I mean, I gave up on feeders entirely after the squirrels kept winning. Just scattered some seed on the ground for the doves and called it a day. Maybe it's just me but the whole arms race got too expensive.

Man, that spare spool idea is a lifesaver. I lost a whole afternoon once because my line gave out near the top of a thirty foot run, and the truck was parked way on the other side of the site. The tug test is key, you're totally right. I've found a few spots that looked fine but just popped with a little pressure. Those two minutes of checking feel annoying until you skip them and pay for it later.

My dog's joy after a bath is the real win.

Totally get that vibe from some places.

Did you find that changing the grind size made a bigger difference than adjusting your tamping pressure, or did you have to tweak both to get it right?