diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 47acc8b7..f1bbcbfe 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ Budget-conformance props. Not examples. Conventions: [`showcase/README.md`](show
   <a href="showcase/cart/"><img src="showcase/cart/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Cart: a two-wheel wooden cart with spoked wheels, slatted bed, and shafts on a dark studio floor" /></a>
   <a href="showcase/park-bench/"><img src="showcase/park-bench/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Park bench: a wrought-iron bench with scrolled legs and wooden slats on a dark studio floor" /></a>
   <a href="showcase/wheelbarrow/"><img src="showcase/wheelbarrow/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Wheelbarrow: a wooden tray with walls of stacked boards and iron straps, a spoked wheel, rear legs, and handles on a dark studio floor" /></a>
-  <a href="showcase/anvil/"><img src="showcase/anvil/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Anvil: a London-pattern anvil on a hooped timber stump on a dark studio floor" /></a>
+  <a href="showcase/anvil/"><img src="showcase/anvil/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Anvil: a dark forged-steel London-pattern anvil with a flared, squared waist on a hooped timber stump on a dark studio floor" /></a>
   <a href="showcase/water-trough/"><img src="showcase/water-trough/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Water trough: a watertight wooden trough with plank ends, contained water, and trestle legs on a dark studio floor" /></a>
   <a href="showcase/hitching-post/"><img src="showcase/hitching-post/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Hitching post: a square timber post with a pyramidal cap, cross-arm, iron bands wrapped around it, and two hitching rings on a dark studio floor" /></a>
   <a href="showcase/grindstone/"><img src="showcase/grindstone/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Grindstone: a stone wheel on a timber A-frame with an iron axle, hubs, crank, and tray on a dark studio floor" /></a>
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ Budget-conformance props. Not examples. Conventions: [`showcase/README.md`](show
 
 [`wheelbarrow`](showcase/wheelbarrow/) — procedural wheelbarrow with board-built tray walls, a spoked wheel, iron straps, legs, and handles through the same pipeline. Falsifiers `--skip-decimate` exits 9, `--wide-seams` exits 17.
 
-[`anvil`](showcase/anvil/) — procedural London-pattern anvil on a timber stump through the same pipeline. Falsifier `--skip-decimate` exits 9.
+[`anvil`](showcase/anvil/) — procedural London-pattern anvil on a timber stump through the same pipeline. Falsifiers `--skip-decimate` exits 9, `--round-waist` exits 19.
 
 [`water-trough`](showcase/water-trough/) — procedural watertight water trough on a timber stand through the same pipeline. Falsifier `--skip-decimate` exits 9.
 
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ evaluated topology 1044 verts / 1028 faces.
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td width="46%" valign="middle">
-<a href="examples/text-version-stamp/"><img src="examples/text-version-stamp/preview.webp" alt="Text version stamp: beveled brass 5.1.2 numerals standing on a dark studio floor over a glowing teal underline, with a small steel BLENDER caption above — the body text is the live bpy.app.version_string" /></a>
+<a href="examples/text-version-stamp/"><img src="examples/text-version-stamp/preview.webp" alt="Text version stamp: beveled brass version numerals standing on a dark plinth with a steel BLENDER caption set into its face — the body text is the live bpy.app.version_string" /></a>
 </td>
 <td valign="middle">
 
@@ -744,7 +744,7 @@ sources are gone, and local Z spans all three steps.
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td width="46%" valign="middle">
-<a href="examples/cross-version-property-delete/"><img src="examples/cross-version-property-delete/preview.webp" alt="Cross-version property delete: two brass specimen tags on a dark studio stand — left tag with a cyan emissive enamel inlay (ID property kept), right tag with an empty grey pocket (ID property deleted)" /></a>
+<a href="examples/cross-version-property-delete/"><img src="examples/cross-version-property-delete/preview.webp" alt="Cross-version property delete: two brass specimen tags hanging on rods from a dark studio stand — left tag with a cyan emissive enamel inlay (ID property kept), right tag with an empty grey pocket (ID property deleted)" /></a>
 </td>
 <td valign="middle">
 
