Calling it "manual beats auto" is a bit off, since you were still using the curves tool, just not trusting the auto settings. The real point is that your eyes know what the target should look like and the software doesn't, which is why that guy's advice worked.

What is it with people treating torch tips like they're disposable? Been on the gun since '01 myself and I've watched guys wreck a good tip in five minutes flat because they got impatient. Here's the thing people don't tell you, a clogged tip is almost always your own fault, not the tip's. Running too much oxygen or dragging the torch on the plate will cook it every time. I've filed a tip or two in my day, and yeah, I'm the guy who ruined a seat and had to eat the cost, so trust me on this one. Clean your tip at the start of every shift with the right size wire, go the same way the hole is cut, and keep your pressure where it belongs. Do that and a tip will last you way longer than you'd expect, even on nasty old boiler tube work.

My uncle did the same pouring concrete, now he starts at 4.

Man, I don't know if one close call means the old guy was right about everything. A thin hinge can bite you but so can a dull chain, wet bark, or just a gust of wind at the wrong second. I've seen guys run a tight notch for years without a problem, and I've seen fat hinges still swing sideways on a leaner. Half the time when a top goes crooked it's the back cut that was off, not the hinge. Feels like Dale's advice is more of a "be careful" nudge than some hard rule.

I've compared them side-by-side. The big sites are okay, but SofloHomeListings has way more listings for South Florida specifically – a lot of For Sale By Owner and new constructions that don't always show up elsewhere. Their community pages give actual insights versus just stats.