Finally switched to a track saw after 15 years of using a circular saw

Honestly, I always thought track saws were overpriced and a circular saw with a straight edge was good enough. But last month I had to cut 20 sheets of 3/4 inch plywood for a kitchen job in Portland, and my arm was killing me from clamping guides every time. Borrowed a buddy's Makita track saw for one afternoon and the cuts were dead straight, no tearout, and I finished in half the time. Anyone else made the switch and feel dumb for waiting so long?

Measured my shed foundation after 5 years and it was off by a half inch

I built a small workshop shed in my backyard back in 2019 (you know, during that first lockdown phase). Last weekend I was laying down new floorboards and decided to check the corners with my old Stanley level. Turns out the south wall settled a half inch lower than the north wall over time. Did any of you guys run into settlement issues with your structures? I'm wondering if I should bother shimming it or just let it ride.

Why does nobody talk about how the breakover angle matters more than shoe weight?

I was shoeing this quarter horse last Tuesday and kept messing with different steel weights trying to fix a stumbling gait. After 3 horses in a row I finally noticed the breakover was way too steep on my shoes. All this time I was focused on weight distribution and it was the angle of the toe that was causing the issue. Anyone else have a simple thing like this that took you way too long to notice?

Was dead set against the LRT expansion until I saw that bus gridlock on Jasper

I've lived in Edmonton for 12 years and always thought spending billions on the LRT was a waste. Used to argue with my buddy about it all the time while we'd sit in traffic on the bus heading downtown. Then last Wednesday I was waiting at the bus stop on Jasper and 114 Street for 25 minutes. Like 4 buses came all at once and none of them could even move because of all the cars blocking the intersection. Some guy in a delivery van just sat in the middle of the crossing for two full light cycles. I watched people get off the bus and just start walking because it was faster. That moment made me realize the bus system is maxed out and we need something separate from road traffic. Anyone else have a moment where you just changed your whole view on a city project?

First time using a plasma cutter on 1 inch plate and it surprised me

I borrowed a Hypertherm 85 from a buddy last weekend to cut some 1 inch thick plate for a repair job at a chemical plant near Gary. I expected it to struggle a bit or leave a messy edge, but it cut through like butter with almost no slag to grind off. The biggest lesson was taking the time to set the right amperage and travel speed beforehand. Anyone else find that dialing in the settings pays off way more than you think?

Hit 200 Nikon F2 CLA jobs yesterday and I'm changing my tune on one thing

I always told customers a CLA on a Nikon F2 should run about 2 hours tops. Yesterday I finished my 200th one and went back through my notes. Turns out nearly half of them needed extra work on the mirror box foam or a sticky slow speed gear that I was brushing off as 'normal' at first. Now I'm quoting 3 hours minimum and eating the cost on the fast ones instead of rushing through the tricky ones. Anyone else hit a job count that made you admit your own estimate was off?

Coal vs charcoal for my forge was a night and day difference

I always used charcoal from the hardware store because it was easy to get. Finally tried a 50 pound bag of bituminous coal from a supplier in Ohio last month. Heats up way faster and holds temp way steadier than charcoal ever did. Has anyone else made the switch and noticed a big difference in their welding heat?

Took me 3 hours to dial in my offset smoker after a brisket stall at 2am last Saturday

I couldn't figure out why the temp kept dropping even with fresh splits, turned out my damper was stuck halfway shut from creosote buildup. Has anyone else spent way too long troubleshooting something that simple mid-cook?

Hit 5000 followers on my art account this morning

I wasn't even tracking it, just logged in to post a sketch and saw the number. Anybody else have a milestone sneak up on them like that?

That Tuesday when every single sensor went bad at once