diff --git a/docs/gallery/anvil/index.html b/docs/gallery/anvil/index.html
index 96d87649..ae699ebc 100644
--- a/docs/gallery/anvil/index.html
+++ b/docs/gallery/anvil/index.html
@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@
   <meta property="og:image" content="https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Blender-Developer-Tools/gallery/assets/anvil-hero.webp" />
   <meta property="og:image:width" content="1280" />
   <meta property="og:image:height" content="720" />
-  <meta property="og:image:alt" content="A black iron anvil mounted on a hooped timber stump." />
+  <meta property="og:image:alt" content="A dark forged-steel anvil with a flared, squared waist, mounted on a hooped timber stump." />
   <meta property="og:site_name" content="Blender Developer Tools" />
   <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
   <meta name="twitter:title" content="anvil — Showcase — Blender Developer Tools" />
   <meta name="twitter:description" content="A procedural blacksmith anvil on a timber stump through UVs, bake, LOD, collider, and Unity glTF, asserting recomputed budgets rather than an API contract." />
   <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Blender-Developer-Tools/gallery/assets/anvil-hero.webp" />
-  <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="A black iron anvil mounted on a hooped timber stump." />
+  <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="A dark forged-steel anvil with a flared, squared waist, mounted on a hooped timber stump." />
   <style>
     /* fonts are deployed by the landing build (docs/fonts/) */
     @font-face { font-family: 'Barlow Condensed'; font-weight: 600; font-display: swap;
@@ -268,11 +268,11 @@ <h1>anvil</h1>
     <p>A procedural blacksmith anvil on a timber stump through UVs, bake, LOD, collider, and Unity glTF, asserting recomputed budgets rather than an API contract.</p>
   </header>
   <main id="main">
-    <button class="detail-hero" id="heroZoom" type="button" aria-label="View full size: A black iron anvil mounted on a hooped timber stump.">
-      <img src="../assets/anvil-hero.webp" alt="A black iron anvil mounted on a hooped timber stump." width="1280" height="720" />
+    <button class="detail-hero" id="heroZoom" type="button" aria-label="View full size: A dark forged-steel anvil with a flared, squared waist, mounted on a hooped timber stump.">
+      <img src="../assets/anvil-hero.webp" alt="A dark forged-steel anvil with a flared, squared waist, mounted on a hooped timber stump." width="1280" height="720" />
     </button>
     <p class="zoom-hint">Rendered headless by the showcase piece itself — click to zoom.</p>
-    <div class="callout"><span class="tag">witnesses</span> Recomputed: 2988 tris, two materials with 1040 wood and 822 metal faces, UVs in 0..1 with zero AABB overlap, outer AABB 0.621×0.414×0.489 m, LOD ratios in band, convex collider 134 tris, hygiene 0, 16 grounded staves, hoop bite 0.003 m, foot-on-head gap 0.003 m, non-empty glTF. --skip-decimate exits 9; --stray-vert 15; --lift-z/--short-staves 16; --float-anvil 17; --round-band 18.</div>
+    <div class="callout"><span class="tag">witnesses</span> Recomputed: 3052 tris, two materials with 1040 wood and 854 metal faces, UVs in 0..1 with zero AABB overlap, outer AABB 0.621×0.414×0.489 m, LOD ratios in band, convex collider 134 tris, hygiene 0, 16 grounded staves, hoop bite 0.003 m, foot-on-head gap 0.003 m, waist corner reach 0.8572, non-empty glTF. --skip-decimate exits 9; --stray-vert 15; --lift-z/--short-staves 16; --float-anvil 17; --round-band 18; --round-waist 19.</div>
     <div class="runline">
       <pre id="runCmd">blender --background --python showcase/anvil/anvil.py --</pre>
       <button class="copy-btn" id="copyRun" type="button">Copy</button>
@@ -284,17 +284,20 @@ <h1>anvil</h1>
 <p><strong>Composes</strong> skills <code>mesh-editing-and-bmesh</code>, <code>bake-high-to-low</code>, <code>depsgraph-and-evaluated-data</code>, <code>engine-export-presets</code>, and snippets <code>bake_normal_high_to_low.py</code>, <code>setup_bake_target_image.py</code>, <code>lod_chain.py</code> / <code>decimate_to_budget.py</code>, <code>convex_hull_collider.py</code>, <code>export_preset_unity.py</code> (helpers copied, not imported as a package).</p>
 <h2>Budgets</h2>
 <p>Declared as named constants; every gate <strong>recomputes</strong> from the mesh, materials, UVs, evaluated LOD, collider, or export file.</p>
-<div class="table-wrap"><table><thead><tr><th scope="col">Axis</th><th scope="col">Declared</th><th scope="col">Measured (4.5.11 / 5.1.2 / 5.2.1)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Base triangles</td><td>2500–4500</td><td>2988 / 2988 / 2988</td></tr><tr><td>LOD1 ratio</td><td>0.32–0.62 of base</td><td>0.5000 / 0.5000 / 0.5000</td></tr><tr><td>LOD2 ratio</td><td>0.10–0.35 of base</td><td>0.2195 / 0.2195 / 0.2195</td></tr><tr><td>Materials</td><td>exactly 2 distinct; ≥400 wood, ≥400 metal faces</td><td>2 slots; 1040 / 822</td></tr><tr><td>UVs</td><td>in <code>0..1</code>, AABB overlap ≤ 1e-5</td><td>in range, overlap 0</td></tr><tr><td>Outer AABB</td><td>(0.621, 0.414, 0.489) m ± 0.015</td><td>(0.6210, 0.4137, 0.4890), zmin 0</td></tr><tr><td>Collider tris</td><td>≤ 280</td><td>134</td></tr><tr><td>Export</td><td>written, size &gt; 0</td><td>244052 / 244052 / 244036 bytes</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
+<div class="table-wrap"><table><thead><tr><th scope="col">Axis</th><th scope="col">Declared</th><th scope="col">Measured (4.5.11 / 5.1.2 / 5.2.1)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Base triangles</td><td>2500–4500</td><td>3052 / 3052 / 3052</td></tr><tr><td>LOD1 ratio</td><td>0.32–0.62 of base</td><td>0.5000 / 0.5000 / 0.5000</td></tr><tr><td>LOD2 ratio</td><td>0.10–0.35 of base</td><td>0.2195 / 0.2195 / 0.2195</td></tr><tr><td>Materials</td><td>exactly 2 distinct; ≥400 wood, ≥400 metal faces</td><td>2 slots; 1040 / 854</td></tr><tr><td>UVs</td><td>in <code>0..1</code>, AABB overlap ≤ 1e-5</td><td>in range, overlap 0</td></tr><tr><td>Outer AABB</td><td>(0.621, 0.414, 0.489) m ± 0.015</td><td>(0.6210, 0.4137, 0.4890), zmin 0</td></tr><tr><td>Collider tris</td><td>≤ 280</td><td>134</td></tr><tr><td>Export</td><td>written, size &gt; 0</td><td>248532 / 248532 / 248516 bytes</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
 <p>Base triangles dropped from <strong>6616 to 2988</strong> in the quality pass: overlapping face boxes and a beveled superellipse horn became one slotted slab plus a circular oval loft. Hidden coincident faces were the waste.</p>
-<p>DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts are <strong>not</strong> identical across series — the gate is a ratio band, not an exact count. Bake pixels are stochastic; the gate is <code>has_data</code> plus operator <code>FINISHED</code>, not byte-identity. Stave-width jitter uses fixed seed 17. Export byte counts differ by 16 B on 5.2.1 (glTF serializer), not a gated axis.</p>
+<p>DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts are <strong>not</strong> identical across series — the gate is a ratio band, not an exact count. Bake pixels are stochastic; the gate is <code>has_data</code> plus operator <code>FINISHED</code>, not byte-identity. Stave-width jitter uses fixed seed 17, and the per-piece wood tone its own seed. Export byte counts differ on 5.2.1 (glTF serializer), not a gated axis.</p>
 <h3>Hygiene</h3>
 <p>Recomputed from the generated mesh, not asserted about the script.</p>
-<div class="table-wrap"><table><thead><tr><th scope="col">Axis</th><th scope="col">Declared</th><th scope="col">Measured (all three)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Non-manifold edges</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Loose verts / edges</td><td>0 / 0</td><td>0 / 0</td></tr><tr><td>Doubles merged at 1e-5</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Zero-area faces</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>N-gons</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Coplanar disjoint face pairs</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Grounded: <code>zmin</code></td><td>within 1e-4 of 0</td><td>0.0000</td></tr><tr><td>Named supports: 16 staves</td><td>each <code>zmin</code> ≤ 0.001</td><td>16, stave_z 0.00000</td></tr><tr><td>Body plan</td><td>0.621 m long × 0.180 m high ± 0.05</td><td>0.6210 × 0.1800</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
+<div class="table-wrap"><table><thead><tr><th scope="col">Axis</th><th scope="col">Declared</th><th scope="col">Measured (all three)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Non-manifold edges</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Loose verts / edges</td><td>0 / 0</td><td>0 / 0</td></tr><tr><td>Doubles merged at 1e-5</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Zero-area faces</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>N-gons</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Coplanar disjoint face pairs</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Grounded: <code>zmin</code></td><td>within 1e-4 of 0</td><td>0.0000</td></tr><tr><td>Named supports: 16 staves</td><td>each <code>zmin</code> ≤ 0.001</td><td>16, stave_z 0.00000</td></tr><tr><td>Body plan</td><td>0.621 m long × 0.180 m high ± 0.05</td><td>0.6210 × 0.1800</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Waist form</strong></td><td>corner reach at the pinch ≥ 0.80 (an ellipse is 0.707)</td><td>0.8572</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
 <h3>Joint fit and seat</h3>
 <div class="table-wrap"><table><thead><tr><th scope="col">Axis</th><th scope="col">Declared</th><th scope="col">Measured (all three)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Foot-on-head BVH gap</td><td>≤ 0.006 m</td><td>0.00300</td></tr><tr><td>Hoop bite (host r − inner hoop r)</td><td>0.0012–0.008 m</td><td>0.00300</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
+<h3>Waist, steel and stump</h3>
+<p>The waist was lofted from ellipses, so under the rectangular face it read as a turned funnel, not a forged anvil. It is now a superellipse section (exponent 4.5) through five stations that flare from the foot in to a pinch and out to the body. <strong>Waist form</strong> measures corner reach at the narrowest ring: how far a section vertex fills its bounding rectangle&#x27;s corner. <code>--round-waist</code> restores the ellipse and exits 19 (0.7071).</p>
+<p>The steel was satin (metallic 0.92, roughness 0.32) and read as chrome; it is now dark forged steel with rust. Staves and head carry their own wood tone and grain. The stage grid grew from 14 to 60 m. The temp <code>.glb</code> is removed after its size is measured.</p>
 <h3>Falsifiers</h3>
-<p>Each violates one named budget. All six were run on 4.5.11, 5.1.2 and 5.2.1 and returned the same code on each.</p>
-<div class="table-wrap"><table><thead><tr><th scope="col">Flag</th><th scope="col">Budget violated</th><th scope="col">Exit</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><code>--skip-decimate</code></td><td>LOD1 ratio band</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td><code>--stray-vert</code></td><td>loose vertex count is 0</td><td>15</td></tr><tr><td><code>--lift-z</code></td><td>bounding box <code>zmin</code> is 0</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td><code>--short-staves</code></td><td>named stave supports at Z=0</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td><code>--float-anvil</code></td><td>foot-on-head gap</td><td>17</td></tr><tr><td><code>--round-band</code></td><td>hoop bite band</td><td>18</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
+<p>Each violates one named budget. All seven were run on 4.5.11, 5.1.2 and 5.2.1 and returned the same code on each.</p>
+<div class="table-wrap"><table><thead><tr><th scope="col">Flag</th><th scope="col">Budget violated</th><th scope="col">Exit</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><code>--skip-decimate</code></td><td>LOD1 ratio band</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td><code>--stray-vert</code></td><td>loose vertex count is 0</td><td>15</td></tr><tr><td><code>--lift-z</code></td><td>bounding box <code>zmin</code> is 0</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td><code>--short-staves</code></td><td>named stave supports at Z=0</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td><code>--float-anvil</code></td><td>foot-on-head gap</td><td>17</td></tr><tr><td><code>--round-band</code></td><td>hoop bite band</td><td>18</td></tr><tr><td><code>--round-waist</code></td><td>waist form</td><td>19</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
 <h2>Run</h2>
 <pre><code>blender --background --python anvil.py --
 blender --background --python anvil.py -- --skip-decimate
@@ -303,11 +306,12 @@ <h2>Run</h2>
 blender --background --python anvil.py -- --short-staves
 blender --background --python anvil.py -- --float-anvil
 blender --background --python anvil.py -- --round-band
+blender --background --python anvil.py -- --round-waist
 blender --background --python anvil.py -- --output anvil.png</code></pre>
 <p>Smoke passes no flags.</p>
 <h2>Exit codes</h2>
 <p>File-local. <code>9</code> is a valid check code. <code>10</code> is reserved for <code>gallery_framing.check_framing</code> on the <code>--output</code> path. <code>15</code>–<code>19</code> are the hygiene and joint-fit family.</p>
-<div class="table-wrap"><table><thead><tr><th scope="col">Code</th><th scope="col">Meaning</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>0</td><td>Success</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Uncaught exception (FATAL wrapper)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>argparse / usage</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Mesh did not build / no UV layer</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Base triangle count outside range</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Material count ≠ 2 distinct slots, or a face-count floor missed</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>UVs outside 0..1</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>UV AABB overlap above tolerance</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>World AABB off declared outer size</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>LOD ratio band (<code>--skip-decimate</code> lands here)</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Framing gate (render path only)</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>Collider triangle count above ceiling</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Bake did not finish or image has no data</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>Export file missing or empty</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td><code>--output</code> produced no file</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>Mesh hygiene: loose, non-manifold, zero-area, doubles, n-gons, z-fight</td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>Not grounded: bounding box <code>zmin</code> off 0, or a named stave floats</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>Joint fit: foot-on-head gap (<code>--float-anvil</code>)</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>Seat: hoop bite band (<code>--round-band</code>)</td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>Body length or height off the stated real-world size</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
+<div class="table-wrap"><table><thead><tr><th scope="col">Code</th><th scope="col">Meaning</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>0</td><td>Success</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Uncaught exception (FATAL wrapper)</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>argparse / usage</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Mesh did not build / no UV layer</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Base triangle count outside range</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Material count ≠ 2 distinct slots, or a face-count floor missed</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>UVs outside 0..1</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>UV AABB overlap above tolerance</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>World AABB off declared outer size</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>LOD ratio band (<code>--skip-decimate</code> lands here)</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Framing gate (render path only)</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>Collider triangle count above ceiling</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Bake did not finish or image has no data</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>Export file missing or empty</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td><code>--output</code> produced no file</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>Mesh hygiene: loose, non-manifold, zero-area, doubles, n-gons, z-fight</td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>Not grounded: bounding box <code>zmin</code> off 0, or a named stave floats</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>Joint fit: foot-on-head gap (<code>--float-anvil</code>)</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>Seat: hoop bite band (<code>--round-band</code>)</td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>Body length or height off the stated real-world size, or waist form (<code>--round-waist</code>)</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
     </section>
     <section class="detail-section src">
       <h2>Source</h2>
@@ -331,7 +335,8 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
 budget: ``--skip-decimate`` the LOD-ratio band, ``--stray-vert`` mesh
 hygiene, ``--lift-z`` grounded zmin, ``--short-staves`` named stave
 supports, ``--float-anvil`` foot-on-head joint-fit, ``--round-band``
-hoop seat (hoop generated on a circle instead of the stave chords).
+hoop seat (hoop generated on a circle instead of the stave chords),
+``--round-waist`` anvil form (the waist lofted from ellipses, a funnel).
 
 Fixed seed 17 for stave-width jitter. DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts
 are not byte-identical across Blender versions — the LOD gate is a
@@ -400,6 +405,18 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
 HARDY_HALF = <span class="n">0.015</span>
 PRITCHEL_R = <span class="n">0.007</span>
 N_SECTION = <span class="n">16</span>
+<span class="c"># The waist is a forged block, not a turned cone: a superellipse section</span>
+<span class="c"># (exponent WAIST_P) lofted through five stations that flare from the foot</span>
+<span class="c"># in to a pinch and out to the body. Corner reach, the most a section vertex</span>
+<span class="c"># fills its bounding rectangle&#x27;s corner, is 0.707 for an ellipse and about</span>
+<span class="c"># 0.86 here; WAIST_REACH_MIN is the floor. --round-waist sets the exponent to</span>
+<span class="c"># 2, the old elliptical funnel.</span>
+WAIST_P = <span class="n">4.5</span>
+WAIST_REACH_MIN = <span class="n">0.80</span>
+<span class="c"># Per-piece wood tone jitter and grain frequency, as in shipping-crate.</span>
+PLANK_TONE_JITTER = <span class="n">0.28</span>
+TONE_SEED = <span class="n">29</span>
+WOOD_GRAIN_SCALE = <span class="n">30.0</span>
 
 AREA_EPS = <span class="n">1e-10</span>
 DOUBLES_EPS = <span class="n">1e-5</span>
@@ -782,7 +799,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     <span class="k">return</span> stave_verts
 
