Used to think all tomato cages were the same. Got a fancy square one last season after the same thing happened to mine. Way more stable. Worth the extra cash.

The dyed stuff is basically just colored wood chips, plain cedar holds up way better in humidity.

Those crushed seals trapping moisture" hit me hard. I live in Louisiana. Humidity is basically our state bird. I tried foil seals once last summer. Woke up one morning, went to shuffle, and the deck felt like a sponge. Had to dry the cards out on a windowsill for three days. Never again. Stick with cellophane here too.

Ha, yeah that humbles you fast doesn't it. Nothing like getting punked by your own IT department to remind you you're not as slick as you thought.

Wait. The shop said three bolts weren't torqued at all? Like they just left them loose? That's insane. I've had some sketchy mechanic work before but that's next level dangerous. A pressure plate flying apart at speed could have punched through the bell housing. Hope you went back and read them the riot act over that one.