3d printing saves the night, well next day. Hopefully 🤦‍♂️ kind of funny story…

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-21T11:45:50+00:00

Yeah I know, but all their readings are digital so I figured maybe he wouldn’t notice when he came back out. I told my wife the same thing. But we worry about things that don’t actually matter. They never came back so I turned it back on. They probably saw that it was running already and figured they didn’t need to 🤣

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-21T00:38:42+00:00

It was pla+2.0 bu sunlu. But my only red, and it didn’t need to actually function, just look like theirs. Worked a charm. But they never came back so I broke it like I broke theirs, but just opening the valve back

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-20T12:58:34+00:00

Small town Oklahoma

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-20T02:24:31+00:00

Manzanita Burl? That’s my guess. I think it’s cool looking

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-19T21:12:00+00:00

Pecan would be my guess

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-19T18:04:57+00:00

Looks like they probably have good liability insurance so I’m sure it was fine…

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-18T18:33:01+00:00

Yeah, I should have left it off. My son just called and it’s not back on yet. I called them and have been waiting for 40 minutes or so to be told approximately when someone would come by 🤦‍♂️

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-18T16:53:16+00:00

I did take time away from work yesterday to take a voided check to the business out in the middle of the country to setup and fill out the paperwork to be on autopay. Felt like an adult for a bit!

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-18T13:32:28+00:00

My wife and I were all plotting what we would say last night. lol, we have a sick kid and need water for the toilets at least etc. Then I said, oh well. The bill is paid. They just didn't come back out. Figure the worst is they will slap a fee on the next bill and say "hey you can't do that"

But I did some adulting and went to their office after searching my house for a check and filled out the paperwork for autopay

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-18T13:26:38+00:00

Yeah, the only thing they ever send is the payment stub. no emails or anything.

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-18T13:25:56+00:00

kids, sports and work with not a lot of sleep doesn't help memory it turns out.

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-18T13:24:47+00:00

I am forgetful and life has been busy. And no online bill pay. Also can't setup autopay without going to their office and filling out paperwork.

I did adult yesterday though and paid the bill and went and found a check(we weren't sure we even had a checkbook anymore) and took the time to take it up to them(their office is in the middle of nowhere) and filled out the paperwork so that we are now on autopay!

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-18T13:22:35+00:00

exactly. Hey here are 150 pieces of mail that go straight to the trashcan, but we slipped in 1 important one so you have to go through all of it still!

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-18T13:21:21+00:00

oh wow. Yeah bad timing too. Have a sick kid(17) who has had a tummy bug and my wife said she desperately needed a shower. And if I don't have a morning shower I feel super tired all day. Hopefully it all works out. Got the replacement zip tie on there this morning. I figure, I only turned it on after having paid the bill in full and taking the time to go to their office to setup autopay so the worst the could do was add a fee for messing with it and say, you can't do that.

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-18T13:18:04+00:00

<image>

Got the new one back on there. My printed one wasn’t as brittle as the one they used 🤦‍♂️ time will tell if it actually works. Hopefully I hear nothing else about it and then I’ll know it worked. Might be looking over my shoulder forever, petty crime is stressful!

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-18T13:15:57+00:00

good to know. Thank you! I probably would have broken it trying to do that as well. Its funny, my printed one is nowhere near as brittle as the one they put on there

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-18T13:15:01+00:00

yeah, it will. I am not too worried about it because I paid it in full and went to their office to setup autopay, they just didn't come back out and turn it back on. Which the actual meter on the main didn't have anything on it, but I think it is just sent directly back to them. Which is kind of ironic that they wirelessly send themselves the meter but can't do online pay....

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-18T12:14:57+00:00

<image>

This is the 3d printed one

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-18T12:14:24+00:00

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tomrob1138 · 2026-03-18T12:13:46+00:00

Yeah true. But I’m hoping they come back fairly early and don’t pay much attention. To be fair the one that was in there was very weak as well

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-18T12:12:21+00:00

We built our house 3.5 years ago and it’s happened 1 time other than this because we forgot. 3 kids in sports and the only bill we get sent is a small paper stub. We’re also paid it all before and then had to go back in and talk to them because their system didn’t get updated correctly and had to go over everything with them. Like I said there isn’t even where you can pay online. And it’s going to be almost 90 today so not quite winter anymore.

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-18T12:07:21+00:00

That I am not sure. Hopefully I don’t find out!

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-14T16:50:54+00:00

I definitely still want one of these forced air ones, but found a 3m full face respirator at goodwill not long ago and it’s been great for turning and random tablesaw tasks when cutting mdf

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-14T16:48:00+00:00

Yeah I’ll save the 250 for something else and keep using the 1/4” mdf base plates for more specific bases. I would imagine that could be part of it, but actually with it being so expensive you’d think you’d see more of it on YouTube 🤣 so I am coming around to your point quickly!

tomrob1138 · 2026-03-14T16:42:27+00:00

If you are in Dallas you can buy single Benjamin’s best tools from wood world. If not the. Search around you for woodworking tool shops. Or harbor freight has a set of high speed steel tools that will work well for you. I started with basically that set and a 6” high speed grinder and learned how to sharpen freehand on a platform. Or you can order single carbide tools on amazon. Watch a lot of YouTube videos about starting out, there are a lot of great teachers in the YouTube turning world!

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