 
-<span class="k">def</span> build_anvil_iron(bm, z_head, float_anvil, bevel_offset, bevel_segments):
+<span class="k">def</span> build_anvil_iron(bm, z_head, float_anvil, bevel_offset, bevel_segments, round_waist=<span class="k">False</span>):
     z_foot0 = z_head - FOOT_BITE + (FLOAT_ANVIL <span class="k">if</span> float_anvil <span class="k">else</span> <span class="n">0.0</span>)
     z_foot1 = z_foot0 + FOOT_H
     z_body0 = z_foot1 + WAIST_H
@@ -844,16 +861,27 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     )
     pinch_hy = <span class="n">0.028</span>
     pinch_hx = <span class="n">0.055</span>
-    waist_mid = z_foot1 + WAIST_H * <span class="n">0.48</span>
-    waist_z = (z_foot1, waist_mid, z_body0 + <span class="n">0.002</span>)
-    waist_hy = (FOOT_XY[<span class="n">1</span>] * <span class="n">0.46</span>, pinch_hy, hy * <span class="n">0.42</span>)
-    waist_hx = (FOOT_XY[<span class="n">0</span>] * <span class="n">0.42</span>, pinch_hx, FACE_LEN * <span class="n">0.22</span>)
+    t_pinch = <span class="n">0.48</span>
+    foot_hx, foot_hy = FOOT_XY[<span class="n">0</span>] * <span class="n">0.42</span>, FOOT_XY[<span class="n">1</span>] * <span class="n">0.46</span>
+    body_hx, body_hy = FACE_LEN * <span class="n">0.22</span>, hy * <span class="n">0.42</span>
+    expo = <span class="n">2.0</span> <span class="k">if</span> round_waist <span class="k">else</span> WAIST_P
     real_waist = []
-    <span class="k">for</span> z, hx, hy_w <span class="k">in</span> zip(waist_z, waist_hx, waist_hy):
+    <span class="k">for</span> t <span class="k">in</span> (<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.24</span>, t_pinch, <span class="n">0.74</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>):
+        <span class="c"># concave flare: quadratic from the pinch out to each end</span>
+        <span class="k">if</span> t &lt;= t_pinch:
+            k = ((t_pinch - t) / t_pinch) ** <span class="n">2</span>
+            hx, hy_w = pinch_hx + (foot_hx - pinch_hx) * k, pinch_hy + (foot_hy - pinch_hy) * k
+        <span class="k">else</span>:
+            k = ((t - t_pinch) / (<span class="n">1.0</span> - t_pinch)) ** <span class="n">2</span>
+            hx, hy_w = pinch_hx + (body_hx - pinch_hx) * k, pinch_hy + (body_hy - pinch_hy) * k
+        z = z_foot1 + (z_body0 + <span class="n">0.002</span> - z_foot1) * t
         ring = []
         <span class="k">for</span> i <span class="k">in</span> range(N_SECTION):
-            t = i * (<span class="n">2.0</span> * math.pi / N_SECTION)
-            ring.append(Vector((hx * math.cos(t), hy_w * math.sin(t), z)))
+            a = i * (<span class="n">2.0</span> * math.pi / N_SECTION)
+            c, sn = math.cos(a), math.sin(a)
+            x = hx * math.copysign(abs(c) ** (<span class="n">2.0</span> / expo), c)
+            y = hy_w * math.copysign(abs(sn) ** (<span class="n">2.0</span> / expo), sn)
+            ring.append(Vector((x, y, z)))
         real_waist.append(ring)
     loft_open(bm, real_waist, METAL_IDX, cap0=<span class="k">True</span>, cap1=<span class="k">True</span>)
     <span class="k">return</span> z_foot0, z_face, list(horn_verts)
@@ -915,6 +943,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     short_staves=<span class="k">False</span>,
     float_anvil=<span class="k">False</span>,
     round_band=<span class="k">False</span>,
+    round_waist=<span class="k">False</span>,
 ):
     bm = bmesh.new()
     gap_ang = GAP_M / R_BOT
@@ -929,7 +958,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
             croze_xy(spans, <span class="n">0.5</span> * (head_z0 + head_z1), <span class="n">0.004</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>),
             WOOD_IDX,
         )
-        build_anvil_iron(bm, head_z1, float_anvil, bevel_offset, bevel_segments)
+        build_anvil_iron(bm, head_z1, float_anvil, bevel_offset, bevel_segments, round_waist)
         build_hoops(bm, spans, round_band)
         bmesh.ops.remove_doubles(bm, verts=list(bm.verts), dist=<span class="n">1e-5</span>)
         bmesh.ops.dissolve_degenerate(bm, dist=<span class="n">1e-6</span>)
@@ -1207,6 +1236,168 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
         bm_s.free()
 
 
+<span class="k">def</span> waist_reach(me):
+    <span class="s">&quot;&quot;&quot;Corner reach of the anvil waist at its pinch, from the mesh.
+
+    The waist is the iron shell with the most Z levels holding exactly
+    N_SECTION vertices (its lofted rings). At the narrowest ring, each
+    vertex&#x27;s reach is min(|dx| / half-width, |dy| / half-depth); the
+    waist&#x27;s reach is the largest. An ellipse gives 0.707, a squared forging
+    much more.
+    &quot;&quot;&quot;</span>
+    best, best_levels = <span class="k">None</span>, <span class="n">0</span>
+    <span class="k">for</span> g <span class="k">in</span> shells(me):
+        <span class="k">if</span> mat_of(me, g) != METAL_IDX:
+            <span class="k">continue</span>
+        levels = {}
+        <span class="k">for</span> i <span class="k">in</span> g:
+            levels.setdefault(round(me.vertices[i].co.z, <span class="n">5</span>), []).append(i)
+        rings = [r <span class="k">for</span> r <span class="k">in</span> levels.values() <span class="k">if</span> len(r) == N_SECTION]
+        <span class="k">if</span> len(rings) &gt; best_levels:
+            best, best_levels = rings, len(rings)
+    <span class="k">if</span> <span class="k">not</span> best <span class="k">or</span> best_levels &lt; <span class="n">3</span>:
+        <span class="k">return</span> <span class="n">0.0</span>
+
+    <span class="k">def</span> half_x(r):
+        xs = [me.vertices[i].co.x <span class="k">for</span> i <span class="k">in</span> r]
+        <span class="k">return</span> <span class="n">0.5</span> * (max(xs) - min(xs))
+
+    ring = min(best, key=half_x)
+    cx = sum(me.vertices[i].co.x <span class="k">for</span> i <span class="k">in</span> ring) / len(ring)
+    cy = sum(me.vertices[i].co.y <span class="k">for</span> i <span class="k">in</span> ring) / len(ring)
+    hx = max(abs(me.vertices[i].co.x - cx) <span class="k">for</span> i <span class="k">in</span> ring)
+    hy = max(abs(me.vertices[i].co.y - cy) <span class="k">for</span> i <span class="k">in</span> ring)
+    <span class="k">return</span> max(
+        min(abs(me.vertices[i].co.x - cx) / hx, abs(me.vertices[i].co.y - cy) / hy)
+        <span class="k">for</span> i <span class="k">in</span> ring
+    )
+
+
+<span class="k">def</span> _long_axis(pts):
+    <span class="s">&quot;&quot;&quot;Principal axis of a point set, by power iteration on its covariance.&quot;&quot;&quot;</span>
+    c = sum(pts, Vector()) / len(pts)
+    cov = [[<span class="n">0.0</span>] * <span class="n">3</span> <span class="k">for</span> _ <span class="k">in</span> range(<span class="n">3</span>)]
+    <span class="k">for</span> p <span class="k">in</span> pts:
+        d = p - c
+        <span class="k">for</span> i <span class="k">in</span> range(<span class="n">3</span>):
+            <span class="k">for</span> j <span class="k">in</span> range(<span class="n">3</span>):
+                cov[i][j] += d[i] * d[j]
+    v = Vector((<span class="n">1.0</span>, <span class="n">0.3</span>, <span class="n">0.1</span>))
+    <span class="k">for</span> _ <span class="k">in</span> range(<span class="n">30</span>):
+        w = Vector([sum(cov[i][j] * v[j] <span class="k">for</span> j <span class="k">in</span> range(<span class="n">3</span>)) <span class="k">for</span> i <span class="k">in</span> range(<span class="n">3</span>)])
+        <span class="k">if</span> w.length &lt; <span class="n">1e-12</span>:
+            <span class="k">break</span>
+        v = w.normalized()
+    <span class="k">return</span> v
+
+
+<span class="k">def</span> paint_planks(me):
+    <span class="s">&quot;&quot;&quot;Per-shell ``PlankTone`` and ``GrainDir`` face attributes for the wood shader.
+
+    Every stave and the head is its own shell, so each gets one tone and
+    grain running along its own long axis.
+    &quot;&quot;&quot;</span>
+    tone = [<span class="n">0.5</span>] * len(me.polygons)
+    grain = [(<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>)] * len(me.polygons)
+    owner = {}
+    rng = random.Random(TONE_SEED)
+    <span class="k">for</span> g <span class="k">in</span> shells(me):
+        pts = [me.vertices[i].co.copy() <span class="k">for</span> i <span class="k">in</span> g]
+        d = _long_axis(pts) <span class="k">if</span> len(pts) &gt; <span class="n">2</span> <span class="k">else</span> Vector((<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>))
+        t = <span class="n">0.5</span> + rng.uniform(-PLANK_TONE_JITTER, PLANK_TONE_JITTER)
+        <span class="k">for</span> i <span class="k">in</span> g:
+            owner[i] = (t, tuple(d))
+    <span class="k">for</span> poly <span class="k">in</span> me.polygons:
+        t, d = owner[poly.vertices[<span class="n">0</span>]]
+        tone[poly.index] = t
+        grain[poly.index] = d
+    a = me.attributes.new(<span class="s">&quot;PlankTone&quot;</span>, <span class="s">&quot;FLOAT&quot;</span>, <span class="s">&quot;FACE&quot;</span>)
+    a.data.foreach_set(<span class="s">&quot;value&quot;</span>, tone)
+    b = me.attributes.new(<span class="s">&quot;GrainDir&quot;</span>, <span class="s">&quot;FLOAT_VECTOR&quot;</span>, <span class="s">&quot;FACE&quot;</span>)
+    b.data.foreach_set(<span class="s">&quot;vector&quot;</span>, [c <span class="k">for</span> v <span class="k">in</span> grain <span class="k">for</span> c <span class="k">in</span> v])
+
+
+<span class="k">def</span> _sock(sockets, identifier):
+    <span class="s">&quot;&quot;&quot;A Mix-node socket by identifier; its A/B/Result names repeat per type.&quot;&quot;&quot;</span>
+    <span class="k">return</span> next(sk <span class="k">for</span> sk <span class="k">in</span> sockets <span class="k">if</span> sk.identifier == identifier)
+
+
+<span class="k">def</span> wood_material(name):
+    <span class="s">&quot;&quot;&quot;Grain along each stave or board (``GrainDir``), tone per piece (``PlankTone``).&quot;&quot;&quot;</span>
+    mat = bpy.data.materials.new(name)
+    mat.use_nodes = <span class="k">True</span>
+    nt = mat.node_tree
+    bsdf = nt.nodes[<span class="s">&quot;Principled BSDF&quot;</span>]
+    coord = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeTexCoord&quot;</span>)
+    gdir = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeAttribute&quot;</span>)
+    gdir.attribute_name = <span class="s">&quot;GrainDir&quot;</span>
+    tone = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeAttribute&quot;</span>)
+    tone.attribute_name = <span class="s">&quot;PlankTone&quot;</span>
+    dot = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeVectorMath&quot;</span>)
+    dot.operation = <span class="s">&quot;DOT_PRODUCT&quot;</span>
+    nt.links.new(coord.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Object&quot;</span>], dot.inputs[<span class="n">0</span>])
+    nt.links.new(gdir.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Vector&quot;</span>], dot.inputs[<span class="n">1</span>])
+    squash = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeMath&quot;</span>)
+    squash.operation = <span class="s">&quot;MULTIPLY&quot;</span>
+    squash.inputs[<span class="n">1</span>].default_value = <span class="n">0.94</span>
+    nt.links.new(dot.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Value&quot;</span>], squash.inputs[<span class="n">0</span>])
+    along = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeVectorMath&quot;</span>)
+    along.operation = <span class="s">&quot;SCALE&quot;</span>
+    nt.links.new(gdir.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Vector&quot;</span>], along.inputs[<span class="n">0</span>])
+    nt.links.new(squash.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Value&quot;</span>], along.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Scale&quot;</span>])
+    grain_co = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeVectorMath&quot;</span>)
+    grain_co.operation = <span class="s">&quot;SUBTRACT&quot;</span>
+    nt.links.new(coord.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Object&quot;</span>], grain_co.inputs[<span class="n">0</span>])
+    nt.links.new(along.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Vector&quot;</span>], grain_co.inputs[<span class="n">1</span>])
+    shift = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeVectorMath&quot;</span>)
+    shift.operation = <span class="s">&quot;ADD&quot;</span>
+    nt.links.new(grain_co.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Vector&quot;</span>], shift.inputs[<span class="n">0</span>])
+    nt.links.new(tone.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Fac&quot;</span>], shift.inputs[<span class="n">1</span>])
+    noise = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeTexNoise&quot;</span>)
+    noise.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Scale&quot;</span>].default_value = WOOD_GRAIN_SCALE
+    noise.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Detail&quot;</span>].default_value = <span class="n">6.0</span>
+    noise.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Roughness&quot;</span>].default_value = <span class="n">0.62</span>
+    nt.links.new(shift.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Vector&quot;</span>], noise.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Vector&quot;</span>])
+    ramp = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeValToRGB&quot;</span>)
+    ramp.color_ramp.elements[<span class="n">0</span>].position = <span class="n">0.30</span>
+    ramp.color_ramp.elements[<span class="n">0</span>].color = (<span class="n">0.12</span>, <span class="n">0.052</span>, <span class="n">0.018</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>)
+    ramp.color_ramp.elements[<span class="n">1</span>].position = <span class="n">0.72</span>
+    ramp.color_ramp.elements[<span class="n">1</span>].color = (<span class="n">0.38</span>, <span class="n">0.18</span>, <span class="n">0.065</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>)
+    nt.links.new(noise.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Fac&quot;</span>], ramp.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Fac&quot;</span>])
+    gain = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeMath&quot;</span>)
+    gain.operation = <span class="s">&quot;MULTIPLY_ADD&quot;</span>
+    gain.inputs[<span class="n">1</span>].default_value = <span class="n">1.1</span>
+    gain.inputs[<span class="n">2</span>].default_value = <span class="n">0.45</span>
+    nt.links.new(tone.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Fac&quot;</span>], gain.inputs[<span class="n">0</span>])
+    mix = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeMix&quot;</span>)
+    mix.data_type = <span class="s">&quot;RGBA&quot;</span>
+    mix.blend_type = <span class="s">&quot;MULTIPLY&quot;</span>
+    _sock(mix.inputs, <span class="s">&quot;Factor_Float&quot;</span>).default_value = <span class="n">1.0</span>
+    nt.links.new(ramp.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Color&quot;</span>], _sock(mix.inputs, <span class="s">&quot;A_Color&quot;</span>))
+    nt.links.new(gain.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Value&quot;</span>], _sock(mix.inputs, <span class="s">&quot;B_Color&quot;</span>))
+    nt.links.new(_sock(mix.outputs, <span class="s">&quot;Result_Color&quot;</span>), bsdf.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Base Color&quot;</span>])
+    rough = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeMapRange&quot;</span>)
+    rough.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;To Min&quot;</span>].default_value = <span class="n">0.72</span>
+    rough.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;To Max&quot;</span>].default_value = <span class="n">0.52</span>
+    nt.links.new(noise.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Fac&quot;</span>], rough.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Value&quot;</span>])
+    nt.links.new(rough.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Result&quot;</span>], bsdf.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Roughness&quot;</span>])
+    <span class="k">return</span> mat
+
+
+<span class="k">def</span> anvil_materials():
+    <span class="s">&quot;&quot;&quot;(wood, steel): shared by the check, the render and inspection.
+
+    Forged steel is dark and rough with a worn, brighter face; the first
+    build was satin metal (metallic 0.92, roughness 0.32) and read as chrome.
+    &quot;&quot;&quot;</span>
+    wood = wood_material(<span class="s">&quot;AnvilStump&quot;</span>)
+    metal = principled(
+        <span class="s">&quot;AnvilSteel&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.06</span>, <span class="n">0.062</span>, <span class="n">0.066</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), <span class="n">0.70</span>, <span class="n">0.50</span>,
+        noise_scale=<span class="n">20.0</span>, wear=(<span class="n">0.13</span>, <span class="n">0.08</span>, <span class="n">0.05</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>),
+    )
+    <span class="k">return</span> wood, metal
+
+
 <span class="k">def</span> body_plan(me):
     groups = shells(me)
     xs, z0s, z1s = [], [], []
@@ -1339,19 +1530,18 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     short_staves=<span class="k">False</span>,
     float_anvil=<span class="k">False</span>,
     round_band=<span class="k">False</span>,
+    round_waist=<span class="k">False</span>,
 ):
     bpy.ops.wm.read_factory_settings(use_empty=<span class="k">True</span>)
-    flags = dict(short_staves=short_staves, float_anvil=float_anvil, round_band=round_band)
+    flags = dict(
+        short_staves=short_staves, float_anvil=float_anvil, round_band=round_band,
+        round_waist=round_waist,
+    )
     low = build_anvil_mesh(<span class="s">&quot;AnvilLow&quot;</span>, <span class="n">0.004</span>, <span class="n">2</span>, **flags)
     high = build_anvil_mesh(<span class="s">&quot;AnvilHigh&quot;</span>, <span class="n">0.004</span>, <span class="n">4</span>, **flags)
-    wood = principled(
-        <span class="s">&quot;AnvilStump&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.34</span>, <span class="n">0.18</span>, <span class="n">0.07</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.62</span>,
-        noise_scale=<span class="n">6.5</span>, wear=(<span class="n">0.22</span>, <span class="n">0.12</span>, <span class="n">0.05</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>),
-    )
-    metal = principled(
-        <span class="s">&quot;AnvilSteel&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.18</span>, <span class="n">0.18</span>, <span class="n">0.19</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), <span class="n">0.92</span>, <span class="n">0.32</span>,
-        noise_scale=<span class="n">5.5</span>, wear=(<span class="n">0.10</span>, <span class="n">0.10</span>, <span class="n">0.11</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>),
-    )
+    wood, metal = anvil_materials()
+    paint_planks(low.data)
+    paint_planks(high.data)
     assign_slots(low, wood, metal)
     assign_slots(high, wood, metal)
     <span class="k">if</span> stray_vert:
@@ -1385,6 +1575,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     bite_min, bite_max = hoop_seat(low.data, spans)
     seat = anvil_seat(low.data)
     blen, bht = body_plan(low.data)
+    reach = waist_reach(low.data)
     print(
         <span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">measured hygiene loose_v=</span>{hyg[<span class="s">&#x27;loose_v&#x27;</span>]}<span class="s"> loose_e=</span>{hyg[<span class="s">&#x27;loose_e&#x27;</span>]}<span class="s"> </span><span class="s">&quot;</span>
         <span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">nonman=</span>{hyg[<span class="s">&#x27;nonman&#x27;</span>]}<span class="s"> zero_area=</span>{hyg[<span class="s">&#x27;zero_area&#x27;</span>]}<span class="s"> </span><span class="s">&quot;</span>
@@ -1395,6 +1586,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
         <span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">hoop_bite=</span>{bite_min:<span class="s">.5f</span>}<span class="s">..</span>{bite_max:<span class="s">.5f</span>}<span class="s"> seat=</span>{seat:<span class="s">.5f</span>}<span class="s"> </span><span class="s">&quot;</span>
         <span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">body=</span>{blen:<span class="s">.4f</span>}<span class="s">x</span>{bht:<span class="s">.4f</span>}<span class="s">&quot;</span>
     )
+    print(<span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">measured waist_reach=</span>{reach:<span class="s">.4f</span>}<span class="s">&quot;</span>)
 
