My lathe did that once, TOTAL nightmare to clean up.

Honestly, the hooked grabber is a game changer. I had one save me last season when a nest was wedged past a bend my poles just wouldn't navigate. The ability to snag the whole mess and pull it straight out saves so much time and cleanup. Tbh, the only other tip I'd add is to have a heavy-duty bag ready at the fireplace opening to catch it all. Just make sure you check for eggs first before you pull anything down.

How long did you believe the hotter the better for fusing? I was taught the exact same thing in my classes and stuck with it for years. Seeing your results makes me admit I was wrong to ignore the cooler method. The stress from joining at bright orange must have been causing my hairline cracks. Letting the main piece cool first just makes sense for a solid bond. I'm switching to dull red from now on.