But what if you want both? I mean, I get the idea of keeping some marks, but a really clean finish can feel amazing too. It's like the skill is in making something look perfect, not just leaving it rough. Maybe it's just me but a smooth surface doesn't have to feel dead, it can show a ton of care in a different way.

Man, that hits home. I had a foreman who drilled "check the damn cleanout plug for a second" into our heads. Thought it was pointless busywork until a brand new PVC plug blew off a test cap during a pressure check. The threads were stripped from the factory. That two second glance saved us from flooding a finished basement. Old guys have those rules for a reason.

Grab a can of air for that dust too.