     img, tex = setup_bake_image(low, wood)
     <span class="k">if</span> img <span class="k">is</span> <span class="k">None</span>:
@@ -1422,6 +1614,10 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
         os.remove(export_path)
     export_unity(export_path, [low, collider])
     export_size = os.path.getsize(export_path) <span class="k">if</span> os.path.isfile(export_path) <span class="k">else</span> <span class="n">0</span>
+    <span class="c"># Blender points TMPDIR at the working directory, so the export must not</span>
+    <span class="c"># outlive the measurement.</span>
+    <span class="k">if</span> os.path.exists(export_path):
+        os.remove(export_path)
 
     print(<span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">blender=</span>{tuple(bpy.app.version)}<span class="s"> skip_decimate=</span>{skip_decimate}<span class="s">&quot;</span>)
     print(
@@ -1533,6 +1729,12 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
             <span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">anvil body </span>{blen:<span class="s">.4f</span>}<span class="s">x</span>{bht:<span class="s">.4f</span>}<span class="s"> off </span>{BODY_LEN}<span class="s">x</span>{BODY_H}<span class="s">&quot;</span>,
             <span class="n">19</span>,
         ), <span class="k">None</span>, <span class="k">None</span>, <span class="k">None</span>, <span class="k">None</span>, <span class="k">None</span>
+    <span class="k">if</span> reach &lt; WAIST_REACH_MIN:
+        <span class="k">return</span> fail(
+            <span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">waist corner reach </span>{reach:<span class="s">.4f</span>}<span class="s"> &lt; </span>{WAIST_REACH_MIN}<span class="s">: a round funnel, </span><span class="s">&quot;</span>
+            <span class="s">&quot;not a forged waist (--round-waist is the designed fail)&quot;</span>,
+            <span class="n">19</span>,
+        ), <span class="k">None</span>, <span class="k">None</span>, <span class="k">None</span>, <span class="k">None</span>, <span class="k">None</span>
     <span class="k">return</span> <span class="n">0</span>, low, high, wood, tex, collider
 
 
@@ -1549,7 +1751,8 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     floor_me = bpy.data.meshes.new(<span class="s">&quot;Floor&quot;</span>)
     bm = bmesh.new()
     <span class="k">try</span>:
-        bmesh.ops.create_grid(bm, x_segments=<span class="n">1</span>, y_segments=<span class="n">1</span>, size=<span class="n">14.0</span>)
+        <span class="c"># Oversized so no edge of the set can enter frame.</span>
+        bmesh.ops.create_grid(bm, x_segments=<span class="n">1</span>, y_segments=<span class="n">1</span>, size=<span class="n">60.0</span>)
         bm.to_mesh(floor_me)
     <span class="k">finally</span>:
         bm.free()
@@ -1644,6 +1847,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     p.add_argument(<span class="s">&quot;--short-staves&quot;</span>, action=<span class="s">&quot;store_true&quot;</span>)
     p.add_argument(<span class="s">&quot;--float-anvil&quot;</span>, action=<span class="s">&quot;store_true&quot;</span>)
     p.add_argument(<span class="s">&quot;--round-band&quot;</span>, action=<span class="s">&quot;store_true&quot;</span>)
+    p.add_argument(<span class="s">&quot;--round-waist&quot;</span>, action=<span class="s">&quot;store_true&quot;</span>)
     args = p.parse_args(argv)
 
