Heard a story from a guy who used to work on tugboats about packing the worst pits with grease and then wrapping the whole flange with that self-fusing silicone tape. It's not a forever fix, but he said it could hold for a few months if you stretch it tight enough. The grease keeps the water out of the deep spots while the tape does the squeezing. Always seemed like a clever field repair to me for when you're really in a bind.

Ever try sharpening the cheap ones to see if they improve?

Our brains love complex puzzles even when the answer is stupid simple.

Actually, that custom wood ramp sounds like a big problem waiting to happen. Those store-bought metal strips are made for a reason, to handle foot traffic and cleaning equipment without breaking. A piece of stained scrap wood is just a trip hazard that will crack or warp. Sometimes the bulky, obvious solution is the right one because it's safe and lasts. Getting too clever can just lead to a call back to fix it.

Right? It hits that sweet spot @barbara91 mentioned where it's just fun. But what makes a monster movie cross over from just bad to good-bad for you, is it the plot or the effects?