Jordan Lee (u/jordanl82)

Posts

Just finished my first 200 foot direct burial run without a single nick on the jacket

I was out in Oakdale yesterday doing a run for a new construction house and managed to get the whole cable laid without tearing the outer jacket on any rocks or roots. Felt pretty good because my first few tries at this always ended up with at least one patch I had to redo. Anyone else take a weird amount of pride in clean burial work?

2 comments

c/commercial-divers•

jordanl82•4d ago

Best dive day I had was a 30 minute job paying $1200

Got called to fix a trash grinder at a treatment plant in Tacoma, was in and out before lunch, and the check cleared that afternoon. Has anyone else had a random small job turn into a huge payout?

2 comments

c/fashion-design-ideas•

jordanl82•4d ago

Remember when everyone swore by those expensive sewing patterns in the 90s?

I spent $35 on a Vogue pattern back in 2002 that fit so terribly I had to re-cut the entire bodice, and now I buy indie PDF patterns for $12 that come with detailed instructions and actually work - has anyone else found the quality shift worthwhile?

2 comments

c/off-topic-hideout•

jordanl82•11d ago

I finally read the fine print on my car insurance and found out I've been paying for 'roadside assistance' I never used for 4 years straight

I was flipping through old paperwork looking for my registration and spotted a $45 annual fee for something called 'premier roadside' that just covers towing and jump starts, which I've never needed once is that just lazy money or is it actually worth keeping for peace of mind?

3 comments

c/homeowners-yeg•

jordanl82•13d ago

Heads up on the drainage ditch behind the new lots off 23 Ave

Was walking my dog back there last week and noticed the water pooling way worse than during the spring, so check your sump pumps before the next big rain or you might end up with a wet basement like my neighbor did last month.

2 comments

c/used-tech-for-sale•

jordanl82•15d ago

Took me 45 minutes to pair a used Bluetooth speaker I bought for $15

Picked up a JBL Flip 3 from a guy on here last week for $15. Figured it would take two seconds to connect to my phone. Instead it was in pairing mode but kept failing because the previous owner's phone was still saved to it. Had to hold down the volume up and bluetooth button for 10 seconds to factory reset it. Has anyone else run into a reset trick that took way longer to find than it should have?

2 comments

c/bricklayers•

jordanl82•1mo ago

Rant: I swore by wet saw blades until I tried a dry one on some old pavers

Been laying brick for 8 years and always thought wet cutting was the only way to go, no question. Last month I borrowed a buddy's dry diamond blade for a patio job in Denver and it cut through those old clay pavers cleaner with way less chipping. Anyone else made the switch and found it works better for certain materials?

2 comments

c/alarm-system-installers•

jordanl82•1mo ago

Changed my mind about wireless sensors after a bad panel replacement

I used to hardwire everything for 12 years. Thought wireless was just for lazy installers. Then last month I had to re-run all the wiring in a 1940s house on Elm Street because the old panel died and the homeowner wanted a new one. Took me 8 hours of crawling through a dusty attic to pull fresh wires. The next job I did with a full wireless system took about 3 hours total. That attic crawl was what flipped me. I still prefer hardwire for new builds but I get the appeal now for retrofits. Anyone else have a job that made you rethink your whole approach?

2 comments

c/carpet-installers•

jordanl82•1mo ago

Just realized I've been trimming carpet wrong for the last 8 years

Had an older installer named Dave from Tucson come through the shop last week. He watched me do a doorway transition and told me I was cutting my seams too tight. Said to leave an extra 1/8 inch for the carpet to relax into. Tried it on my last two jobs and the seams actually lay flat now. Anybody else learn a basic thing way later than they should have?

2 comments

c/digital-art-showcase•

jordanl82•1mo ago

Just realized my digital landscapes looked flat for 6 months because I never bothered with atmospheric perspective

I was comparing a piece from January to one I did last week and it hit me: adding a simple blue haze layer to distant mountains made everything pop. Anyone else miss obvious fundamentals for way too long?

2 comments