That $7 per contract fee is the financial world's version of a hotel mini bar. You don't notice the tiny bottles until you get the bill and realize you just paid $12 for a bag of peanuts. My old 401k had an annual "record keeping" fee that was basically a charge for them to hold my own money.

Interesting, I've never had that happen with shellac (and I've put it on pretty thick sometimes). Maybe it was something on the wood before you started?

Unless you're dealing with a high-variance process, then it's just wasted time.

That "extra stuff" problem is everywhere. People buy kitchen gadgets they use once, fill their phones with apps they never open, or keep clothes they never wear. It's mental weight too, like holding onto old worries. We pack our lives with junk just in case, and it just slows us down.

What specific tackle box brand holds up best for you?