I've noticed kiln-dried lumber helps a bit, but it's definitely not foolproof. Had a batch last summer that twisted badly even though I carefully pick...

I went with regular steel for mine since stainless was way out of my budget. It's held up pretty well so far—just gotta keep an eye on rust spots and ...

I get what you're saying about the satisfaction of hands-on finishing, but personally, the sanding and cleanup after casting always felt like a huge t...