     code, low, _high, wood, tex, _col = check(
@@ -1653,6 +1857,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
         short_staves=args.short_staves,
         float_anvil=args.float_anvil,
         round_band=args.round_band,
+        round_waist=args.round_waist,
     )
     <span class="k">if</span> code:
         <span class="k">return</span> code
@@ -1677,7 +1882,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
   </main>
   <dialog class="lightbox" id="lightbox" aria-label="Full-size render">
     <button class="lightbox-close" type="button" autofocus>Close</button>
-    <img src="../assets/anvil-hero.webp" alt="A black iron anvil mounted on a hooped timber stump." />
+    <img src="../assets/anvil-hero.webp" alt="A dark forged-steel anvil with a flared, squared waist, mounted on a hooped timber stump." />
   </dialog>
   <footer>
     <div class="statusbar">
diff --git a/docs/gallery/assets/anvil-hero.webp b/docs/gallery/assets/anvil-hero.webp
index 52c8c3c6..28de4907 100644
Binary files a/docs/gallery/assets/anvil-hero.webp and b/docs/gallery/assets/anvil-hero.webp differ
diff --git a/docs/gallery/assets/cross-version-property-delete-hero.webp b/docs/gallery/assets/cross-version-property-delete-hero.webp
index 4f3e33aa..c1427158 100644
Binary files a/docs/gallery/assets/cross-version-property-delete-hero.webp and b/docs/gallery/assets/cross-version-property-delete-hero.webp differ
diff --git a/docs/gallery/assets/signpost-hero.webp b/docs/gallery/assets/signpost-hero.webp
index 2bcd5523..456f4f98 100644
Binary files a/docs/gallery/assets/signpost-hero.webp and b/docs/gallery/assets/signpost-hero.webp differ
diff --git a/docs/gallery/assets/text-version-stamp-hero.webp b/docs/gallery/assets/text-version-stamp-hero.webp
index 68d6087f..14c960fa 100644
Binary files a/docs/gallery/assets/text-version-stamp-hero.webp and b/docs/gallery/assets/text-version-stamp-hero.webp differ
diff --git a/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/anvil-contact-sheet.webp b/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/anvil-contact-sheet.webp
index 99487a66..073215ca 100644
Binary files a/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/anvil-contact-sheet.webp and b/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/anvil-contact-sheet.webp differ
diff --git a/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/cross-version-property-delete-contact-sheet.webp b/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/cross-version-property-delete-contact-sheet.webp
index 7cadb6fe..38af0ed8 100644
Binary files a/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/cross-version-property-delete-contact-sheet.webp and b/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/cross-version-property-delete-contact-sheet.webp differ
diff --git a/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/signpost-contact-sheet.webp b/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/signpost-contact-sheet.webp
index f51a2c98..c286fc18 100644
Binary files a/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/signpost-contact-sheet.webp and b/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/signpost-contact-sheet.webp differ
diff --git a/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/text-version-stamp-contact-sheet.webp b/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/text-version-stamp-contact-sheet.webp
index b48f2a81..fef5117c 100644
Binary files a/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/text-version-stamp-contact-sheet.webp and b/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/text-version-stamp-contact-sheet.webp differ
diff --git a/docs/gallery/cross-version-property-delete/index.html b/docs/gallery/cross-version-property-delete/index.html
index b2bf00aa..f2a7a4eb 100644
--- a/docs/gallery/cross-version-property-delete/index.html
+++ b/docs/gallery/cross-version-property-delete/index.html
@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@
   <meta property="og:image" content="https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Blender-Developer-Tools/gallery/assets/cross-version-property-delete-hero.webp" />
   <meta property="og:image:width" content="1280" />
   <meta property="og:image:height" content="720" />
-  <meta property="og:image:alt" content="Two framed display panels on a stand: the left shows a lit cyan screen, the right a blank grey one." />
+  <meta property="og:image:alt" content="Two brass tags hanging from a stand on steel rods: the left shows a lit cyan inlay, the right a blank grey pocket." />
   <meta property="og:site_name" content="Blender Developer Tools" />
   <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
   <meta name="twitter:title" content="cross-version-property-delete — Examples — Blender Developer Tools" />
   <meta name="twitter:description" content="Custom ID properties are removed with del, not property_unset. The IDs are built through bpy.data.objects.new so the check does not depend on active_object." />
   <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Blender-Developer-Tools/gallery/assets/cross-version-property-delete-hero.webp" />
-  <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="Two framed display panels on a stand: the left shows a lit cyan screen, the right a blank grey one." />
+  <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="Two brass tags hanging from a stand on steel rods: the left shows a lit cyan inlay, the right a blank grey pocket." />
   <style>
     /* fonts are deployed by the landing build (docs/fonts/) */
     @font-face { font-family: 'Barlow Condensed'; font-weight: 600; font-display: swap;
@@ -268,8 +268,8 @@ <h1>cross-version-property-delete</h1>
     <p>Custom ID properties are removed with del, not property_unset. The IDs are built through bpy.data.objects.new so the check does not depend on active_object.</p>
   </header>
   <main id="main">
-    <button class="detail-hero" id="heroZoom" type="button" aria-label="View full size: Two framed display panels on a stand: the left shows a lit cyan screen, the right a blank grey one.">
-      <img src="../assets/cross-version-property-delete-hero.webp" alt="Two framed display panels on a stand: the left shows a lit cyan screen, the right a blank grey one." width="1280" height="720" />
+    <button class="detail-hero" id="heroZoom" type="button" aria-label="View full size: Two brass tags hanging from a stand on steel rods: the left shows a lit cyan inlay, the right a blank grey pocket.">
+      <img src="../assets/cross-version-property-delete-hero.webp" alt="Two brass tags hanging from a stand on steel rods: the left shows a lit cyan inlay, the right a blank grey pocket." width="1280" height="720" />
     </button>
     <p class="zoom-hint">Rendered headless by the example itself — click to zoom.</p>
     <div class="callout"><span class="tag">witnesses</span> Factory-empty has no active_object; property_unset raises TypeError and leaves the key; del removes it (clear_has=False). --skip-delete and --unset-instead exit 7.</div>
@@ -283,6 +283,8 @@ <h1>cross-version-property-delete</h1>
 <p><strong>What it witnesses:</strong> <code>property_unset</code> is a TypeError on a custom ID key and does <strong>not</strong> remove it. <code>del id_block[key]</code> does. After factory-empty, there is no <code>active_object</code>.</p>
 <p><strong>What failure each check would catch:</strong></p>
 <ul><li>exit 2 — someone set an active object; the snippet <code>__main__</code> would have been the only path</li><li>exit 3 — the ID property never landed</li><li>exit 4 — <code>property_unset</code> removed the key or failed to raise</li><li>exit 7 — <code>del</code> did not run (<code>--skip-delete</code> / <code>--unset-instead</code> falsify this: measured <code>clear_has=True</code>)</li></ul>
+<h2>Staging</h2>
+<p>The two tags now hang from the stand&#x27;s bar on steel rods. The bar used to run 0.17 m behind the plates with nothing joining them, and the &quot;rings&quot; were solid discs, so the plates hung on air. The bar spans both plates, the post rises to it, and the base is as wide as what it carries. Render path only: the check reads ID properties, never geometry.</p>
 <h2>Run</h2>
 <pre><code>blender --background --python cross_version_property_delete.py --
 blender --background --python cross_version_property_delete.py -- --output tags.png</code></pre>
@@ -508,6 +510,31 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     <span class="k">for</span> ob <span class="k">in</span> stand:
         assign(ob, steel)
 
+    <span class="c"># Render-only staging: the check reads ID properties, never geometry.</span>
+    <span class="c"># The build left the bar 0.17 m behind the plates with nothing joining</span>
+    <span class="c"># them, and the &quot;rings&quot; are solid discs, so the plates hung on air.</span>
+    <span class="c"># Here the bar runs in the plates&#x27; plane above their tops, spans both,</span>
+    <span class="c"># and each plate hangs from it on two rods; the post rises to the bar</span>
+    <span class="c"># and the base is as wide as what it carries.</span>
+    post, base, bar = stand
+    plate_top = keep_plate.location.z + <span class="n">0.525</span>
+    bar_z = plate_top + <span class="n">0.16</span>
+    bar.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>, bar_z)
+    bar.scale.x = <span class="n">4.4</span> / <span class="n">2.6</span>
+    post.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.5</span> * bar_z)
+    post.scale.z = bar_z / <span class="n">1.55</span>
+    base.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.06</span>)
+    base.scale.x = <span class="n">4.6</span> / <span class="n">3.4</span>
+    hangers = []
+    <span class="k">for</span> plate <span class="k">in</span> (keep_plate, clear_plate):
+        <span class="k">for</span> dx <span class="k">in</span> (-<span class="n">0.62</span>, <span class="n">0.62</span>):
+            rod = cylinder(<span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">Hanger</span>{len(hangers)}<span class="s">&quot;</span>, <span class="n">0.018</span>, bar_z - plate_top + <span class="n">0.05</span>,
+                           (plate.location.x + dx, <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.5</span> * (plate_top - <span class="n">0.03</span> + bar_z)), segs=<span class="n">12</span>)
+            assign(rod, steel)
+            hangers.append(rod)
+    <span class="k">for</span> ring <span class="k">in</span> (keep_ring, clear_ring):
+        ring.hide_render = <span class="k">True</span>
+
     inlay = <span class="k">None</span>
     <span class="k">if</span> KEY <span class="k">in</span> keep_plate.keys():
         inlay = add_inlay(<span class="s">&quot;Keep&quot;</span>, keep_plate)
@@ -554,13 +581,13 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     light(<span class="s">&quot;Glint&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">1.6</span>, -<span class="n">5.0</span>, <span class="n">6.0</span>), <span class="n">850.0</span>, <span class="n">0.9</span>, (<span class="n">1.0</span>, <span class="n">0.9</span>, <span class="n">0.7</span>), (<span class="n">40</span>, <span class="n">0</span>, <span class="n">18</span>))
 
     aim = bpy.data.objects.new(<span class="s">&quot;Aim&quot;</span>, <span class="k">None</span>)
-    aim.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">1.15</span>)
+    aim.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.95</span>)
     aim.hide_render = <span class="k">True</span>
     scene.collection.objects.link(aim)
     cam_data = bpy.data.cameras.new(<span class="s">&quot;Cam&quot;</span>)
     cam_data.lens = <span class="n">50.0</span>
     cam = bpy.data.objects.new(<span class="s">&quot;Cam&quot;</span>, cam_data)
-    cam.location = (<span class="n">3.55</span>, -<span class="n">6.59</span>, <span class="n">3.30</span>)
+    cam.location = (<span class="n">3.95</span>, -<span class="n">7.35</span>, <span class="n">3.3</span>)
     scene.collection.objects.link(cam)
     scene.camera = cam
     track = cam.constraints.new(<span class="s">&quot;TRACK_TO&quot;</span>)
@@ -582,7 +609,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     scene.render.filepath = path
     scene.view_settings.view_transform = <span class="s">&quot;Standard&quot;</span>
 
