16 years as a professional maintenance technician

September 1, 2023 12:21 PM

MSIOTHM (Mercury Stardust Is Our Trans Handy Ma'am) on TikTok: Need to find a wall stud? No problem! Plugged up tub drain? She's here for you. Podcast: Handy Ma'am Hotline. And Instagram.
posted by spamandkimchi (12 comments total)

Hot dang that wall stud finder tip is spot on. These are delightful.
posted by caution live frogs at 12:27 PM on September 1, 2023 [2 favorites]

Her book _Safe and Sound: A Renter-Friendly Guide to Home Repair_ just dropped last week.
posted by hanov3r at 12:55 PM on September 1, 2023 [8 favorites]

I LOVE HER. She's just the best and SUCH a good teacher!
posted by cooker girl at 1:09 PM on September 1, 2023 [6 favorites]

"if you're living on your own for the first time, if you're a single mom, if you're a queer human and you're afraid to ask for help [...] I want to help you"

hi yes this room is very dusty and I believe someone is cutting onions
posted by taquito sunrise at 1:48 PM on September 1, 2023 [17 favorites]

In this house, we love Mercury Stardust.
posted by deezil at 2:09 PM on September 1, 2023 [1 favorite]

Really looking forward to seeing her on her book tour, such a ray of sunshine. The book should be helpful too, I’m usually anxious about tackling home improvement projects.
posted by astrospective at 2:57 PM on September 1, 2023

That seems like a hard way to find a stud, compared to a cheap modern stud finder that can find the stud itself, not just the nail. But, it also seems like an awesome way to mark out the approximate centerline of the stud once you've found it.

These are great and fun to watch.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:40 PM on September 1, 2023

Living in a home built in the 1930s I feel like I have 4 ways of finding studs and still resort drilling multiple small holes in a row about one third of the time. There is simply so. much. shit. in those walls.
posted by midmarch snowman at 9:05 PM on September 1, 2023 [5 favorites]

I think I'm in love with her!!
posted by james33 at 6:31 AM on September 2, 2023 [2 favorites]

I really love that her book is explicitly renter-friendly. That seems like such a great niche to fill. I enjoy Mercury Stardust on Instagram and whatnot too; she just has the most welcoming “you can do this, and it’ll be okay” vibe.
posted by Suedeltica at 8:07 AM on September 2, 2023

spamandkimchi: “ Need to find a wall stud?”

I actually did need to find a wall stud yesterday, and was able to find a screw with a magnet. I didn't have a chain, but I was able to improvise with a small level. I hung the TV!
posted by ob1quixote at 12:26 PM on September 2, 2023 [3 favorites]

YES handy ma'am, this is extremely relevant to my current. Thanks for posting!
posted by winesong at 3:46 PM on September 2, 2023