Yeah the finish difference really was something... we saw the same thing on our old Fadal, @the_rose. Definitely less chatter but the tool life jump wasn't as big as they said either.

Oh man, that's a rough one. @wesley_grant33 is right about the coolers, but the valve itself sticking open is usually the main culprit. Easy to miss when you're throwing parts at it.

Yeah, that drill taught me more than any book.

Roasting bones with tomato paste sounds like a solid trick. My grandma used to add a splash of vinegar while they simmer, said it pulled more flavor from the bones. Might be worth trying together sometime.

My buddy was trying to get to a wedding in Atlanta and swore by the Tuesday thing. He checked for a month and the price barely moved. Out of frustration, he looked on a Thursday night around 10 and the fare had dropped by over a hundred bucks. He bought it right then and it went back up the next morning. It seems like those old rules are just guesses now. The airlines change their systems too much for a single day to matter.