Okay, I know everyone says to just use WordPress, but I spent 3 days trying to get a static site generator to work for my blog.

Everyone swears by the big torque wrench but mine failed on a simple injector job

I was working on a 6.7 Powerstroke in a shop bay last month, trying to torque down the injector hold-down bolts to the spec of 120 inch-pounds. My fancy digital wrench just flashed an error code and wouldn't calibrate. I had to dig out my old beam-style torque wrench from the bottom of my box to finish the job. It felt like a huge waste of money on the 'upgrade' everyone pushes. Has anyone else had a digital tool fail on them at the worst possible time?

Finally got that sticky 5th floor call button to work right

It was failing about 30% of the time for months. Replaced the whole contact block with a new one from the parts van last Tuesday. Has anyone else had a run of bad buttons from a certain supplier lately?

Serious question, found a zine about abandoned malls in a Cleveland record store.

It was a single sheet folded into eight panels, all hand-stamped text and photocopied photos. The creator mapped out five specific dead malls around Ohio. Has anyone made a zine with a similar folded format before?

Cleaned out my old toolbox and found a logbook from my first year

I was sorting through some junk in the garage and pulled out my original metal toolbox from when I got my A&P. Flipped open a pocket and found a little notebook where I logged every job I did in 2004. I counted them up, and I'd written down 317 separate tasks that first year. I mean, I was just a kid, terrified of messing up a $15,000 radio. Seeing that number, all those little entries for coax pin crimps and basic continuity checks, it really hit me how much the work has changed. Now it's all about loading software and running built-in tests on boxes that talk to each other. I don't even carry a pin crimper in my daily bag anymore. Does anyone else miss the hands-on feel of the older systems, or is it just me being sentimental?

Just learned the old Bessemer converter at the Pittsburgh plant could process a 25 ton heat in under 20 minutes.

I was reading a history book about steel towns from the library. It said the Bessemer process was so fast, the whole pour was done before the furnace lining got too cold. I always thought those big heats took hours, not minutes. Has anyone else come across old facts about our trade that blew their mind?

Changed my mind about taping wire bundles in tight spaces

I always used zip ties for everything, but they can pinch cables in a crowded panel. A guy on a job in Portland showed me using a small piece of hook and loop strap instead. It's faster to adjust and doesn't crush the conductors. What's your go-to for keeping things neat in a small can?

The rust stain on my shed door turned into a perfect map of an island after two rainy seasons

I swapped lentils for ground beef in my chili and it was a total flop

Everyone online says it's a cheap and easy swap, so I tried it last week with a full bag of brown lentils. The texture turned out mushy and the flavor was just flat, even after adding extra spices. I learned that not all meat substitutes work the same way in every recipe. Has anyone made this swap work, or should I just stick to using a smaller amount of real meat?

Hot take: My group's custom Catan board from Etsy arrived with a cracked tile last month, and I'm torn between asking for a refund or just trying to fix it myself.

Part of me thinks supporting a small maker means accepting some flaws, but my friend says for $75 we should get a perfect product, so what would you do in this spot?