My film back popped open in the middle of a roll at the Grand Canyon

I was shooting a roll of Portra 400 on my Mamiya RB67 at the South Rim, trying to get the sunset light on the rocks. I heard a click and saw the dark slide slot was open, exposing maybe 10 frames. I closed it fast, finished the roll in the dark, and developed it myself. The last few shots had these wild light leaks that actually looked kind of cool. Has anyone salvaged a roll after a back failure like that?

I used to think using a laser level on a simple garden wall was overkill, but after seeing a 15-foot section I built last spring start to lean within a year, I'm changing my tune.

The old section, laid by eye with a string line, shifted almost an inch after the ground thawed, while the new 8-foot part I did with a cheap laser level from Harbor Freight is still perfectly plumb, so what's the simplest laser you'd trust for basic residential work?

Pro tip: I was wrong about spray foam insulation in my old Bonnie Doon house

I always thought it was just a pricey gimmick, but after a cold snap last January, my friend convinced me to try it in my attic. The guys from Foam Comfort did it in one day, and my heating bill dropped by almost $80 the next month. Anyone else in Edmonton have a good experience with a specific insulation upgrade?

A guy at the scrap yard in Akron told me to keep a magnet in my toolbox, saved me from a bad part last month.

I thought my old orbital sander was fine until I borrowed a buddy's random orbital

I was blocking out a quarter panel on a 2002 Silverado last week, using my trusty 5-inch orbital I've had for a decade. My friend Mike lent me his newer random orbital model, and the difference in finish time was huge. The swirl marks were almost gone, and I cut my sanding time down by about 30 minutes on that one panel. I'm not going back. Anyone have a brand they like for the random orbitals that won't shake your arm off?