Remember when we used to hand cut everything? A story from a job in Spokane.

I was installing a big Berber in a Spokane split-level about ten years ago, and my power stretcher head snapped clean off right as I was pulling the last wall. I had to finish the whole seam by hand, kneeling and using a knee kicker for tension. It took an extra two hours and my back felt it for days. Anyone else have a tool fail at the worst possible moment?

I saw a trick with old soda bottles at a community garden in Portland

They were cut in half and used as little cloches to protect seedlings from the wind. I tried it with my balcony lettuce starts and it stopped them from getting shredded. Has anyone else used something like this for a mini greenhouse effect?

I dropped $350 on a Horwell lens spanner and it was totally worth it

I mean, I was working on a stuck front element on a vintage Nikkor 50mm f/1.4, and my old cheap spanner just kept slipping and scratching the barrel. The Horwell one has these super fine, replaceable tips that actually gripped the notches without any play. It felt like a huge cost at the time, but it saved the lens and my sanity. Anyone have a good alternative for a mid-range spanner that doesn't break the bank?

I finally gave up on those magnetic wire strippers after six months of fighting with them

I know a lot of guys swear by them, but I went back to my old Klein manual strippers and the difference is night and day. The magnetic ones kept getting gunked up with tiny metal shavings from the job site, and I'd have to clean them every other day just to keep the action smooth. Twice last month, they failed to strip a 12-gauge wire cleanly and nicked the copper, which is a big no for me. My manual pair, which I've had for over three years, just works every single pull. The feel is better, I can control the depth perfectly, and I'm not worried about a battery dying or a magnet failing. Has anyone else switched back from a 'cool' new tool to their trusty old one?

I had to pick between a direct flight to Lisbon or a 12 hour layover in Madrid to save $180. I took the layover.

My neighbor in Phoenix said his sauerkraut bubbled over after just two days

He keeps his house at 78 degrees, which I think is way too hot for a normal ferment. It made me check my own setup and I'm keeping my jars in a cooler spot now. Does anyone have a good rule for how much headspace to leave when it's warm out?