I thought those ultrasonic cleaners were just a gimmick for small parts

A friend in Boise loaned me his for a week to clean up a rusty 1911 slide, and the results after three cycles were shocking. It pulled gunk out of the serrations and firing pin channel that I couldn't even see with my borescope. Who else has been surprised by a tool they didn't think would work?

Tried a new way to keep hydrangeas from wilting in bouquets. It actually worked.

My trowel snapped in half on a dig site in Santa Fe last Tuesday

I was working on a unit near the old mission, carefully scraping back a layer, and the blade just gave out with a loud crack. It was a Marshalltown 4.5 inch pointing trowel I've had for almost a decade. I had to finish the day using my backup, which is a cheap hardware store one that's basically a butter knife. Anyone have a favorite brand that can actually handle some pressure?

PSA: My home inspector missed a major sewer line issue in Portland

I was at the final walkthrough of my first house and everything looked fine until the neighbor came over. He said the last owner had constant backups and showed me the cleanout cap in the yard, which was clearly new. The inspector never even mentioned the sewer scope. Has anyone else had a big miss like this from a home inspector?

Vent: I used to think chain cleaning was a waste of time

I was at the trailhead in Sedona last weekend and my drivetrain started making this awful grinding noise halfway up the first climb. A guy stopped and asked if I'd cleaned my chain before the ride. I hadn't, and he pointed out the thick red dust caked in my cassette. He said, 'That's not just dirt, it's grinding paste.' I went home, soaked the chain in degreaser for 15 minutes, and the amount of grit that came out was insane. My shifting is now smoother than it's been in months. How often do you all actually deep clean your chains versus just a quick wipe?

Rant: I've stopped using a level for hanging things in my home.

Eyeballing it has never failed me and saves so much time.