-    hero = [keep_plate, clear_plate, keep_ring, clear_ring] + list(stand)
+    hero = [keep_plate, clear_plate] + list(stand) + hangers
     <span class="k">if</span> inlay <span class="k">is</span> <span class="k">not</span> <span class="k">None</span>:
         hero.append(inlay)
     fcode = gallery_framing.check_framing(
@@ -646,7 +673,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
   </main>
   <dialog class="lightbox" id="lightbox" aria-label="Full-size render">
     <button class="lightbox-close" type="button" autofocus>Close</button>
-    <img src="../assets/cross-version-property-delete-hero.webp" alt="Two framed display panels on a stand: the left shows a lit cyan screen, the right a blank grey one." />
+    <img src="../assets/cross-version-property-delete-hero.webp" alt="Two brass tags hanging from a stand on steel rods: the left shows a lit cyan inlay, the right a blank grey pocket." />
   </dialog>
   <footer>
     <div class="statusbar">
diff --git a/docs/gallery/index.html b/docs/gallery/index.html
index 2c04f54a..486136b7 100644
--- a/docs/gallery/index.html
+++ b/docs/gallery/index.html
@@ -552,7 +552,7 @@ <h2><a href="armature-bend/">armature-bend</a></h2>
       </article>
       <article class="card" data-tags="curves depsgraph rendering">
         <a class="card-media" href="text-version-stamp/" tabindex="-1" aria-hidden="true">
-          <img src="assets/text-version-stamp-hero.webp" alt="The word BLENDER above the Blender version number in large gold 3D characters." loading="lazy" decoding="async" />
+          <img src="assets/text-version-stamp-hero.webp" alt="The Blender version number in large gold 3D characters standing on a dark plinth, the word BLENDER set into its face." loading="lazy" decoding="async" />
         </a>
         <div class="card-body">
           <h2><a href="text-version-stamp/">text-version-stamp</a></h2>
@@ -849,7 +849,7 @@ <h2><a href="vertex-color-ao/">vertex-color-ao</a></h2>
       </article>
       <article class="card" data-tags="context properties">
         <a class="card-media" href="cross-version-property-delete/" tabindex="-1" aria-hidden="true">
-          <img src="assets/cross-version-property-delete-hero.webp" alt="Two framed display panels on a stand: the left shows a lit cyan screen, the right a blank grey one." loading="lazy" decoding="async" />
+          <img src="assets/cross-version-property-delete-hero.webp" alt="Two brass tags hanging from a stand on steel rods: the left shows a lit cyan inlay, the right a blank grey pocket." loading="lazy" decoding="async" />
         </a>
         <div class="card-body">
           <h2><a href="cross-version-property-delete/">cross-version-property-delete</a></h2>
@@ -1047,12 +1047,12 @@ <h2><a href="wheelbarrow/">wheelbarrow</a></h2>
       </article>
       <article class="card" data-tags="mesh export showcase">
         <a class="card-media" href="anvil/" tabindex="-1" aria-hidden="true">
-          <img src="assets/anvil-hero.webp" alt="A black iron anvil mounted on a hooped timber stump." loading="lazy" decoding="async" />
+          <img src="assets/anvil-hero.webp" alt="A dark forged-steel anvil with a flared, squared waist, mounted on a hooped timber stump." loading="lazy" decoding="async" />
         </a>
         <div class="card-body">
           <h2><a href="anvil/">anvil</a></h2>
           <p class="teaches">A procedural blacksmith anvil on a timber stump through UVs, bake, LOD, collider, and Unity glTF, asserting recomputed budgets rather than an API contract.</p>
-          <p class="witnesses"><span class="tag">witnesses</span> Recomputed: 2988 tris, two materials with 1040 wood and 822 metal faces, UVs in 0..1 with zero AABB overlap, outer AABB 0.621×0.414×0.489 m, LOD ratios in band, convex collider 134 tris, hygiene 0, 16 grounded staves, hoop bite 0.003 m, foot-on-head gap 0.003 m, non-empty glTF. --skip-decimate exits 9; --stray-vert 15; --lift-z/--short-staves 16; --float-anvil 17; --round-band 18.</p>
+          <p class="witnesses"><span class="tag">witnesses</span> Recomputed: 3052 tris, two materials with 1040 wood and 854 metal faces, UVs in 0..1 with zero AABB overlap, outer AABB 0.621×0.414×0.489 m, LOD ratios in band, convex collider 134 tris, hygiene 0, 16 grounded staves, hoop bite 0.003 m, foot-on-head gap 0.003 m, waist corner reach 0.8572, non-empty glTF. --skip-decimate exits 9; --stray-vert 15; --lift-z/--short-staves 16; --float-anvil 17; --round-band 18; --round-waist 19.</p>
           <a class="card-link" href="anvil/">View showcase piece<span class="sr-only"> anvil</span> <span aria-hidden="true">&rarr;</span></a>
         </div>
       </article>
@@ -1102,7 +1102,7 @@ <h2><a href="hand-pump/">hand-pump</a></h2>
       </article>
       <article class="card" data-tags="mesh export showcase">
         <a class="card-media" href="signpost/" tabindex="-1" aria-hidden="true">
-          <img src="assets/signpost-hero.webp" alt="A wooden signpost with two pointed finger boards and dark iron bands on the post." loading="lazy" decoding="async" />
+          <img src="assets/signpost-hero.webp" alt="A wooden signpost with two pointed finger boards in worn cream paint and rusted iron bands on the post." loading="lazy" decoding="async" />
         </a>
         <div class="card-body">
           <h2><a href="signpost/">signpost</a></h2>
diff --git a/docs/gallery/signpost/index.html b/docs/gallery/signpost/index.html
index 47c4a86f..7a6b7dba 100644
--- a/docs/gallery/signpost/index.html
+++ b/docs/gallery/signpost/index.html
@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@
   <meta property="og:image" content="https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Blender-Developer-Tools/gallery/assets/signpost-hero.webp" />
   <meta property="og:image:width" content="1280" />
   <meta property="og:image:height" content="720" />
-  <meta property="og:image:alt" content="A wooden signpost with two pointed finger boards and dark iron bands on the post." />
+  <meta property="og:image:alt" content="A wooden signpost with two pointed finger boards in worn cream paint and rusted iron bands on the post." />
   <meta property="og:site_name" content="Blender Developer Tools" />
   <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
   <meta name="twitter:title" content="signpost — Showcase — Blender Developer Tools" />
   <meta name="twitter:description" content="A procedural timber fingerboard signpost through UVs, bake, LOD, collider, and Unity glTF, asserting recomputed budgets rather than an API contract." />
   <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Blender-Developer-Tools/gallery/assets/signpost-hero.webp" />
-  <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="A wooden signpost with two pointed finger boards and dark iron bands on the post." />
+  <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="A wooden signpost with two pointed finger boards in worn cream paint and rusted iron bands on the post." />
   <style>
     /* fonts are deployed by the landing build (docs/fonts/) */
     @font-face { font-family: 'Barlow Condensed'; font-weight: 600; font-display: swap;
@@ -268,8 +268,8 @@ <h1>signpost</h1>
     <p>A procedural timber fingerboard signpost through UVs, bake, LOD, collider, and Unity glTF, asserting recomputed budgets rather than an API contract.</p>
   </header>
   <main id="main">
-    <button class="detail-hero" id="heroZoom" type="button" aria-label="View full size: A wooden signpost with two pointed finger boards and dark iron bands on the post.">
-      <img src="../assets/signpost-hero.webp" alt="A wooden signpost with two pointed finger boards and dark iron bands on the post." width="1280" height="720" />
+    <button class="detail-hero" id="heroZoom" type="button" aria-label="View full size: A wooden signpost with two pointed finger boards in worn cream paint and rusted iron bands on the post.">
+      <img src="../assets/signpost-hero.webp" alt="A wooden signpost with two pointed finger boards in worn cream paint and rusted iron bands on the post." width="1280" height="720" />
     </button>
     <p class="zoom-hint">Rendered headless by the showcase piece itself — click to zoom.</p>
     <div class="callout"><span class="tag">witnesses</span> Recomputed: 376 tris, three materials with 108 metal, 22 board and 60 wood faces, UVs in 0..1 with zero AABB overlap, outer AABB 1.260×0.142×1.551 m at zmin 0, LOD ratios in band (5.2 COLLAPSE leaner on LOD1/LOD2), convex collider 52 tris, non-empty glTF. Hygiene all zero. Board-to-post gap 5 mm, strap gap 3 mm, board AABB Y 28 mm. --skip-decimate exits 9; --stray-vert 15; --lift-z / --short-shoe 16; --gap-board 17; --float-strap 18; --yaw-boards 19.</div>
@@ -285,9 +285,11 @@ <h1>signpost</h1>
 <p>Intended size: 1.48 m post, boards 0.62 m and 0.54 m, 0.118 m post stock; outer AABB 1.260 × 0.142 × 1.551 m.</p>
 <h2>Budgets</h2>
 <p>Declared as named constants; every gate <strong>recomputes</strong> from the mesh, materials, UVs, evaluated LOD, collider, or export file.</p>
-<div class="table-wrap"><table><thead><tr><th scope="col">Axis</th><th scope="col">Declared</th><th scope="col">Measured (4.5.11 / 5.1.2 / 5.2.1)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Base triangles</td><td>320–480</td><td>376 / 376 / 376</td></tr><tr><td>LOD1 ratio</td><td>0.32–0.62 of base</td><td>0.5000 / 0.5000 / 0.4681</td></tr><tr><td>LOD2 ratio</td><td>0.10–0.35 of base</td><td>0.2181 / 0.2181 / 0.1649</td></tr><tr><td>Materials</td><td>exactly 3 distinct, ≥24 metal, ≥12 board, ≥12 wood</td><td>3 slots, 108 metal, 22 board, 60 wood</td></tr><tr><td>UVs</td><td>in <code>0..1</code>, AABB overlap ≤ 1e-5</td><td>in range, overlap 0</td></tr><tr><td>Outer AABB</td><td>(1.260, 0.142, 1.551) m ± 0.015</td><td>(1.2600, 0.1420, 1.5510), zmin 0</td></tr><tr><td>Collider tris</td><td>≤ 180</td><td>52</td></tr><tr><td>Export</td><td>written, size &gt; 0</td><td>35688 / 35688 / 35676 bytes</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
+<div class="table-wrap"><table><thead><tr><th scope="col">Axis</th><th scope="col">Declared</th><th scope="col">Measured (4.5.11 / 5.1.2 / 5.2.1)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Base triangles</td><td>320–480</td><td>376 / 376 / 376</td></tr><tr><td>LOD1 ratio</td><td>0.32–0.62 of base</td><td>0.5000 / 0.5000 / 0.4681</td></tr><tr><td>LOD2 ratio</td><td>0.10–0.35 of base</td><td>0.2181 / 0.2181 / 0.1649</td></tr><tr><td>Materials</td><td>exactly 3 distinct, ≥24 metal, ≥12 board, ≥12 wood</td><td>3 slots, 108 metal, 22 board, 60 wood</td></tr><tr><td>UVs</td><td>in <code>0..1</code>, AABB overlap ≤ 1e-5</td><td>in range, overlap 0</td></tr><tr><td>Outer AABB</td><td>(1.260, 0.142, 1.551) m ± 0.015</td><td>(1.2600, 0.1420, 1.5510), zmin 0</td></tr><tr><td>Collider tris</td><td>≤ 180</td><td>52</td></tr><tr><td>Export</td><td>written, size &gt; 0</td><td>35648 / 35648 / 35640 bytes</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
 <p>Base triangles dropped from <strong>504 to 376</strong> in the quality pass: glued diamond cubes and a solid shoe block became wedges and a four-plate collar. Outer AABB tightened from 1.368 × 0.201 × 1.566 m.</p>
-<p>DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts are <strong>not</strong> identical across series — 5.2.1 is leaner on LOD1 and LOD2. The gate is a ratio band, not an exact count. Bake pixels are stochastic; the gate is <code>has_data</code> plus operator <code>FINISHED</code>, not byte-identity. Construction uses no RNG. Export byte counts differ by 12 B on 5.2.1 (glTF serializer), not a gated axis.</p>
+<p>DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts are <strong>not</strong> identical across series — 5.2.1 is leaner on LOD1 and LOD2. The gate is a ratio band, not an exact count. Bake pixels are stochastic; the gate is <code>has_data</code> plus operator <code>FINISHED</code>, not byte-identity. Construction is closed-form; the only RNG is the seeded per-piece wood tone. Bevel inputs are sorted by edge index, so the face order is the same on every run. Export byte counts differ on 5.2.1 (glTF serializer), not a gated axis.</p>
+<h3>Surface and stage</h3>
+<p>The quality pass found no geometric defect: the boards, straps, bands and shoe seat as their budgets say. The defects were surface. The finger boards were flat pale yellow; they are now cream paint worn through to the wood by a noise mask, a shade apart per board. The iron read as chrome (metallic 1.0, roughness 0.38) and is now rusted. The post has its own tone and grain. The stage grid grew from 14 to 60 m, because the wall&#x27;s left edge showed in the corner of the hero. The temp <code>.glb</code> is removed after its size is measured. With no new geometric defect, there is no new budget.</p>
 <h3>Hygiene</h3>
 <p>Recomputed from the generated mesh, not asserted about the script.</p>
 <div class="table-wrap"><table><thead><tr><th scope="col">Axis</th><th scope="col">Declared</th><th scope="col">Measured (all three)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Non-manifold edges</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Loose verts / edges</td><td>0 / 0</td><td>0 / 0</td></tr><tr><td>Doubles merged at 1e-5</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Zero-area faces</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>N-gons</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Coplanar disjoint face pairs</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Grounded: <code>zmin</code></td><td>within 1e-4 of 0</td><td>0.0000</td></tr><tr><td>Named shoe plates</td><td>≥1, each <code>zmin</code> ≤ 0.002</td><td>4, 0.00000</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
@@ -331,7 +333,8 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
 origin. Hygiene family 15–19: ``--stray-vert``, ``--short-shoe``,
 ``--gap-board``, ``--float-strap``, ``--yaw-boards``.
 
