Bare hands or did he at least have gloves and a dust mask on?

Oh man, I've been there myself so many times. It's like you're staring at a problem so hard you forget to check the simple stuff first. I spent a whole afternoon trying to fix my washing machine because it wouldn't drain, only to find a sock had clogged the pump filter. Sometimes you just need someone to say "hey, step back for a second" before you lose your mind.

Coava is that spot on SE Grand right? I had a barista there once tell me my pour technique looked like I was trying to drown the coffee grounds. I was doing this frantic circular pour like a maniac, basically waterboarding the beans. Slowing down actually made a huge difference for me too, now I feel like a total snob timing everything with my phone. What kind of grinder are you using with your pour over setup?

Come on @miab16, is a wobbly mixer wheel really the end of the world? Sure it's annoying but people act like their whole baking career is over. It's just a kitchen gadget, not a life support machine. You can still make a cake by hand, you know, it's not that hard. Half the time these things last for years and people just want an excuse to buy a new one. A Friday afternoon failure is just bad timing, not some grand conspiracy.

Dark patch I'd walked past three times" happens to everyone. Trust the volunteers, they see things we miss.