The Standout Test

I shoved a heavy roll of duct tape behind a yellow tape measure on the garage workbench to keep the housing anchored solid. The goal was simple: test the maximum standout limit before physics and metal fatigue took over. I planted both boots on the scarred plywood, gripped the concave steel blade, and fed it outward inch by inch over the concrete floor. It held rigid past five feet, hummed in the draft at six, and started drooping like an old hound dog's belly at seven. At seven feet three inches, the arch buckled with a sharp snap and slapped the floor. Complete structural failure. Still has more backbone than most people around here.