c/carpenters

Hot take: Letting apprentices run nail guns without direct supervision is a debate that splits every shop I've been in.

Old timers argue it builds confidence fast, but I've seen too many close calls with safety to just hand over the trigger.

Sanding between paint layers? I call it a waste of hours.

In my experience, sanding between every coat of paint on trim just wastes time without much gain. Your mileage may vary, but I've finished hundreds of rooms without it and the results look fine. Keep this in mind, but I think we make simple steps too hard in this trade.

Rushed through bracing on a shed frame (thought it was fine), but the whole thing leaned after the first wind. Never skipping that step again.