Cutting out a whole new piece of drywall for a nail pop that size is way overkill. Dave probably just had dust or a bit of loose paper from the original pop. A little sanding, a dab of primer like Gardz or even just some cheap Kilz, then two thin coats of mud will lock that paper down. Nine times out of ten that fixes it without turning a quarter sized problem into a whole Saturday project. I've fixed dozens of those in my own house and never had to rip anything out.

Stick with what @quinnj24 said about those reinforced nylon bags, they're a game changer. It's weird how we'll spend 40 bucks on a dinner out but cheap out on the bags that carry our food home, like we forget the stuff we use every single week actually needs to last.

@averym82 nailed it, maple and beech hold water way better than cherry for shaping.