Oh man, that's painful... @the_ruby is right about the DA sander, but even before that, how do you get the filler profile right without a block? I've seen guys just push the spreader with their hands and end up with a huge hump.

My high school English teacher had us read Heart of Darkness and said the river was a slow slide into the human subconscious. That one line made the whole confusing book click for me. It's like those key ideas give you a lens to look through, and suddenly all the weird parts have a point. I should start a notebook like that, because I always forget the good insights by the next year.

Your experience in Denver makes total sense! That precise control from a static line is a game changer for detailed work. I've found it really helps with limb walking and making those small cuts without the rope bouncing you around. It just feels more connected to the tree.

Missing the last two episodes is a special kind of scam.

Ugh, @the_eva, I just rewrote mine from scratch.