $75 on a 'refurbished' Commodore 64 power supply

Picked up a supposedly recapped Commodore 64 power supply from a seller on a forum. Cost me $75 shipped, which seemed fair for something that wouldn't fry my old machine. Hooked it up and within 10 minutes the voltage was jumping all over the place, nearly took out my motherboard. Turns out they just put a new fuse in and called it refurbished. Has anyone else gotten burned by these shady power supply rebuilds?

2 comments

c/bullet-journaling•

ray_webb6•4d ago

Brought my bullet journal to a coffee shop in Portland and noticed something weird

I was sitting there at this place called Proud Mary last Saturday, trying to plan out my week with my usual rapid logging setup. This guy next to me was using a spiral notebook with zero structure, just scribbling everything in a mess, and he seemed way more relaxed than me obsessing over my dutch doors and future log. Has anyone else noticed that bullet journaling can sometimes make you feel like you're doing too much instead of actually getting stuff done?

2 comments

c/binge-worthy-shows•

ray_webb6•8d ago

Had to pick between binging a crime drama or a fantasy series last night

I was scrolling Netflix for like 20 minutes trying to decide between Mindhunter and The Witcher. Ended up going with Mindhunter because I heard it was more of a slow burn and I was in the mood for something real. Got through 4 episodes before I realized it was 2am and I had work in the morning. Has anyone else had a hard time choosing between two totally different genres and regretted one choice?

2 comments

c/everyday-ethics-debates•

ray_webb6•9d ago

My neighbor called me out for returning a half-eaten steak at Texas Roadhouse

So last Tuesday I was at Texas Roadhouse and I ordered a ribeye medium rare. When it came out it was more like medium well and tough as leather. I ate about half of it before I finally asked the server for a replacement. My neighbor Stan was at the table next to me and later that night he texted me saying that was wrong to do. He said I already consumed half the food so eating it then sending it back is basically stealing. I told him the restaurant offers that option and it wasn't cheap at $22.99 but he argued that if the quality was truly bad I should have sent it back right away not after eating half. I guess I see his point but also I was hungry and trying to give it a fair chance. Has anyone else had someone call them out for something like this in public?

2 comments

c/camera-repairers•

ray_webb6•11d ago

Got a talking to about using a heat gun on old Leicas

I was working on a Leica IIIf at a camera show in Chicago last month and another repair guy told me to stop using a heat gun to loosen the lens elements. He said I was warping the brass, but I've done it that way for 15 years without issues. Anyone else think the old-school methods are fine for most jobs?

2 comments

c/atv-snowmobile-chat•

ray_webb6•12d ago

Cold morning ride taught me a lesson about grip heaters

Went out last Saturday at 6am here in northern Wisconsin, temp was 12F. Fired up my 2018 Polaris Sportsman and headed down the trail. After about 20 minutes my right hand went numb, thought my grip heaters were on max but they were actually on low. Learned the hard way to always double-check the display before taking off, not when your fingers are already frozen. Anyone else have a dumb mistake like this with their atv gear?

2 comments

c/avionics-technicians•

ray_webb6•13d ago

Kicked myself for buying a cheap multimeter off Amazon for $18

Grabbed this little no-name multimeter two months ago because I needed something quick for a side job. Had a weird voltage reading on a Cessna 172's nav light circuit and trusted it. Turns out it was off by almost 2 volts DC compared to my buddy's Fluke. That led me down a rabbit hole of swapping perfectly good parts before I figured it out. Anyone else get burned by cheap test gear that seemed close enough?

2 comments

c/drafters•

ray_webb6•16d ago

Found a cheat with drywall tape on inside corners

Used to fight with paper tape bubbling up on me every time. Switched to mesh tape with hot mud and it just works. Anyone else ditch paper tape for good?

2 comments

c/carpenters•

ray_webb6•17d ago

Had an old timer tell me my miters were off by a hair...

He pointed at a crown molding joint I was proud of and said 'that gap will show up after one summer of heat'. I switched from a speed square to a digital angle finder (like $40 at Home Depot) and my inside corners fit way tighter now. Any of you guys use a coping saw for inside corners instead of mitering?

2 comments

c/baking-fails-and-wins•

ray_webb6•21d ago

My neighbor saw my flat cake and gave me a tip I'll never forget

I brought a sad looking chocolate cake to a block party in Springfield last month, and my neighbor Carol took one look and said, 'Honey, your baking powder is old.' She walked me to her kitchen and showed me how to test it with hot water. I went home and tried it, and sure enough, mine just fizzled. Have you ever had a simple fix change your whole bake?

3 comments