That guy remembering your project is the best kind of customer service. My local Ace has a clerk named Dave who does the same with plumbing fittings. It got me wondering, do you think stores train for that kind of personal help anymore, or is it just the luck of finding a good employee who sticks around?

My buddy Jake just asks "What's the story here?" first thing.

Glad you ordered the respirator, but wet cutting still makes a ton of fine dust you can't see. I mean, the water just keeps it from going everywhere, you're still breathing some in. A P100 is perfect for that, so good call getting one.

Totally get where you're coming from @bettys51, I would have said the exact same thing a while back. What changed for me was seeing how much work actually goes into cleaning and fixing up that kind of dusty mess, it's way more hours than you'd guess. The price starts to make a sad kind of sense when you realize the labor, even if it still feels crazy.

That gasket thing is a solid point, but people forget the tailpiece itself can crack right where it meets the flange. You can have a perfect gasket up top and still get a slow drip from a hairline split in the metal. It hides behind the nut so you don't see it until you take everything apart. Always run your finger around the whole piece feeling for cracks or rough spots.