-No RNG. Construction is closed-form. DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts
+Construction is closed-form; the only RNG is the seeded per-piece wood
+tone. DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts
 are not byte-identical across Blender versions — the LOD gate is a
 ratio band, not an exact count.
 
@@ -342,6 +345,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
 <span class="k">import</span> argparse
 <span class="k">import</span> math
 <span class="k">import</span> os
+<span class="k">import</span> random
 <span class="k">import</span> sys
 <span class="k">import</span> tempfile
 <span class="k">import</span> traceback
@@ -403,6 +407,11 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
 BOARD_IDX = <span class="n">1</span>
 METAL_IDX = <span class="n">2</span>
 
+<span class="c"># Per-piece wood tone jitter and grain frequency, as in shipping-crate.</span>
+PLANK_TONE_JITTER = <span class="n">0.28</span>
+TONE_SEED = <span class="n">29</span>
+WOOD_GRAIN_SCALE = <span class="n">30.0</span>
+
 DOUBLES_EPS = <span class="n">1e-5</span>
 AREA_EPS = <span class="n">1e-10</span>
 ZMIN_EPS = <span class="n">1e-4</span>
@@ -587,6 +596,10 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
 
         <span class="k">if</span> bevel_offset &gt; <span class="n">0.0</span>:
             edges = list({e <span class="k">for</span> v <span class="k">in</span> wood <span class="k">for</span> e <span class="k">in</span> v.link_edges})
+            <span class="c"># set order follows memory addresses; sort so the bevel, and the</span>
+            <span class="c"># face order it produces, are the same on every run</span>
+            bm.edges.index_update()
+            edges.sort(key=<span class="k">lambda</span> e: e.index)
             ret = bmesh.ops.bevel(
                 bm,
                 geom=edges,
@@ -701,6 +714,165 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     <span class="k">return</span> mat
 
 
+<span class="k">def</span> _long_axis(pts):
+    <span class="s">&quot;&quot;&quot;Principal axis of a point set, by power iteration on its covariance.&quot;&quot;&quot;</span>
+    c = sum(pts, Vector()) / len(pts)
+    cov = [[<span class="n">0.0</span>] * <span class="n">3</span> <span class="k">for</span> _ <span class="k">in</span> range(<span class="n">3</span>)]
+    <span class="k">for</span> p <span class="k">in</span> pts:
+        d = p - c
+        <span class="k">for</span> i <span class="k">in</span> range(<span class="n">3</span>):
+            <span class="k">for</span> j <span class="k">in</span> range(<span class="n">3</span>):
+                cov[i][j] += d[i] * d[j]
+    v = Vector((<span class="n">1.0</span>, <span class="n">0.3</span>, <span class="n">0.1</span>))
+    <span class="k">for</span> _ <span class="k">in</span> range(<span class="n">30</span>):
+        w = Vector([sum(cov[i][j] * v[j] <span class="k">for</span> j <span class="k">in</span> range(<span class="n">3</span>)) <span class="k">for</span> i <span class="k">in</span> range(<span class="n">3</span>)])
+        <span class="k">if</span> w.length &lt; <span class="n">1e-12</span>:
+            <span class="k">break</span>
+        v = w.normalized()
+    <span class="k">return</span> v
+
+
+<span class="k">def</span> paint_planks(me):
+    <span class="s">&quot;&quot;&quot;Per-shell ``PlankTone`` and ``GrainDir`` face attributes for the wood shader.
+
+    The post and each finger board is its own shell, so each gets one
+    tone and grain running along its own long axis.
+    &quot;&quot;&quot;</span>
+    tone = [<span class="n">0.5</span>] * len(me.polygons)
+    grain = [(<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>)] * len(me.polygons)
+    owner = {}
+    rng = random.Random(TONE_SEED)
+    <span class="k">for</span> g <span class="k">in</span> shells(me):
+        pts = [me.vertices[i].co.copy() <span class="k">for</span> i <span class="k">in</span> g]
+        d = _long_axis(pts) <span class="k">if</span> len(pts) &gt; <span class="n">2</span> <span class="k">else</span> Vector((<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>))
+        t = <span class="n">0.5</span> + rng.uniform(-PLANK_TONE_JITTER, PLANK_TONE_JITTER)
+        <span class="k">for</span> i <span class="k">in</span> g:
+            owner[i] = (t, tuple(d))
+    <span class="k">for</span> poly <span class="k">in</span> me.polygons:
+        t, d = owner[poly.vertices[<span class="n">0</span>]]
+        tone[poly.index] = t
+        grain[poly.index] = d
+    a = me.attributes.new(<span class="s">&quot;PlankTone&quot;</span>, <span class="s">&quot;FLOAT&quot;</span>, <span class="s">&quot;FACE&quot;</span>)
+    a.data.foreach_set(<span class="s">&quot;value&quot;</span>, tone)
+    b = me.attributes.new(<span class="s">&quot;GrainDir&quot;</span>, <span class="s">&quot;FLOAT_VECTOR&quot;</span>, <span class="s">&quot;FACE&quot;</span>)
+    b.data.foreach_set(<span class="s">&quot;vector&quot;</span>, [c <span class="k">for</span> v <span class="k">in</span> grain <span class="k">for</span> c <span class="k">in</span> v])
+
+
+<span class="k">def</span> _sock(sockets, identifier):
+    <span class="s">&quot;&quot;&quot;A Mix-node socket by identifier; its A/B/Result names repeat per type.&quot;&quot;&quot;</span>
+    <span class="k">return</span> next(sk <span class="k">for</span> sk <span class="k">in</span> sockets <span class="k">if</span> sk.identifier == identifier)
+
+
+<span class="k">def</span> wood_material(name):
+    <span class="s">&quot;&quot;&quot;Grain along the post (``GrainDir``), tone per piece (``PlankTone``).&quot;&quot;&quot;</span>
+    mat = bpy.data.materials.new(name)
+    mat.use_nodes = <span class="k">True</span>
+    nt = mat.node_tree
+    bsdf = nt.nodes[<span class="s">&quot;Principled BSDF&quot;</span>]
+    coord = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeTexCoord&quot;</span>)
+    gdir = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeAttribute&quot;</span>)
+    gdir.attribute_name = <span class="s">&quot;GrainDir&quot;</span>
+    tone = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeAttribute&quot;</span>)
+    tone.attribute_name = <span class="s">&quot;PlankTone&quot;</span>
+    dot = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeVectorMath&quot;</span>)
+    dot.operation = <span class="s">&quot;DOT_PRODUCT&quot;</span>
+    nt.links.new(coord.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Object&quot;</span>], dot.inputs[<span class="n">0</span>])
+    nt.links.new(gdir.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Vector&quot;</span>], dot.inputs[<span class="n">1</span>])
+    squash = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeMath&quot;</span>)
+    squash.operation = <span class="s">&quot;MULTIPLY&quot;</span>
+    squash.inputs[<span class="n">1</span>].default_value = <span class="n">0.94</span>
+    nt.links.new(dot.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Value&quot;</span>], squash.inputs[<span class="n">0</span>])
+    along = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeVectorMath&quot;</span>)
+    along.operation = <span class="s">&quot;SCALE&quot;</span>
+    nt.links.new(gdir.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Vector&quot;</span>], along.inputs[<span class="n">0</span>])
+    nt.links.new(squash.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Value&quot;</span>], along.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Scale&quot;</span>])
+    grain_co = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeVectorMath&quot;</span>)
+    grain_co.operation = <span class="s">&quot;SUBTRACT&quot;</span>
+    nt.links.new(coord.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Object&quot;</span>], grain_co.inputs[<span class="n">0</span>])
+    nt.links.new(along.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Vector&quot;</span>], grain_co.inputs[<span class="n">1</span>])
+    shift = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeVectorMath&quot;</span>)
+    shift.operation = <span class="s">&quot;ADD&quot;</span>
+    nt.links.new(grain_co.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Vector&quot;</span>], shift.inputs[<span class="n">0</span>])
+    nt.links.new(tone.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Fac&quot;</span>], shift.inputs[<span class="n">1</span>])
+    noise = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeTexNoise&quot;</span>)
+    noise.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Scale&quot;</span>].default_value = WOOD_GRAIN_SCALE
+    noise.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Detail&quot;</span>].default_value = <span class="n">6.0</span>
+    noise.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Roughness&quot;</span>].default_value = <span class="n">0.62</span>
+    nt.links.new(shift.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Vector&quot;</span>], noise.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Vector&quot;</span>])
+    ramp = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeValToRGB&quot;</span>)
+    ramp.color_ramp.elements[<span class="n">0</span>].position = <span class="n">0.30</span>
+    ramp.color_ramp.elements[<span class="n">0</span>].color = (<span class="n">0.12</span>, <span class="n">0.052</span>, <span class="n">0.018</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>)
+    ramp.color_ramp.elements[<span class="n">1</span>].position = <span class="n">0.72</span>
+    ramp.color_ramp.elements[<span class="n">1</span>].color = (<span class="n">0.38</span>, <span class="n">0.18</span>, <span class="n">0.065</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>)
+    nt.links.new(noise.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Fac&quot;</span>], ramp.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Fac&quot;</span>])
+    gain = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeMath&quot;</span>)
+    gain.operation = <span class="s">&quot;MULTIPLY_ADD&quot;</span>
+    gain.inputs[<span class="n">1</span>].default_value = <span class="n">1.1</span>
+    gain.inputs[<span class="n">2</span>].default_value = <span class="n">0.45</span>
+    nt.links.new(tone.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Fac&quot;</span>], gain.inputs[<span class="n">0</span>])
+    mix = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeMix&quot;</span>)
+    mix.data_type = <span class="s">&quot;RGBA&quot;</span>
+    mix.blend_type = <span class="s">&quot;MULTIPLY&quot;</span>
+    _sock(mix.inputs, <span class="s">&quot;Factor_Float&quot;</span>).default_value = <span class="n">1.0</span>
+    nt.links.new(ramp.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Color&quot;</span>], _sock(mix.inputs, <span class="s">&quot;A_Color&quot;</span>))
+    nt.links.new(gain.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Value&quot;</span>], _sock(mix.inputs, <span class="s">&quot;B_Color&quot;</span>))
+    nt.links.new(_sock(mix.outputs, <span class="s">&quot;Result_Color&quot;</span>), bsdf.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Base Color&quot;</span>])
+    rough = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeMapRange&quot;</span>)
+    rough.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;To Min&quot;</span>].default_value = <span class="n">0.72</span>
+    rough.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;To Max&quot;</span>].default_value = <span class="n">0.52</span>
+    nt.links.new(noise.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Fac&quot;</span>], rough.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Value&quot;</span>])
+    nt.links.new(rough.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Result&quot;</span>], bsdf.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Roughness&quot;</span>])
+    <span class="k">return</span> mat
+
+
+<span class="k">def</span> board_material(name):
+    <span class="s">&quot;&quot;&quot;Painted finger boards, weathered: cream paint worn through to wood.
+
+    A noise mask on object coordinates picks where the paint has gone and
+    the wood grain shows; ``PlankTone`` shifts each board&#x27;s paint so the
+    two boards are not one board twice.
+    &quot;&quot;&quot;</span>
+    mat = wood_material(name)
+    nt = mat.node_tree
+    bsdf = nt.nodes[<span class="s">&quot;Principled BSDF&quot;</span>]
+    grain = bsdf.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Base Color&quot;</span>].links[<span class="n">0</span>].from_socket
+    coord = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeTexCoord&quot;</span>)
+    wear = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeTexNoise&quot;</span>)
+    wear.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Scale&quot;</span>].default_value = <span class="n">18.0</span>
+    wear.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Detail&quot;</span>].default_value = <span class="n">8.0</span>
+    wear.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Roughness&quot;</span>].default_value = <span class="n">0.65</span>
+    nt.links.new(coord.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Object&quot;</span>], wear.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Vector&quot;</span>])
+    mask = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeValToRGB&quot;</span>)
+    mask.color_ramp.elements[<span class="n">0</span>].position = <span class="n">0.58</span>
+    mask.color_ramp.elements[<span class="n">1</span>].position = <span class="n">0.66</span>
+    nt.links.new(wear.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Fac&quot;</span>], mask.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Fac&quot;</span>])
+    tone = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeAttribute&quot;</span>)
+    tone.attribute_name = <span class="s">&quot;PlankTone&quot;</span>
+    paint = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeMix&quot;</span>)
+    paint.data_type = <span class="s">&quot;RGBA&quot;</span>
+    _sock(paint.inputs, <span class="s">&quot;A_Color&quot;</span>).default_value = (<span class="n">0.62</span>, <span class="n">0.56</span>, <span class="n">0.42</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>)
+    _sock(paint.inputs, <span class="s">&quot;B_Color&quot;</span>).default_value = (<span class="n">0.74</span>, <span class="n">0.68</span>, <span class="n">0.52</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>)
+    nt.links.new(tone.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Fac&quot;</span>], _sock(paint.inputs, <span class="s">&quot;Factor_Float&quot;</span>))
+    mix = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeMix&quot;</span>)
+    mix.data_type = <span class="s">&quot;RGBA&quot;</span>
+    nt.links.new(mask.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Color&quot;</span>], _sock(mix.inputs, <span class="s">&quot;Factor_Float&quot;</span>))
+    nt.links.new(_sock(paint.outputs, <span class="s">&quot;Result_Color&quot;</span>), _sock(mix.inputs, <span class="s">&quot;A_Color&quot;</span>))
+    nt.links.new(grain, _sock(mix.inputs, <span class="s">&quot;B_Color&quot;</span>))
+    nt.links.new(_sock(mix.outputs, <span class="s">&quot;Result_Color&quot;</span>), bsdf.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Base Color&quot;</span>])
+    <span class="k">return</span> mat
+
+
+<span class="k">def</span> signpost_materials():
+    <span class="s">&quot;&quot;&quot;(wood, board, iron): shared by the check, the render and inspection.&quot;&quot;&quot;</span>
+    wood = wood_material(<span class="s">&quot;SignpostWood&quot;</span>)
+    board = board_material(<span class="s">&quot;SignpostBoard&quot;</span>)
+    metal = principled(
+        <span class="s">&quot;SignpostIron&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.17</span>, <span class="n">0.165</span>, <span class="n">0.155</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), <span class="n">0.80</span>, <span class="n">0.46</span>,
+        noise_scale=<span class="n">18.0</span>, wear=(<span class="n">0.20</span>, <span class="n">0.085</span>, <span class="n">0.032</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>),
+    )
+    <span class="k">return</span> wood, board, metal
+
+
 <span class="k">def</span> assign_slots(obj, wood, board, metal):
     mats = obj.data.materials
     wanted = (wood, board, metal)
@@ -1033,18 +1205,9 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     )
     low = build_signpost_mesh(<span class="s">&quot;SignpostLow&quot;</span>, bevel_offset=<span class="n">0.004</span>, bevel_segments=<span class="n">2</span>, **kw)
     high = build_signpost_mesh(<span class="s">&quot;SignpostHigh&quot;</span>, bevel_offset=<span class="n">0.004</span>, bevel_segments=<span class="n">4</span>, **kw)
-    wood = principled(
-        <span class="s">&quot;SignpostWood&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.34</span>, <span class="n">0.18</span>, <span class="n">0.07</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.62</span>,
-        noise_scale=<span class="n">14.0</span>, wear=(<span class="n">0.22</span>, <span class="n">0.10</span>, <span class="n">0.04</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>),
-    )
-    board = principled(
-        <span class="s">&quot;SignpostBoard&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.76</span>, <span class="n">0.58</span>, <span class="n">0.22</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.52</span>,
-        noise_scale=<span class="n">10.0</span>, wear=(<span class="n">0.55</span>, <span class="n">0.38</span>, <span class="n">0.14</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>),
-    )
-    metal = principled(
-        <span class="s">&quot;SignpostIron&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.14</span>, <span class="n">0.145</span>, <span class="n">0.155</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), <span class="n">1.0</span>, <span class="n">0.38</span>,
-        noise_scale=<span class="n">18.0</span>, wear=(<span class="n">0.22</span>, <span class="n">0.18</span>, <span class="n">0.14</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>),
-    )
+    wood, board, metal = signpost_materials()
+    paint_planks(low.data)
+    paint_planks(high.data)
     assign_slots(low, wood, board, metal)
     assign_slots(high, wood, board, metal)
 
