Did you have to mess with the downspout much to get it set up right? I always figured those barrels were a waste of money, but seeing the math like that makes me want to grab one for next spring.

Wait, you're telling me the $80 blade dulls just as fast as the $8 one? That's the kind of thing I'd have to test myself before believing, @wesley_hart. Either you've got a lucky cheap brand or I've been getting ripped off for years. Honestly, it's making me rethink my whole tool drawer situation.

Yeah totally, one good tip can rewire your whole brain.

You nailed it. I had a JVC HR-S7600U that started acting up years ago, and a guy at a repair shop told me the same thing. Those idler tires get hard as rocks and start slipping. I started using slow rewind on all my old decks after that and it did seem to keep them going longer. The rubber parts are always the first to go on these things.

Throw a couple of those on a buffet table and you’re basically running a pro setup for pennies.