I run a sheet metal shop, but this account isn’t only about sheet metal. I write to learn about work, business, technology, history and whatever else makes me curious. I hope to tell a few stories worth reading and teach something along the way.

I can start the morning with a reasonable plan for our two-person sheet metal shop. One phone call or text blows up the whole thing. Sometimes we’re rearranging the rest of the day. Sometimes it’s the rest of the week.

.@BrosefMalone is giving great advice here. Ductwork can be routed in many ways through an existing home with minimal damage if the contractor or HVAC tech is experienced. Existing homes often have many closets, chases, and dead space. @engineering_bae is correct that it's best "when you're going to gut the place fully," but that is rarely the case when installing a new heating/cooling unit and adapting to existing ductwork. If the HVAC contractor is doing their job correctly, they will keep the customer's comfort in mind. That means not compromising the house's integrity just because they don't want to take the time to find the best ductwork routing. You may incur an additional cost for custom transitions and fittings to route around and through tight spaces, but in the long run it will be far less money than tearing down walls and reconfiguring rooms just to fit stock ductwork. Alternatively, you could choose a more expensive, less suitable system for your home when simpler ductwork solutions will work. One last thought. Every existing house is different, and routing ductwork into an attic or a new addition can be a challenge. It's never a quick process. Also, check whether there's a custom sheet metal shop in your area if you are dealing with this kind of project. If they work with many HVAC companies, as I do, they'll know companies in your area with crews that can handle these kinds of jobs.

“Contractors need clarity right now, and this resource center puts everything in one place,” said Wes Davis, ACCA’s director of technical services. “Whether it’s checking what applies in your state or understanding the latest on high-frequency GFCI technology, this is where our contractors and the industry can go to stay informed.” acca.org/gfci

The "It's a Pepper Thing" ad campaign is terrific 😂

Well now, what have we here, 23-17!? Applying a little gas here...

Why doesn’t LSU just play the NFL guys?

Is Arch Manning a tunnel vision QB? Seems to lock on to one read.

Don’t claim to be a hero if you’re not willing to show up.

Here's one thing AI can't do. Help me move all of my duct fabrication equipment and tools into our new shop space later this month.

AHRI (Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute) posted the July shipment numbers—central AC/heat pump shipments up 20% year over year. Guys are gonna see that and think business is booming. It's not. Last July was the worst month of the whole A2L refrigerant mess. Prices spiked; nobody wanted to buy. So of course this July looks good next to that. Please compare it to two years ago (2024) instead; we're still down 12%. Same deal for the whole year so far. Up 5.5% compared to 2025, but still down 2% compared to 2024. We haven't actually caught back up. A couple of other things in the data worth knowing: Water heaters are splitting by fuel type. Gas units are up 5% this month, and electric is down almost 4%. Year to date, both are down, but electric is dropping faster. Looks like folks are trading down to gas because it's cheaper to buy and cheaper to run, not because they suddenly love gas. Furnaces are flat to soft. Gas furnaces are basically flat for the month but down 5% for the year. Nobody's rushing to replace a furnace right now. Also, if you break the AC/heat pump numbers down by size, almost all the growth is in the small residential sizes for a normal home. The big commercial tonnage is actually down double digits. So this isn't businesses spending; it's homeowners replacing what broke. At m shop the calls have slowed a bit for furnace swap outs, so it's consistent with the numbers. However, here in the Northeast the weather is changing, so that will pickup as we get colder. Either way, it seems money's still tight out there. PDF here: ahrinet.org/sites/default/fi…

Why would AI kill us? They are so nice and encouraging to me and my ideas. They are here to help. They love us.

I wonder how this will play on the jobsite while I'm measuring ductwork and hammering tin? Does it come in cammo? Does Carhart or Otter Box make one? Perhaps Milwaukee Tools will add it to their line, lol.

Awesome!! @dailydirtnap