Middle ground is where it's at. Solo desk in the morning, shared table after lunch. That way you get the focus when it counts and the chatter when your brain's already fried. The Punspace issue sounds like a management problem, not a layout problem. They should cap how many people can camp a big table. Paid the extra for a booth once and hated it, felt like I was in a library with a view.

Dried mud on blades is a real problem though. Once it hardens, it acts like little rocks grinding into the surface and leaves those drag marks no matter how fast you go. Concrete that's too stiff makes it worse, sure, but a clean blade is half the battle on any job.

Lost $280 in chicken wings the same way. Old seals are NO JOKE.

Melted shelf corners on my garage too. Cheap acrylic can't handle any heat or real weight, period. Metal wire shelving from a hardware store, like the freestanding kind, holds mugs and a machine no problem. Never trust clear plastic with anything above room temperature.

Always figured digital was gospel until that brass disk story, now I'm doubting everything.