Devon

Prototyping with cereal box is obvious in hindsight and I hadn't thought of it. Doing that first.

Humidity affects this more than people expect. Paper that's been sitting in a damp room feathers noticeably worse. If yours has been in a cold cupboard, leave it somewhere dry for a week and retest before writing it off entirely.

Tin loaves hide underproofing less well than boules because the dough has nowhere to spring sideways. Quick diagnostic: bake one free-form and see whether it spreads, which is overproofed, or stays tall and dense, which is under.

Nitrile gloves and work over paper. The dust gets everywhere and it stains light fabric permanently.

Whatever you buy, buy one bottle of ink, not five. Sample vials exist for a reason, and 120 pounds of pens with 60 pounds of inks you don't like is the classic beginner outcome.

Twice a day and on top of the fridge. It's at five hours now on day thirteen.

Staying on wholemeal until it's reliable then. No point adding a variable now.