You physically flinched from your own clap? That's wild.

10 years ago I would've laughed at the idea of a pool noodle touching a car, but edge chips ate up so much of my time that I finally tried it. A $3 piece of foam keeps me from sanding and respraying spots I already finished, which is hours I get back on every job. It's wild how the cheapest stuff in the shop ends up saving the most money.

Man that Sal guy sounds like he knew his stuff, and losing a bet to a lesson you actually learn from is way better than losing it to nothing lol. I feel you on the split though, cause 2 minutes a batch adds up when you're just cranking out stuff for chili. I chill for burger and sausage but skip it for the throwaway grinds too, so you're not alone there.