Update: Saw a guy at the KC Woodworking Show swear by pocket screws for face frames

Everyone says they're weak, but after seeing his stress test demo, I've used them on three jobs now with zero issues. Anyone else actually given them a fair shot on a real project?

A lesson from an old timer on the Bay Bridge retrofit

I was a greenhorn on the Oakland side, maybe 2005. This guy, Frank, watched me fumble with a tagline for ten minutes. He just said, 'Kid, the crane does the lifting. You just guide the conversation.' Happened right by the west anchorage. Anyone else get a piece of advice that simple but stuck with you for years?

Shoutout to the old-timer at the Oshkosh airshow who showed me his trick for freeing a seized AN bolt with a candle.

He said, 'Kid, heat's fine, but a little wax wicks right into the threads and breaks the corrosion without the risk of galling you get with a torch,' and it saved me a huge headache on a Cessna 172's flap hinge last week.

Choosing between a whole chicken and chicken parts for the week

Honestly, I was at the grocery store yesterday and had to decide between buying a pack of chicken thighs for $6 or a whole chicken for $8. I went with the whole bird, even though it was a bit more work. I roasted it that night, which gave us dinner for two, plus a ton of leftover meat. The next day I used the carcass to make a big pot of soup with some carrots and an onion, which got us through three more lunches. Tbh, the upfront cost felt higher, but it stretched so much further. I think I got about six solid meals out of that one chicken. Has anyone else done a cost breakdown on this? I'm curious if it's always the better deal or if it depends on the store.

PSA: Our group tried picking books by vote versus a rotating host and it was a total game changer

For the first six months, our club in Boise just voted on a list of five books each time. It was fine, but we kept picking the same kind of safe, popular fiction. Then we switched to letting a different person host and pick the book each month. The host has to give a short pitch about why they chose it. The difference is huge. Last month, my friend Mike picked a graphic novel memoir, 'Maus', which I never would have voted for. We had the best talk ever about history and how stories are told. The rotating host makes us read stuff we'd never pick ourselves and the debates get way deeper because someone in the room is personally invested in the book. Has your club tried a system like this, or does the vote work better for you?

Just realized I've installed over 3000 yards of carpet in my own truck since 2020.

Never kept track before, but the math surprised me when I added it up for a client quote. Anyone else ever get a shock from their own numbers?

Went to the new park in Bend and the 'smart' benches are a problem

They put in about twenty of these solar powered benches with charging ports and wifi. Sounds good, right? I sat on one for maybe ten minutes. The metal seat was baking hot even in mild sun. The charging port was loose, my phone kept disconnecting. The little info screen just showed ads for a local bank. I watched a family try to use the wifi, it asked for an email sign up. These things cost the city a lot, I heard over $5,000 each from a worker. They look fancy but don't do the basic job of being a good place to sit. Are other towns getting sold this junk too?

Why does nobody talk about setting posts in CLAY soil?

I'm putting up a wood fence around my property, and the ground is PURE CLAY. Every time I dig a hole, it fills with water and won't drain. I've tried using gravel, but the posts still get wobbly. How do you guys make them STAY PUT in this kind of soil?

It hit me how much better holidays are without a kids table.

Warning: That no-tape corner trick is a myth

Tried it on a bathroom remodel and the seams opened up instantly. Now I tape every time, but it still feels slow. What's the fastest way you've found to tape corners without messing up?