Following up on our conversation about the phrase good enough for who it’s for, referring to something that wasn’t done perfectly but was nevertheless good enough, a Clarinda, Iowa, listener shares a similar phrase he used when doing construction...
Jason in San Antonio, Texas, is curious why the term salamander is applied to small heater on a construction site. In ancient lore, the mythical beast called a salamander was impervious to fire. Later salamander was applied to various heating...
Since the 1930’s the term “punch list” has referred to a list of things to do, or a list of problems to fix. Although there are many proposed explanations for the origin of this term, none is definitive. This is part of a complete...
hoarding n.— «The platform in question was partially draped by a large orange tarp, a technique known as “hoarding,” Hauser said. It’s a common and accepted way to shelter workers from the elements when working in winter...
deadman n.— Note: This term is covered in many mainstream dictionaries. «The church purchased an old school building, and member Gordon Ethridge moved it to the site on logs—with a little help from a “deadman,” Gatliff said...
steel monkey n.— «This is where not being a sissy comes in. Steel monkeys as they are affectionately called, have to walk the steel girders in order to put the steel beams in place. They walk the beams a hundred feet in the air. One false...