Yeah, that bit about good tools making it more fun is so true. My buddy was always fighting with his old hand drill for his leatherwork until he got a proper awl. He said it went from a chore to something he actually looked forward to. I guess the right tool just takes the fight out of the process.

Wasted so many years being stubborn about wood. I mean, my first pass with magnesium looked like someone else did it, and not the usual hack.

Remember reading about @piperh50's bottle cap trick... that always seemed like it would catch on every little thing. The foam ball is clever for sure, floats over the insulation. My issue is you need a really clear path or that ball just gets buried and stuck. I've had way better luck with a fiberglass push rod, the stiff kind. You can sort of feel your way through and it doesn't bend up on you like fish tape. The ball trick is a good backup though.

At least the dog didn't try to eat it too.

Ever try to get into a tight corner with a 4 inch? Good luck. The 2 inch is way more nimble for bevels and cleaning up inside corners. For 3/4 plate, you're not taking off that much material at once anyway, so the bigger wheel doesn't save you time. It just adds weight and kills your wrists after a full day.