Stick with broom finish. Stamped stuff just traps dirt and fades fast in rain.

That dollar store manual gun saving the day says it all, doesn't it? I got burned the same way with a "pro grade" caulk gun that was supposed to be the best thing ever, and it failed on me in the first hour. Sometimes the simple stuff just works better and you learn the hard way not to overthink it.

Check the inside rails before you even buy it. I take a file folder with me to test slide it in and out a few times. If it catches or feels rough, I walk away. Also, a little spray lubricant on the tracks before you start jamming folders in can save you a headache. Pliers are a last resort, I usually tap bent tracks back with a hammer and a block of wood.

Yeah, I totally agree with keeping the mud on the dry side. I was fighting with mortar that was too wet for ages until a buddy told me to try the "snowball test." If you can roll it in your hand and it barely holds together without any water squeezing out, that's the sweet spot. I started going way heavier on the lime too, almost 1:2.5 lime to sand on some jobs, and it made pointing so much easier because it stayed workable without turning into a mess.

Ten bucks for a blender fix, that’s wild, I can’t even believe it.