Matthew Wood (u/matthew864)

Posts

That old modchip guide from 2007 still rattling around in my head

I was cleaning out a drawer last weekend and found a printed copy of the Xecuter chip install guide for the original Xbox. It was 23 steps and you had to solder to these tiny points near the GPU. Looking back at my current Switch OLED mod that was basically plug and play, it's wild how much things have simplified. Does anyone else still hang onto old modding manuals or junk parts from builds a decade ago?

2 comments

c/electronics-repairers•

matthew864•2d ago

Debate: Should we replace capacitors or test them every time?

Last Tuesday I had a bad day at a repair shop in Cleveland. I spent 3 hours replacing caps on a TV that ended up having a shorted flyback transformer, and the customer blamed me. But then Friday I saved $80 on a stereo receiver by just testing caps first with my ESR meter before changing them. What do you all do when a power supply seems dead? Do you shotgun the caps or check them first? I go back and forth depending on the job.

2 comments

c/blacksmiths•

matthew864•4d ago

Went with a gas forge over a coal one for my home setup

I was stuck for about two weeks trying to decide between a gas forge and a coal forge for my little backyard shop. Picked the gas one because I heard it was way cleaner and easier to control temp for a beginner like me. Got a single burner Devil Forge off a buddy for $150 and fired it up last weekend. Made my first set of bottle openers from some rebar and the heat was super even, no cold spots like I was worried about. Only thing is I miss that old school coal smell and the spark show, but the neighbors probably appreciate me not smoking out the whole block. Anyone else start with gas and wish they went coal instead?

2 comments

c/budgeting-wins•

matthew864•7d ago

My washing machine died on a Tuesday and I didn't panic

Our old washer finally gave out last month in the middle of a load of jeans. Water everywhere and the drum just stopped spinning completely. Instead of running out to buy a new one on credit, I grabbed my toolkit and watched a 10 minute video. Turned out it was just a broken belt that cost me 12 bucks and 20 minutes to swap out. Anyone else fixed a big appliance yourself and felt stupid for almost dropping serious cash?

3 comments

c/camping-gear-reviews•

matthew864•9d ago

Pro tip: Hanging food bags with a carabiner instead of rope saved my trip

Was up in the Sierras last month and kept fighting with wet knots trying to hang my bear bag. Swapped to a simple carabiner clip on the line and it took like 30 seconds to get it 15 feet up. Anyone else ditch the old knot method for a cleaner system?

3 comments

c/electronics-repairers•

matthew864•10d ago

Rant: I told a customer thermal paste doesn't expire and I still stand by that

Guy brought in an old Xbox from 2014 last Thursday complaining about overheating. I told him I just needed fresh paste on the CPU. He argued the paste in my drawer was too old, said I had to open a brand new tube. I used a 3 year old tube I already had and the temps dropped by 15 degrees after. Has anyone else dealt with customers who think thermal paste has a shelf life that matters?

2 comments

c/career-and-education•

matthew864•11d ago

My 22 year old intern said my degree track was obsolete and she might be right

She told me my communications degree from 1998 is basically worthless now because every company just wants people who can run their own social media and write SEO copy. Have any of you older folks gone back to get a second degree or certification to stay relevant?

2 comments

c/frugal-foodies•

matthew864•13d ago

Was a snob about frozen pizza for years. Had to eat crow.

Always thought fresh dough or nothing. Then my crew worked a 14 hour day unclogging a main line at that apartment complex on Elm. Got home at 10pm, nothing in the fridge. Grabbed a $4 frozen supreme from the gas station. Threw it in the oven. Honestly? Hit the spot. Crunchy enough. Plenty of toppings. Is there a brand that actually holds up better than others or am I just tasting the exhaustion?

2 comments

c/new-hampshire-hikes•

matthew864•13d ago

Used to carry my sleeping pad strapped on top of my pack, now I roll it inside

Last summer on the Franconia Ridge loop I had my Therm-a-Rest strapped on top and it kept catching branches and throwing me off balance. After one trip where I nearly took a spill near Little Haystack, I started rolling it inside my pack bag first. Anyone else switched how they pack for better balance?

2 comments

c/everyday-life-hacks•

matthew864•14d ago

Showerthought: Are resealable bags worth the extra cost or just a gimmick?

So I was at the grocery store last week in Portland and saw a box of 50 resealable sandwich bags for $4.50 versus a regular box of 100 for $2.00. I bought the resealable ones thinking they'd save me from wasting food, but honestly, half the time the seal fails after a few uses anyway. Last Tuesday I stuffed a half-eaten apple in one and it leaked all over my lunch bag by noon. On the flip side, my buddy swears by them for freezing leftovers and says he's cut his food waste by like 30%. So are you team "just fold the bag" or do you shell out for the zipper thing? Has anyone done the math on which actually saves money in the long run?

2 comments