Is the rice trick really that bad?

Yeah veneer tape is another solid move for that. Kinda blends right in if you match the grain decently. Makes the whole piece look way more finished even if it's just for you.

My buddy Dave had his SUV's transmission flushed at one of those chain shops last year. They used regular fluid instead of the special kind his car required. It started jerking between gears on the highway within a week. He had to pay another mechanic nearly a thousand bucks to fix it, with a new filter too. Such a stupid mistake that cost him big time.

Knowing what's up there kills the fun for you? That's crazy. I get way more into it when I can name the satellites and planets. It turns the whole sky into a map you can read.

Honestly this happens with so many stuff these days. People get obsessed with the high end, fancy tool and act like the basic version is junk. It's like non-stick pans versus cast iron, or a basic hand mixer versus a stand mixer. If the simpler tool gets the job done perfectly, you saved yourself a lot of money and hassle for the same result. The gatekeeping in some hobbies is just silly.