Yeah totally, I read somewhere that it's like an alcoholic staying away from that first drink.

Is it bad that I used to think this was all just bad luck or people exaggerating? But then I had my old sewing machine jam up three times in a row right when I was trying to show my niece how to use it, and I totally get it now. @sethm58 you're right, it really does feel like they save their biggest meltdowns for the worst possible moment (usually when someone is watching).

And it's not just the state law stuff either... I found out the hard way that some of those templates have clauses that directly contradict each other if you read close enough. Like one section says the client owns all work product but another says you retain rights for your portfolio... total mess. The worst part is you don't catch these problems until a client actually points them out and then you look unprofessional in front of someone paying you.

People keep arguing over 300 degrees like it's some big gotcha but come on. A fire hot enough to melt aluminum is still a fire hot enough to ruin your whole setup. I seen a chimney fire in a neighbor's house back in '09 and the liner looked like a cheap soda can left in a campfire. Nobody stood around asking if it was 1,700 or 2,000 while the roof was smoking. The real point is if you're having this debate you probably already got a problem building up in your flue. Sweep your chimney regularly and you won't have to care what exact temperature your house fire was.

Wait, did your friend actually try planing one of those warped boards and it was a disaster lol? My buddy thought he was being smart buying a bunch of shorts from a yard near him, then his planer ate one and threw it back like a piece of gum.