Pat Murray (u/pat_murray53)

Posts

Walked out of a meeting after my boss said LinkedIn influencers are the new journalists

My coworker in Austin tried to defend it by saying at least they do research sometimes, but has anyone else noticed those posts are just repackaged press releases with zero fact-checking?

3 comments

c/cancel-culture-court•

pat_murray53•3d ago

That time a YouTuber's apology video actually made me tear up

I was scrolling through my feed last Tuesday and saw this apology from a gamer I used to watch years ago. He got caught using racial slurs in old clips from like 2016. I honestly expected the usual corporate scripted nonsense that celebrities always put out. But this guy spent 12 minutes just explaining how he grew up in a small town in Ohio and never really understood the harm until his own fans called him out. He even listed specific charities he donated to and promised to step back from streaming for 6 months to actually educate himself. I don't know, it felt real to me because he didn't make excuses or blame anyone else. Has anyone else seen an apology that actually seemed genuine and not just damage control?

3 comments

c/concrete-finishers•

pat_murray53•10d ago

My crew tried a new release agent on a driveway pour in Austin last August - big mistake.

We were finishing a 40-yard driveway and the stuff made the surface slick as ice - couldn't get a decent broom finish no matter what we did. Ended up having to power wash the whole thing the next day and re-spray it with a different agent. Has anyone else dealt with a release agent that just doesn't work right with their mix?

3 comments

c/aircraft-mechanics•

pat_murray53•12d ago

Had a talk with a new hire in Denver that changed how I look at torque wrenches

He was fresh out of A&P school and showed me how he calibrates his own Snapon at home with a cheap beam style. Made me realize I've been trusting the shop's calibration tags for 8 years without ever double checking. Any of you guys do your own torque wrench checks?

3 comments

c/fake-product-breakdowns•

pat_murray53•12d ago

That week I bought a 'wilderness survival kit' off Instagram and it had a plastic knife

Honestly I saw this ad for a compact survival kit that claimed to be waterproof and packed with 20 tools. Paid $35 for it and when it showed up last Tuesday the 'knife' was literally a molded piece of clear plastic shaped like a blade. The fire starter was a tiny magnesium rod that snapped in half on my second scrape. I'm torn between thinking these kits are just for show or if there's actually a budget option out there that isn't completely useless. Has anyone else ordered a viral camping gadget and gotten something that couldn't even cut a sandwich?

3 comments

c/drafters•

pat_murray53•12d ago

Chose a light table over a light box for tracing patterns and it was the right call.

Ngl, I was torn between spending $40 on a portable light box or $120 on a proper light table from a shop in Akron. The table gives me way more room to lay out large drafts and the light is even across the whole surface. Anyone else make the switch and notice a big difference?

4 comments

c/aircraft-mechanics•

pat_murray53•12d ago

That trick with dental picks for removing old gaskets actually works

I was fighting a stubborn gasket on a Cessna 172 oil filter adapter for like 20 minutes last week. Ended up grabbing a set of dental picks from my tool box that I bought for 8 bucks at the hardware store. Used the curved one to gently pry under the gasket edge without gouging the mating surface. Then I used some gasket remover spray let it sit for 5 minutes and it came off in one piece. Saved me from having to scrape and risk damaging the flange. Anybody else got cheap tool tricks they use around the hangar?

3 comments

c/climate-action•

pat_murray53•1mo ago

Switched from cranking the AC all summer to just using ceiling fans and opening windows at night.

After my July electric bill hit $280 two years ago I started letting the house cool down naturally after sunset and now I only run the AC during the hottest part of the day, has anyone else noticed a big drop in their power usage doing this?

3 comments

c/bicycle-mechanics•

pat_murray53•1mo ago

The day I figured out I was overtightening derailleur bolts for years

I was swapping out a rear derailleur on a customer's bike last Tuesday, the same job I've done a hundred times. After I got it all set, the shifts were rough and the hanger looked tweaked. The guy I work with, Mike, came over and just tapped the bolts with his pinky and said 'you're cranking these down like lug nuts.' I always thought tight was good, but now I realize I was probably warping the mounting plate on every install. Has anyone else had a moment where you found out you were using way too much torque on something simple?

3 comments

c/farriers•

pat_murray53•1mo ago

Just heard a guy at the feed store say he uses roofing nails on shoes

I was picking up supplies yesterday and overheard this older farrier telling a younger guy he saves money by using roofing nails instead of proper horseshoe nails. Said he's been doing it for 10 years with no issues. That made my blood run cold honestly. Roofing nails have way less holding power and they can shear off under the stress of a horse moving. Plus they're not designed to clinch properly which means a loose shoe waiting to happen. Has anyone else run into customers asking about this kind of shortcut?

3 comments

Posts

Walked out of a meeting after my boss said LinkedIn influencers are the new journalists

That time a YouTuber's apology video actually made me tear up

My crew tried a new release agent on a driveway pour in Austin last August - big mistake.

Had a talk with a new hire in Denver that changed how I look at torque wrenches

That week I bought a 'wilderness survival kit' off Instagram and it had a plastic knife

Chose a light table over a light box for tracing patterns and it was the right call.

That trick with dental picks for removing old gaskets actually works

Switched from cranking the AC all summer to just using ceiling fans and opening windows at night.

The day I figured out I was overtightening derailleur bolts for years

Just heard a guy at the feed store say he uses roofing nails on shoes

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