That $3 metal scraper from Walmart has outlasted every fancy squeegee I own. Cheap tools just work sometimes.

That line about enjoying your shop time now really hits home, I did the same thing a couple years back and never touched my jig again. What helped me with the gaps was slowing way down and marking my lines with a knife instead of a pencil, then sneaking up on the cut with a sharp chisel. My tails still aren't perfect but they got a lot closer once I stopped rushing to beat a clock.

Switching to a garage setup was the best call I made, night and day difference.