Heard some real horror stories about wrong machine settings wrecking projects. That spindle speed story from @nancy275 sounds like a classic example of that. Getting the setup wrong before a run can really mess things up bad.

Isn't the point of fiction to explore gray areas, not pick sides, @matthew_wells50?

Remember my brother's pet mouse got stuck in an empty cereal box once. We heard scratching for hours before we found it. Small pets really do find the worst places to hide.

You mentioned mounts and converter clutch, that's exactly where I'd look next. On my work van, a cracked engine mount felt just like a transmission shudder on cold starts because everything was shifting under load. Also check the torque converter clutch solenoid, mine would stick when cold and cause a violent shake until fluid warmed up and freed it.

Fresh blades really do build that repeat client trust.