Finally tried that Japanese solder I always thought was overhyped

Been fixing shutters for 15 years and always used the cheap stuff, but picked up some Kester 44 at a shop in Chicago last weekend. First time I didn't have to fight a joint on a sticky shutter blade, has anyone else had that kind of difference with solder brands?

PSA: Stop calling the dimension lines 'the numbers' when you're marking up a print

Just realized my $50 VPN was useless when I tried to read a blocked news site from Thailand

I paid $50 for a VPN last month to read a blocked environmental report, but the Thai government blocked the VPN too within an hour. Has anyone else run into this cat and mouse game where the blocking just gets smarter?

Rasp quality went to hell after switching to a new supplier

I used the same guy for 8 years. Tried a cheaper outfit last month. Anyone else see a drop in bite with economy rasps?

Signal trick saved my ass when a cop asked to see my phone in Germany last month

I was at a train station in Berlin and a Bundespolizei officer asked to see my phone. I knew I had some sensitive group chats on Signal about a protest that happened the day before. Instead of unlocking it I just triple tapped the Signal logo real fast and it locked me out with a fake error screen. The guy bought it and handed the phone back after I said 'sorry broken software.' The trick is you set it up in the privacy settings beforehand. Has anyone else used this or found a better way to handle that kind of situation?

That moment I realized my password manager was the weakest link

Last month I was using the same master password for 3 years across everything. My buddy Jeff cracked my login on a shared server in under 10 minutes. Turns out my password was in a breach from 2019 and I never changed it. Now I rotate my master password every 90 days and use a hardware key for 2FA. What do you use to track breached passwords?

The debate on pre-filling screw holes before taping...

I got into it with a guy named Hank on a job site in Austin last Tuesday. He swears by pre-filling every single screw hole with mud before he even thinks about taping. Says it saves him time on the second coat and prevents bubbles. I've always just done my tape coat and let the mud fill the holes at the same time... it's how my old foreman taught me 3 years ago. But Hank's method seems to make the tape stick flatter with no air pockets behind it. I tried it on a small bedroom last week and I gotta say the finish sanded out way smoother. Still feels like an extra step that slows me down though. Is there a consensus on this or is it just whatever works for you?

Why I finally stopped using plastic shims on door frames

I had been using those plastic shims for years on every door install, thinking they were fine. Then I did a job for a customer in Austin last month, and the door started sticking after 3 days because the shims had compressed from the humidity. That's when I realized wood shims actually hold up better over time and don't shift around. Has anyone else run into trouble with plastic shims on exterior doors?

Vent: Went with cheap primer instead of the name brand on a Chevy Silverado job

Last month I had a 2015 Silverado come in with a bad door ding repair. Decided to save $30 and use the store brand primer instead of my usual PPG stuff. After three weeks the paint started lifting around the repair area. Ended up having to strip it all down and redo the whole panel. Has anyone else had bad luck cutting corners on materials like this?

Drove myself broke paying $400 a month on takeout lunches until a coworker called me out

I was spending like $15 to $20 every day on lunch from places near my office in Chicago. Never even thought about it, just figured it was normal for working downtown. Then my coworker Dave asked why I never brought food like everyone else and I realized I was blowing nearly $5000 a year on sandwiches and salads. Got a cheap insulated bag and started meal prepping on Sundays. Saves me about $300 a month now easy. Anyone else have that one thing they just never questioned until someone said something?