Three cracked plastic rulers in a row is basically a rite of passage at this point. I swear the dollar store ones are made of the same stuff as those cheap sunglasses that snap in half the first time you sit on them. I got tired of that game and finally bought a metal ruler with a cork backing so it doesn't slide around. Sure, you can't see through it, but I just mark my cut line with a pencil first and line up the edge. Plus, it doubles as a weapon if anyone at the craft store tries to grab the last roll of washi tape.

Hold onto your paperwork though, right? Do you think companies actually track who calls about these things or is it more of a "first come, first served" kind of deal?

Oh man, nothing says "high-end dining" quite like a science experiment that's slowly turning into penicillin in your crisper drawer. At least he solved the problem before the meat started developing opinions.

Switching to the heated quiver saved me too on a bridge job in Texas humidity. Just make sure to keep your rods above 250 degrees and check them with a moisture gauge before you strike an arc.

My buddy runs a crew over in San Antonio and he had a similar fight with a homeowner about boring vs trenching. He ended up trenching a 60 foot run under a new driveway and it took his guys almost 6 hours because of a buried sprinkler line they nicked. Said the patch job looked like crap and the client was pissed for weeks. Now he only bores under concrete even if it costs more.