My homemade compost bin liner completely disintegrated after 3 weeks

I thought I was being smart and used that biodegradable bag from the grocery store as a liner for my countertop bucket. Big mistake. After three weeks of adding scraps, the bottom just gave out and I had apple cores and coffee grounds all over my kitchen floor at 6 AM on a Tuesday. Cleanup took forever and my whole apartment smelled like rotten veggie juice for hours. I ended up just tossing the mess and going back to a bare bucket that I rinse out every few days. Has anyone found a liner that actually holds up or do you all just raw dog it too?

Had to decide between a fixer-upper in town or a move-in-ready 30 minutes out

Last year I was looking at two houses in the Columbus area. One was a cute 1920s bungalow near downtown for $180k but needed a new roof and kitchen. The other was a 2015 suburban house for $210k that was ready to go, but added an hour to my commute each day. I went with the fixer-upper because I figured I could save money over time and like being close to stuff. Well, 8 months in and I've dropped $15k on the roof and the kitchen is still a mess with cabinets half done. Commute time is great though, I can walk to the coffee shop. Anyone else pick the wrong option and regret it or is it just me?

Wish I never listened to my uncle about workbench height

My uncle Steve kept telling me to build my bench at 36 inches tall because that's what he used. I followed his advice exactly and built it perfect level and sturdy. After three months of using it my lower back was killing me every time I sanded or planed. I finally raised it to 40 inches and the pain went away in a week. Has anyone else figured out their bench height the hard way?

Unpopular opinion: I used to think audiobooks were cheating, but listening to one on a 6 hour drive to Columbus changed my mind.

Last month I was stuck in construction traffic on I-71 and the narrator's voice just pulled me into the story in a way reading never did, has anyone else had that moment where a format just clicked for them?

Picked up a trick from an old farrier about heating horseshoes unevenly

I was at a shop in rural Kentucky last Saturday watching a farrier work, and he told me to heat the toe of a shoe about 20 seconds longer than the heels. Tried it on a set of shoes for a draft horse and the fit was way better on the hoof wall. Has anyone else messed with uneven heating like that, or is this just something for big horses?

Was ready to ditch my Tacoma after a brutal day on the trail near Moab

Last Saturday I snapped two axle shafts in one afternoon trying to crawl through Poison Spider Mesa. Had to get towed 40 miles back to town by a guy in a Jeep who laughed the whole time. Anyone else ever have a build day that made you question your whole setup?

That $200 CGC submission that came back a 9.8 vs the one that got a 7.0

I sent in two copies of the same key issue from my personal collection one came back a 9.8 and the other got a 7.0 with a spine crack I never saw. Is the gamble worth it on modern books or should I just stick to raw copies and save the cash?

Unpopular opinion: gel stain is way overrated for dark wood pieces.

I stripped an old oak dresser from the 70s last month and tried gel stain on half of it, but the other half with a traditional oil stain looked richer and more natural after just one coat, has anyone else noticed this difference?

Debate: Is a pellet grill cheating or just another tool in the shed?

I was over at my buddy Mike's place last Saturday for a brisket cook, and he swore his pellet grill gave him the same smoke ring as my offset. That got me thinking. Three years ago I spent a whole weekend babysitting my old stick burner at a family reunion in Nashville, and the bark came out perfect but I was exhausted. Then last month I used a pellet rig at a church fundraiser in Knoxville, and the meat was tender but the smoke flavor felt lighter, almost like an oven with a smoky smell. So here's the question: does a pellet grill count as real BBQ pitmaster work, or is it just a tool that makes things easier? I have seen some purists say it takes the skill out of it, but other folks argue the end result is what matters. What do you all figure is the line between using tech to help and cheating at the craft?

Visited a big tool show in Chicago and saw way more touchscreen controls on the new machines than I expected.