Our old Haas at the community college shop would smoke cutting 6061 dry. I swore by flood coolant for years. Then I saw a demo with those new variable helix end mills, the ones with the crazy chip flutes. They ran a half-inch tool at 18,000 rpm, dry, and the chips just flew out blue. It wasn't even that loud. The finish was like glass. Totally changed how I see chip control.

What newer stuff actually made you change your mind?

Yeah the sagging thing is real! I actually had to think about the weight of the string itself, not just the lights. That long run of paracord can get heavy in the middle and pull down. I ended up adding a few clear plastic hooks along the fence line for extra support, just to take the strain off.

Actually, metric adjustable wrenches are a real tool. They have jaws that adjust to metric sizes like 10mm or 13mm, instead of inch fractions. They're not common in the US, but you can find them.

That "fights you for no clear reason" thing happens with pressure washing jobs too, some surfaces just won't cooperate.