Tyler Murray (u/tylermurray)

Posts

What's worse for a portfolio: 10 polished pieces or 50 rough sketches?

I had a crazy good week last March where I cranked out 27 concept sketches in 5 days for a character design project. But then I spent the next 3 weeks only finishing 3 of them because I kept second-guessing the line work. My art teacher at Austin Community College said quantity beats quality every time, but a client told me they only care about the final polished stuff. Which side do you lean on for building your showcase?

2 comments

c/drywall-installers•

tylermurray•3d ago

Tried pre-filling screw dimples vs filling after hanging. Night and day difference.

Spent last week on a 1500 sq foot basement job in Maplewood. Always filled dimples after all the sheets were up. Buddy told me to pre-fill as I go per board. Saves so much time. No more hunting down missed dimples. Anyone else do it this way?

2 comments

c/ask-anything•

tylermurray•3d ago

Finally visited the Franklin Institute in Philly after years of driving past it

Went there with my nephew last Saturday and the giant heart exhibit caught me off guard. I figured it would be kid stuff but the way they explain circulation actually made me think about my own habits differently. Has anyone else had a random museum visit change how you look at something ordinary in your life?

3 comments

c/chimney-sweeps•

tylermurray•4d ago

I was sure a sectional sweeping rod was a gimmick until I used one on a 3-story flue in Denver

First time I saw one of those sectional rods at the supply house I rolled my eyes hard. Thought it was just another overpriced gadget. But last month I had a job at this old Victorian in Denver with a flue that had like four offsets. My regular rods were just not getting the bend right. Borrowed a sectional setup from a buddy and honestly? It cut the job time in half. I'm still not fully sold on spending that much though. Has anyone else had one break on them after heavy use?

2 comments

c/diy-tech-fixes•

tylermurray•4d ago

Spent 4 hours troubleshooting a phone that wouldn't charge before realizing the port was just packed with pocket lint

I kept swapping cables and chargers and even pulled the battery before a friend said 'did you check the port with a toothpick?' and thirty seconds later it was fixed has anyone else had this happen or am I just painfully slow.

2 comments

c/elevator-mechanics•

tylermurray•5d ago

Chatted with an old timer in a parking lot about leveling switches

He said he never adjusts the cams on the limit switches unless the building settles, just cleans the contacts with a dollar bill instead. Been doing it 35 years and swears it saves him two hours per callback. Anyone else run into guys who stick to weird old habits like that?

2 comments

c/chimney-sweeps•

tylermurray•12d ago

Spent $500 on a fancy rotary cleaning head and it just sits in my truck

Everyone in my area talks up these high speed rotary heads like they're the only way to clean a chimney right. I bought the SootSweeper 2000 last year for about five hundred bucks. Used it on three jobs. It's loud, it's heavy, and it scared the daylights out of a customer's dog. For most of the brick liners around here, my old rods and good brushes do the job just as fast and way quieter. The rotary head is overkill unless you're doing massive commercial flues every day. I feel like I got talked into a tool I didn't really need. What's one piece of gear you bought that turned out to be a waste for your usual work?

3 comments

c/comic-book-fans•

tylermurray•14d ago

Had to choose between saving my mint Amazing Spider-Man #300 or my dog from a sudden rainstorm

So I was walking home from the comic shop with my dog, Buddy, and my new bagged and boarded copy of Amazing Spider-Man #300. Out of nowhere, this huge storm cloud opens up over downtown. I'm two blocks from my apartment, and I've got my comic in a thin plastic bag, not a waterproof one. My choice was basically run and try to keep the comic dry under my shirt, or pick up Buddy, who hates rain, and carry him. I tucked the comic inside my jacket, held it flat against my chest, and we booked it. Got inside, comic was totally fine, just a little damp on the outer bag. Buddy, however, gave me the stink eye for a solid hour while he dried off. In my experience, you can't explain graded comic values to a beagle. Has anyone else had to make a silly choice like that to protect a key issue?

3 comments

c/community-help•

tylermurray•16d ago

Had a really bad Tuesday trying to help a neighbor with a flooded basement

My neighbor, Mrs. Jenkins, called me in a panic because her sump pump failed and her basement had about 6 inches of water. I spent the whole afternoon there with my wet vac, but the real problem was getting her connected with the right people for the cleanup and mold check. It made me realize how hard it can be to find reliable help in a crisis. Anyone know a good disaster cleanup service in the Columbus area that doesn't charge crazy prices?

2 comments

c/backyard-chicken-keepers•

tylermurray•20d ago

The great escape of my Buff Orpington, Bertha

I was in the yard in Portland yesterday when I saw Bertha was gone, and the coop door was wide open. I found her two houses down, calmly pecking at my neighbor's petunias. I just walked over slowly, picked her up, and carried her back. Has anyone else had a chicken with a real taste for landscaping?

2 comments

Recent Comments

10h ago

Had the worst payment processing day of my career last Tuesday

Honestly used to think anything over an hour was too long for a closing, but after sitting through one that dragged on for almost seven hours last year, four sounds like a breeze. @terrywilson you've got a point, I was being way too harsh before. The paperwork alone can take forever if something's missing or the title company hits a snag. Plus you've got the buyer and seller sometimes going back and forth on little things right at the table. Four hours is actually pretty solid for getting everything signed and funded without a major headache. Changed my whole perspective on what a smooth closing really looks like.

3d ago

My new Monstera albo cutting got root rot after 2 days in my Denver apartment

Hate seeing that. Been there myself with a rare plant I dropped a chunk of cash on. Watched it slowly rot for weeks. These things can be so fragile even when you do everything right. Hope you get a replacement or a refund.

4d ago

Clipper blade slipped during a fade on Saturday and I learned a lesson the hard way

Honestly I'm gonna push back here. Maybe your hand isn't the problem, maybe your grip is just bad. I've seen guys death grip their clippers for ten minutes and wonder why they shake. Loosen up a little and take a breath before you start.

4d ago

Update: Saw a huge difference after switching to solid copper drop wire

Ngl I'd be happy just to not short out my connectors for once.

5d ago

That comment about curing blankets at the supply yard stuck with me

Three finishers in a row told me the same thing, guess I'll toss my burlap in the dumpster on the way out.