Knee pads are a game changer for that kind of work. The good ones don't slow you down at all, they just make everything less painful. Your future self will thank you for using them.

Your "loudest voices" point changed my view.

Man, I read something about this a while back. There was this study that said young guys in manual jobs are way more likely to get hurt in their first few months, mostly because they're trying too hard to show they can keep up. They overdo it on purpose, like lifting something too heavy or, yeah, cranking on a valve until it explodes. It's like a dumb badge of honor. Your story about the wrench flying is a perfect, scary example. It's good that safety stuff is more common now, even if the videos are boring.

Two weeks? For a custom wedding band with three stones in a twist pattern? That's insane. Even if you worked non-stop, you'd need time to order the stones, set them right, and polish everything. People don't get that this isn't like buying off the shelf. It's hands-on work that can't be rushed without ruining it. Your cousin really thought that was a 'small job'? No wonder you felt taken for granted.