I understand you completely. I know you're not arguing. You're pointing out that you're using yours differently than I'm using mine; and you think that I could benefit by adopting some different techniques. I appreciate your advice, and know that it's made with good intentions.
I also agree that it's a well designed piece of equipment, and it's going to outlast me.
The only area where there is any disagreement is that you do not believe that the water/grain ratio makes much difference, whereas I believe that it makes a great difference, and even there, I agree with your assumptions that anything between 1.25 and 2 qt / lb is going to work well and produce similar results. My findings are that there is a very big difference between 1 and 1.25 qt / lb.
In support of this belief, several people have reported that a thicker mash results in a more dextrinous wort, but nobody seems to quantify what a "thicker mash" or "more dextrinous" really means.
The closest quantification I have found is by Greg Noonan - New Brewing Lager Beers.
"Mash thickness also affects the fermentability of the wort. A thick mash (less than three-tenths of a gallon per pound of malt) induces the greatest overall extraction. A much thinner mash increases the proportion of maltose, and thus wort attenuation.
The reduction of the large starch chains in a thick mash at 155 to 158 degrees F, almost excludes any maltose formation whatsoever."
This description closely correlates with my experience, although I haven't tried a thick mash at such high temperatures; but is dismissed by most American brewers who never get thicker than 1.25 qt / lb
As for your comments on the mash temperature, I agree that it is difficult to determine when doughing in, especially with a thick mash. I hit my mash temps by calculating the strike water temp based on weight of grain, volume of strike water, and grain temp. (The MLT is pre-warmed to a known temp.) This does produce consistent results, but it took me a long while to have confidence in the calculations.
By the way, I've been brewing for 36 years, but I've only been doing AG for 17 years.
-a.