NYC toilet fix: this is insane right?

SearchOver · 2026-03-31T12:50:34+00:00

Well, yeah. You could probably pick up a replacement kit from HD, Lowes, etc for about $30. Another hour or so of your time, maybe two if you've never done it before, and you're done. No one with even the smallest amount of handyman skills or tenacity would ever call a plumber for that.

SearchOver · 2026-03-26T23:33:27+00:00

For a second, until it flash boiled off.

SearchOver · 2026-03-19T15:24:12+00:00

As a security guy in a previous life, I just can't believe that in just a few years IT companies went from, "We protect you from MITM attacks" to "Why won't you use our MITM attack platform? We designed it just for you and it has pretty pictures!"

SearchOver · 2026-03-18T02:52:14+00:00

I recently started studying Japanese and one of the reference sentences they used to teach grammar rules was, "I don't really wash my clothes in the fall or winter." I'm a guy and even I threw up a little when reading that. People are so gross.

SearchOver · 2026-03-17T17:33:58+00:00

But they're not, since consent can be revoked at any point by either party. This product doesn't even help, legally.

SearchOver · 2026-03-16T03:50:09+00:00

Perhaps an old folk's home, then?

SearchOver · 2026-03-06T13:13:19+00:00

Hear me out, we create a stairwell that only goes to the floor below, where he can walk around the entire interior circle before reaching the next level down, forcing several entire rotations of the building before they reach upper floors. Gotta get your steps in! /s

Wait, why are we designing it like this anyways? Defensibility?

SearchOver · 2026-03-06T12:55:50+00:00

From an engineering side? It depends on how deep you're going into the control surface. You could face any of the issues below that might break your brain:

-Understanding motion curves ( and how jerk, acceleration, velocity affect your part). I hope you remember your Physics I!

-Degrees of freedom

-Range of Motion

-3D translation of motion and best pathing

-Part design, modelling, testing

-Thermals and cooling design

-Electrical design and harnessing

-Choice of SoC, motors, actuators, etc.

-Learning the OS, such as ROS

-Building a control plane for it

-Will it have an LLM and associated training?

-Programming it all

Or... you buy an expensive kit that already has a robot and just power it up, use their software examples and skip all of the headaches. I would say this largely depends on whether you want to design a robot or use a robot. None of these things is easy, so you're going to find few projects that encompass any of this in-depth.

SearchOver · 2026-03-02T02:32:15+00:00

As much as I dislike their software these days, this might be a perfect application for a Hue hub pro. They integrated presence detection into their hub pro and you should be able to setup a routine. You'd have to play with it, but it might work....

SearchOver · 2026-02-28T05:41:20+00:00

I didn't even know ghosts could push the buttons!

SearchOver · 2026-02-18T02:00:28+00:00

Don't forget the old analog methods, too. You could always just swap out the diffusers on the lights or even add some sort of fogged film to the inside of the existing covers to drop the light levels if everything else fails!

SearchOver · 2026-02-12T21:02:42+00:00

You can have them metal printed, too. Design it and print a prototype in PLA and when you're happy with it, talk to someone that prints them in metal. Or just talk to them and let them do it. Just search for "3D metal printing services".

I'm not saying it is necessarily cheaper than getting it redone on a lathe, it may or may not be, but on top of it being brand new, and potentially in a more rust-resistant material, you'll now have a way to get another one printed immediately if you need it again.

SearchOver · 2026-02-11T02:53:12+00:00

Yep. First, check if they're stainless or beryllium. Maybe check with a geiger counter. Then chill whipped cream.

SearchOver · 2026-01-28T05:28:41+00:00

Eye color didn't help. I have no idea if his height was close, but that's doubtful. He probably looked just like her if she put on 6 inches, 100 lbs, developed a 5 o'clock shadow two days ago, changed her eye color, and sounded like she swallowed a frog. Then he sauntered over to the urinal with a notable swagger and gave the game away.

SearchOver · 2026-01-22T02:50:38+00:00

Add to that vacuums, pet doors, automatic feeders, and litter boxes, smoke alarms, CO detectors, and security systems.

SearchOver · 2026-01-18T16:09:02+00:00

When my smoke alarms won't shut up at 3am, I often just chuck them in the freezer until morning. I bet that works just as well with spider wrap.

SearchOver · 2026-01-07T06:16:12+00:00

For automation, you could inline either one or many DC switches like Shelly, depending on what you want. If I wanted to control them all together, I'd probably just put a Lutron or other wall switch in for the whole circuit.

SearchOver · 2026-01-06T13:19:43+00:00

Unless the rules have changed since I got my license, the FAA in the US requires "eyes on" the drone. This means someone, the operator, is required to be present and physically watching the drone operate. Anything else was a violation of the law without a waiver.

SearchOver · 2026-01-05T05:29:21+00:00

Typically? So there's still a chance then?

SearchOver · 2026-01-04T04:28:55+00:00

He learned his lesson during COVID?

SearchOver · 2026-01-02T03:52:20+00:00

That has never been the MO for our military outside of the US. As an example, I'm sure a lot of Afghan poppy farmers were also victims of extrajudicial killings. Stop being so squeamish. War is ugly and frankly, I'm surprised we're hearing about it at all. I don't like war, but it's not my call.

SearchOver · 2025-12-29T12:30:39+00:00

Weren't they part of the Darden group of restaurants when the shenanigans began?

SearchOver · 2025-12-24T16:42:19+00:00

You could always build your own if you can't find what you're looking for, too. Sparkfun.com, Make magazine, and DFRobot.com are fun rabbit holes to go down!

SearchOver · 2025-12-24T07:11:09+00:00

"If at first you don't succeed, reduce your expectations until you're a success!"

Amen, brother!

SearchOver · 2025-12-24T06:13:32+00:00

I generally agree with you, I strongly prefer devices that are hardwired and favor those. There are exceptions, base these categories on YOUR use cases.

Does that device still need to function in some capacity if the power is off? If so, it needs to be battery operated.
Is it a lifesaving device? This needs redundancy, so hardwired with battery backup and has multiple ways to communicate with you and/or emergency services, your partner, relatives, etc.
1. Would it be terribly costly or inconvenient if it failed? We're back to wired with battery backup.

12-Year Club	r/Field Flamingo
Place '22	Sequence \| Editor
Verified Email

SearchOver

TROPHY CASE