Yeah, it sounds too simple but it works. I read a study about how our brains process things better when we're not rushing. Slowing down lets you catch details you'd normally miss. It's not about doing less, it's about giving your focus room to actually work. That extra second or two makes a bigger difference than people expect.

My old tile guy in Phoenix swore by a dry rag first, @the_jamie, saying a wet sponge just spreads the mess.

Man, you're so right about not making art harder than it has to be.

Honestly @ward.emery, that view still feels a bit too rosy. The license fee is just the entry ticket. The real cost is the hours someone has to spend to actually run those clash checks right. On a small job, that time can eat any savings from catching one pipe in a wall. It's not a magic box that finds problems by itself. You need a person who knows what they're doing, and that skill costs money too. Sometimes the old way is just faster and cheaper, even if it's not as cool.

Maybe for that specific look it works, but yellowing over time is a real issue. Water based poly stays crystal clear on light woods like maple. For something that gets used a lot, shellac just doesn't hold up like modern finishes do.