Showerthought: We used to fit plates by sight, now it's all digital templates.
Back in my day, lining up boiler plates was a hands-on skill you learned over years. You'd chalk the lines, check with a level, and adjust by feel. These days, the kids just scan a model and follow the dots on a screen. It's accurate, I get that, but where's the problem-solving? If the tech fails, they're stuck until it's fixed. I miss teaching apprentices how to eye a gap and know if it's right. The trade feels less about craft now, more about pushing buttons.