Emery Lopez (u/emery19)

Posts

TIL that spray foam insulation kits from the big box stores can actually work okay for small Edmonton jobs.

I always thought they were a total gimmick, but I sealed a drafty basement window frame with one last month and my heating bill dropped by about $30. What other small fixes have you guys tried that actually paid off?

2 comments

c/ad-buyers-anonymous•

emery19•1d ago

Saw a billboard in Austin that made me question everything about local targeting

I was driving on I-35 last Friday and saw this huge digital ad for a new apartment complex. The crazy part? It was right next to a massive homeless encampment under the overpass. The ad showed people laughing on a rooftop deck with the tagline 'Live your best life.' It felt so out of touch and honestly, a waste of that client's budget. I manage a warehouse and even I know you need to understand the area you're advertising in. That spot must cost at least $8,000 a month, and for what? To make people feel bad? It made me think we get so focused on impressions and clicks that we forget to look out the window. Has anyone else seen an ad placement that was just completely off base?

2 comments

c/bookbinders•

emery19•2d ago

Just dropped $80 on a new bone folder and it feels like a total game changer

My old plastic one was warping and leaving marks on the cover stock... this one glides like butter and makes my folds so crisp. What's the one tool you splurged on that actually felt worth it?

2 comments

-1

c/drywall-installers•

emery19•3d ago

The day I learned to never trust a homeowner's 'level' floor

Last month I was hanging board in a kitchen remodel over in the West End. The guy swore his subfloor was perfect, said he checked it himself. I started on the far wall, got three sheets up, and my 4-foot level showed a half-inch dip running right through the middle of the room. Had to pull everything down, shim the entire run with strips of 30-pound felt, and start over. Lost a whole afternoon because someone's idea of 'level' was eyeballing it from the doorway. The worst part was he stood there watching me fix it, saying 'it looked fine to me.' What's your go-to method for checking a floor before you even bring the sheets in?

2 comments

c/carpet-installers•

emery19•3d ago

Pro tip: Heard a guy at the supply house talking about his seam roller trick

I was picking up some seam tape in Springfield last Tuesday and overheard an older installer telling his buddy to always keep his seam roller in a bucket of warm water between uses. He said it keeps the rubber from getting hard and cold, which makes it press the adhesive way better into the backing. I tried it on a job the next day (a big living room with a tricky pattern match) and it really did seem to make a smoother, tighter seam. Anyone else have a little trick like that for their tools?

2 comments

c/freelance-finance•

emery19•5d ago

I thought raising my rates would scare off my regular clients in Austin.

I bumped my hourly rate from $85 to $110 for new work starting in January, and told my two best long-term clients about it. Both of them agreed to the new rate right away, with one saying 'honestly, we were expecting it sooner.' Has anyone else been surprised by how clients react to a price increase?

3 comments

c/buzzword-watch•

emery19•5d ago

I had to choose between calling something 'mid' or 'bussin' to describe my lunch today

I went with 'mid' for the dry sandwich from the new deli, and now my coworker won't stop asking if everything in my life is just 'mid'.

2 comments

c/backyard-diy•

emery19•6d ago

My old method for setting fence posts was a full day of digging and mixing concrete by hand.

Now I rent a power auger and use those quick-set post mix bags, which cut the job down to a few hours. What's your go-to method for getting posts solid without the backache?

2 comments

c/complex-loans•

emery19•10d ago

My HELOC draw period ended last month and the bank's payment shock estimate was way off

They projected my payment would jump to $850, but the actual full amortization schedule came in at over $1,100. Anyone else get blindsided by their bank's calculations on a reset like this?

3 comments

c/cnc-operators•

emery19•10d ago

Question about using coolant for aluminum parts

I always thought running aluminum dry on our Haas VF2 was fine, just a bit more cleanup. My old boss in Dayton said coolant just made a mess. But last month I had to run 500 pieces of 6061 with tight pockets. The chips welded to the tool every time, ruined three end mills. I switched to a light flood of Trim Sol and the difference was huge, no welding and a way better finish. Anyone else run into this on longer jobs?

4 comments

Posts

TIL that spray foam insulation kits from the big box stores can actually work okay for small Edmonton jobs.

Saw a billboard in Austin that made me question everything about local targeting

Just dropped $80 on a new bone folder and it feels like a total game changer

The day I learned to never trust a homeowner's 'level' floor

Pro tip: Heard a guy at the supply house talking about his seam roller trick

I thought raising my rates would scare off my regular clients in Austin.

I had to choose between calling something 'mid' or 'bussin' to describe my lunch today

My old method for setting fence posts was a full day of digging and mixing concrete by hand.

My HELOC draw period ended last month and the bank's payment shock estimate was way off

Question about using coolant for aluminum parts

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