Olivia Thomas (u/the_olivia)

Posts

Had to pick between a miter saw or a track saw for a big deck job

Got a job building a 400 square foot deck in Springfield. Client wanted composite decking, so every cut had to be clean. My old miter saw was okay, but the blade was getting dull. The track saw was new to me, but a buddy swore by it for long, straight cuts. I went with the track saw because I could cut the long boards right on the sawhorses. It took a minute to get the hang of setting up the track, but after the first few boards, it was smooth. Made all the cuts in about half the time, and the edges were perfect. No splintering on the composite material. Anyone have a good trick for keeping the track from sliding on really smooth lumber?

2 comments

c/cosmetologists•

the_olivia•3d ago

I keep seeing stylists at my salon skip the patch test for demi-permanent color

We had a client last Friday who had a bad reaction to a demi we've used before, but her meds changed. I think saying 'it's just demi' is a big risk, even if the color line says it's gentle. How do you guys handle this with regulars who get annoyed at the extra step?

2 comments

c/apartment-composting•

the_olivia•5d ago

Warning: People keep forgetting the 'browns' and it's a huge mistake

I've been doing apartment composting for about three years now, and I see the same thing over and over. Folks get excited, get a bin, and just toss in all their food scraps. A month later they're complaining about the smell and giving up. The problem is they aren't adding enough dry 'brown' material like shredded paper or dry leaves. I learned this the hard way in my first tiny studio. My bin got so wet and gross I almost quit. The rule is roughly two parts brown to one part green scraps by volume. Has anyone else found a good source for browns in a city apartment?

3 comments

c/creative-writing-prompts•

the_olivia•5d ago

I finally stopped using the same five character names after a beta reader said they all sounded like 'generic fantasy RPG shopkeepers'

Now I pull random names from a local phone book I found at a thrift store, and it adds a weirdly real texture. Anyone else have a weird trick for naming characters that actually works?

2 comments

c/bullet-journaling•

the_olivia•7d ago

I always thought my weekly spreads had to be perfect grids

I was watching a video from a creator named Jamie at the Denver Public Library bullet journal meetup, and she just drew a big messy circle for her tasks. It hit me that I was spending more time on my ruler than on my actual plans. Now I just freehand boxes and it saves me like 20 minutes every Sunday. What's one rule you've broken in your bujo that actually made it better?

2 comments

c/appliance-repairers•

the_olivia•9d ago

Crossed 500 dryer belt replacements this week, which got me thinking about the 'right' way

Some techs swear by pulling the whole drum every time for a clean install, but I've found a shortcut that saves 15 minutes and hasn't failed me yet. Which side are you on, and what's your go-to method for a Whirlpool direct drive?

2 comments

c/apartment-composting•

the_olivia•1mo ago

Update: Coffee grounds fixed my soggy compost bin.

No more mold smell after adding them.

3 comments

c/furniture-finishers•

the_olivia•1mo ago

My latest dresser turned hazy from a simple oversight

I was putting a water based poly over an oil stain without a proper seal coat. Now the whole top looks milky and I have to sand it down again. Make sure you use a shellac barrier or let the stain cure for a full week, I mean it. Maybe it's just me but this can really mess up your project if you rush it.

3 comments

Posts

Had to pick between a miter saw or a track saw for a big deck job

I keep seeing stylists at my salon skip the patch test for demi-permanent color

Warning: People keep forgetting the 'browns' and it's a huge mistake

I finally stopped using the same five character names after a beta reader said they all sounded like 'generic fantasy RPG shopkeepers'

I always thought my weekly spreads had to be perfect grids

Crossed 500 dryer belt replacements this week, which got me thinking about the 'right' way

Update: Coffee grounds fixed my soggy compost bin.

My latest dresser turned hazy from a simple oversight

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