Unpopular opinion: I was wrong about hand signals for years

For my first five years on a tower crane in Chicago, I thought I could get by with just the radio. I saw a guy drop a load because his radio cut out and the signalman was waving like crazy. That was two years ago. Now I make sure my whole crew knows the basic signals cold, and we drill them every Monday morning. How many of you still rely only on the radio?

Hot take: I used to think a $20 chain checker was a waste of money until I saw a customer's cassette get completely shredded from a worn chain.

Now I use the Park Tool CC-4 on every single tune-up, because catching a 0.75% stretch before it ruins a $60 part is just basic math, right?

A chat with a retired tech made me stop using my old scan tool

He said 'that thing can't see half the network faults on a 2016 or newer car, you're just guessing.' I realized I've been wasting time on diag for months. Anyone else find their gear just got too old too fast?

Appreciation post: I just realized I've been drowning my succulents for months

I had a jade plant in my kitchen window that kept dropping leaves, and my friend in Tucson looked at it and said, 'Pat, that soil is wetter than a rainforest floor.' I was watering it every Friday like clockwork, but apparently that's way too much for a plant that likes it dry. How often do you actually water your succulents?

I always figured plants were quiet, but then I saw a video from a lab in Japan

They recorded roots making clicking sounds when they're thirsty, like a tiny tap. Found it on a science channel my friend sent me. Does anyone know if you can hear that at home with normal plants?

I always thought wireless sensors were a bad idea for a commercial job, until a fire in Phoenix changed my mind.

I was wiring a retrofit for a small warehouse in Phoenix about six months ago. The owner wanted everything hardwired, and I agreed, thinking wireless was just for homes. Then a small electrical fire started in a wall cavity we had just fished a wire through. It was contained fast, but it melted the new cable run completely. The fire marshal said if we had to re-pull wire through the damaged area, the whole project would be delayed three weeks. I had a box of wireless door contacts in my truck for another job. We slapped them on as a temporary fix just to get the perimeter secured that night. They worked perfectly for over a month until we could do the permanent repair. The signal was rock solid, even through the metal siding. Now I always keep a few wireless sensors on the truck for emergencies. Has anyone else had a job where a wireless backup saved them from a big delay?

Talked to a guy at the Canton flea market who said he's seen a huge jump in fake vintage band tees this year. He pointed out three in my own bag.

Shoutout to my foreman who insisted on a 3/4 inch subfloor for that kitchen remodel

I thought 5/8 would be fine to save the client a few bucks, but after the tile guy came through last week, not a single crack or squeak... has anyone else had a spec save their bacon like that?

Showerthought: I spent $40 on a soil test kit and it showed me what my plants really needed

For years I just guessed with fertilizer, thinking more was better. The kit showed my backyard soil was super low on potassium but had plenty of nitrogen, which was why my tomatoes looked sad. I spent about $20 on the right stuff to fix it instead of wasting money on general plant food. Has anyone else had a test completely change their plant care plan?

Had a job in a 1920s building that made me rethink old glass

Got called to replace a broken pane in a downtown office from 1923. The original glass was wavy and had a slight green tint, which I always thought was just poor quality. When I took it out, the client said, 'That's not a flaw, it's character.' I had to source a new piece of cylinder glass from a specialty supplier in Chicago for $450 to match it. Anyone know a better source for that kind of historic glass?