Trusting the process and the numbers" is so true. I started logging my hours on the alignment machine last year, and just seeing the total really showed me where I was getting faster.

Honestly, how packed is this stuff really? I've seen guys go full attack mode on dirt that would've given up with a couple good pokes from a smaller bucket. Throwing more machine at it just wears things out faster. Sometimes you just need to work the edge, not pretend you're in a race. That clay might feel solid but it often has a weak spot.

You said it turned a job needing brain power into one just needing hands. I get what you mean, but your brain is still doing plenty. You're still reading the laser lines and placing each tile. The tool just takes the constant worry out of it so you can focus on the actual laying. It's less mental fatigue, not zero mental work. The confidence that nothing has shifted is the real game changer.