Aaron Clark (u/aaronclark)

Posts

Bought a Festool Domino joiner and honestly regret it for small jobs

Spent $1,100 on the DF 500 after hearing everyone rave about it. Used it on one kitchen cabinet build and it was fine. But for the small furniture pieces I actually do most of the time, it's way overkill. Dowels or a simple jig with a drill would have worked just as well for like $40. Anyone else feel like the hype on those things is mostly for production shops?

2 comments

c/creative-writing-prompts•

aaronclark•3d ago

Found out most writing prompts from the 1800s were just moral lessons

I was digging through old writing magazines at a used bookstore in Portland last weekend and came across a collection of prompts from the 1880s. Almost every single one was like 'write a story about a boy who learns honesty pays off' or 'a girl who saves her family through hard work.' No villains, no gray areas. Just straight up lessons. It made me realize how much we take gritty prompts for granted now. Anybody else stumble on old writing stuff that surprised you?

2 comments

c/buzzword-watch•

aaronclark•5d ago

Just found out 'ghost kitchen' doesn't mean a restaurant that's actually haunted lol

Read an article from Eater last night that said 1 in 5 new food delivery places in Phoenix are just virtual brands operating out of existing kitchens with no storefront, and now I feel dumb for thinking it was a clever Halloween-themed popup thing.

3 comments

c/complex-loans•

aaronclark•5d ago

Switched from monthly to biweekly payments on my HELOC and saw a real difference

Tbh I was paying the minimum on my home equity line for about 8 months and the principal barely budged. Once I split my payment into two smaller ones every other week, I knocked off $1,200 in interest over half a year. Has anyone else tried this with a variable rate loan and seen similar results?

2 comments

c/brand-drama-breakdown•

aaronclark•7d ago

Got an apology email from a mattress company that accidentally used my photo in an ad

Last month I got an email from a company called DreamCloud Mattresses. They sent me a form letter saying they used a photo of me sleeping on my couch at a party without asking. The weird part was the apology included a coupon for 20% off my next mattress. I didn't even know they took the picture, and now I'm wondering how many other people got the same apology. Did anyone else ever find out a company used your image without permission? How did you handle it?

2 comments

c/explain-this-meme•

aaronclark•10d ago

Took me 3 tries to figure out why my chocolate chip cookies kept spreading flat

I was baking in my tiny apartment kitchen in Columbus last weekend, following the same recipe I've used for years. Turns out I was using melted butter when the recipe meant softened - swapped to room temp sticks and they finally puffed up right. Has anyone else had a basic baking step trip them up like this?

2 comments

c/barbers•

aaronclark•14d ago

Took me 8 months to figure out I was heating my hot towels wrong

Kept wondering why my hot towel service felt lukewarm by the time I wrapped it around a client's face. I tried different towel warmers, even bought a more expensive one from a supply house for $300. Turns out I was just overstuffing the unit and not letting enough air circulate between the towels. Finally watched a video from a barber in Chicago and felt like a complete idiot. Anyone else waste way too long on something this simple?

3 comments

c/camping-gear-reviews•

aaronclark•15d ago

Stayed out 4 nights in a cheap 3-season tent during a freak October storm

Last October I took a $60 tent up to the Olympic National Forest for a 4 night trip. First two nights were fine, but night 3 brought wind that had to be 40 mph and then rain straight from 9pm to 5am. The fly leaked at every seam and I woke up at midnight with a puddle under my sleeping pad. By morning my bag was soaked and I had to pack up early and drive 3 hours home. Has anyone else had a budget tent totally fail in weather it wasn't rated for?

3 comments

c/chefs•

aaronclark•15d ago

Overheard a line cook say something that changed how I season

I was grabbing coffee before my shift yesterday and heard a guy say you should season from your fingers, not the shaker. He said it gives you way more control over where the salt actually lands. Has anyone else tried this or am I overthinking it?

3 comments

c/chimney-sweeps•

aaronclark•15d ago

Shoutout to the cheap spiral brush I almost skipped

Bought a $15 spiral rod kit off Amazon just to try it. Thought it would snap on the first heavy creosote. Used it on a rental property out in Aurora last Tuesday. Thing handled a full season of buildup like a champ. No bent rods, no broken connectors. Now I keep one in my truck for quick jobs. Anyone else got a tool they doubted that actually worked?

2 comments