Honestly, that's the most relatable thing I've read all week. I once spent 4 hours building a custom router sled for a single shelf, then realized a 2x4 and a couple of clamps would've done the same job in 15 minutes. The kicker is, I still use the fancy sled, but only because I'm too stubborn to admit it was a waste. Your hardboard trick is way smarter, but the real lesson is that our brains just refuse to see the easy path when we're tired and holding a power tool. Ngl, I'd probably do it again tomorrow just to feel that 20 minutes of victory.