I cut 500 linear feet of quarter-inch plate in one day and my hands still remember it

That was last Tuesday on a big storefront job downtown. We had to replace all the glass in a coffee shop that got vandalized. The order came in, and I just started cutting. I didn't even realize I'd hit that number until I was cleaning up and counted the offcuts. My arms were sore for two days straight. It matters because it showed me I can push through a huge volume when the pressure is on, but it also taught me a hard lesson about pacing. I was using my old Fletcher cutter, and by the end, my grip was shot. I should have taken more short breaks to stretch. Has anyone else hit a crazy number like that and found a good way to keep your hands from cramping up on long cutting runs?

2 comments

2 Comments

barbara_kim17d ago

Wow, that sounds brutal, but I get it from moving boxes all day.

hugo_moore17d ago

What makes you say moving boxes is the hard part? For me, the mental load of planning the whole move, like timing and logistics, is way more draining than the lifting.