@@ -1100,6 +1263,10 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
         os.remove(export_path)
     export_unity(export_path, [low, collider])
     export_size = os.path.getsize(export_path) <span class="k">if</span> os.path.isfile(export_path) <span class="k">else</span> <span class="n">0</span>
+    <span class="c"># Blender points TMPDIR at the working directory, so the export must not</span>
+    <span class="c"># outlive the measurement.</span>
+    <span class="k">if</span> os.path.exists(export_path):
+        os.remove(export_path)
 
     hyg = hygiene_audit(low.data)
     zf = zfight_pairs(low.data)
@@ -1263,7 +1430,9 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     floor_me = bpy.data.meshes.new(<span class="s">&quot;Floor&quot;</span>)
     bm = bmesh.new()
     <span class="k">try</span>:
-        bmesh.ops.create_grid(bm, x_segments=<span class="n">1</span>, y_segments=<span class="n">1</span>, size=<span class="n">14.0</span>)
+        <span class="c"># Oversized so no edge of the set can enter frame; at 14 m the wall&#x27;s</span>
+        <span class="c"># left edge showed in the corner of the hero.</span>
+        bmesh.ops.create_grid(bm, x_segments=<span class="n">1</span>, y_segments=<span class="n">1</span>, size=<span class="n">60.0</span>)
         bm.to_mesh(floor_me)
     <span class="k">finally</span>:
         bm.free()
@@ -1391,7 +1560,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
   </main>
   <dialog class="lightbox" id="lightbox" aria-label="Full-size render">
     <button class="lightbox-close" type="button" autofocus>Close</button>
-    <img src="../assets/signpost-hero.webp" alt="A wooden signpost with two pointed finger boards and dark iron bands on the post." />
+    <img src="../assets/signpost-hero.webp" alt="A wooden signpost with two pointed finger boards in worn cream paint and rusted iron bands on the post." />
   </dialog>
   <footer>
     <div class="statusbar">
diff --git a/docs/gallery/text-version-stamp/index.html b/docs/gallery/text-version-stamp/index.html
index a774d92d..3173aef3 100644
--- a/docs/gallery/text-version-stamp/index.html
+++ b/docs/gallery/text-version-stamp/index.html
@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@
   <meta property="og:image" content="https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Blender-Developer-Tools/gallery/assets/text-version-stamp-hero.webp" />
   <meta property="og:image:width" content="1280" />
   <meta property="og:image:height" content="720" />
-  <meta property="og:image:alt" content="The word BLENDER above the Blender version number in large gold 3D characters." />
+  <meta property="og:image:alt" content="The Blender version number in large gold 3D characters standing on a dark plinth, the word BLENDER set into its face." />
   <meta property="og:site_name" content="Blender Developer Tools" />
   <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
   <meta name="twitter:title" content="text-version-stamp — Examples — Blender Developer Tools" />
   <meta name="twitter:description" content="The TextCurve data API — curves.new(type=&#x27;FONT&#x27;), live body text from bpy.app.version_string, extrude and bevel_depth solids, and evaluated-mesh conversion — so every render self-documents which Blender produced it." />
   <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Blender-Developer-Tools/gallery/assets/text-version-stamp-hero.webp" />
-  <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="The word BLENDER above the Blender version number in large gold 3D characters." />
+  <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="The Blender version number in large gold 3D characters standing on a dark plinth, the word BLENDER set into its face." />
   <style>
     /* fonts are deployed by the landing build (docs/fonts/) */
     @font-face { font-family: 'Barlow Condensed'; font-weight: 600; font-display: swap;
@@ -268,8 +268,8 @@ <h1>text-version-stamp</h1>
     <p>The TextCurve data API — curves.new(type=&#x27;FONT&#x27;), live body text from bpy.app.version_string, extrude and bevel_depth solids, and evaluated-mesh conversion — so every render self-documents which Blender produced it.</p>
   </header>
   <main id="main">
-    <button class="detail-hero" id="heroZoom" type="button" aria-label="View full size: The word BLENDER above the Blender version number in large gold 3D characters.">
-      <img src="../assets/text-version-stamp-hero.webp" alt="The word BLENDER above the Blender version number in large gold 3D characters." width="1280" height="720" />
+    <button class="detail-hero" id="heroZoom" type="button" aria-label="View full size: The Blender version number in large gold 3D characters standing on a dark plinth, the word BLENDER set into its face.">
+      <img src="../assets/text-version-stamp-hero.webp" alt="The Blender version number in large gold 3D characters standing on a dark plinth, the word BLENDER set into its face." width="1280" height="720" />
     </button>
     <p class="zoom-hint">Rendered headless by the example itself — click to zoom.</p>
     <div class="callout"><span class="tag">witnesses</span> TextCurve solids are exactly predictable: evaluated z-extent = 2 × (extrude + bevel_depth), bevel widens the outline by 2 × bevel_depth, editing body regenerates geometry — and version_string is not bare semver on LTS (&quot;4.5.11 LTS&quot;), so parse bpy.app.version instead.</div>
@@ -281,6 +281,8 @@ <h1>text-version-stamp</h1>
 <p>A runnable example that builds a beveled 3D stamp of the running Blender version — a <code>TextCurve</code> (<code>bpy.data.curves.new(type=&#x27;FONT&#x27;)</code>) whose <code>body</code> is the live <code>bpy.app.version_string</code>, so every render self-documents which Blender produced it. CI artifacts made this way are self-labeling.</p>
 <p><strong>What it witnesses:</strong> the TextCurve data-API contract. <code>curves.new(type=&#x27;FONT&#x27;)</code> returns a Curve subclass, the built-in font (&quot;Bfont Regular&quot;) is always loaded even headless, <code>body</code> is plain assignable text that regenerates geometry on edit (more characters → strictly wider evaluated mesh), and <code>extrude</code> / <code>bevel_depth</code> produce exactly predictable solids: the evaluated mesh z-extent equals 2 × (extrude + bevel_depth) and the round bevel widens the outline in-plane by 2 × bevel_depth. Flat text (no extrude, no bevel) is already <em>filled</em> — faces exist — but strictly planar. The check also witnesses the depsgraph lifetime hazard: after <code>to_mesh_clear()</code> the returned Mesh reference is dead and any access raises <code>ReferenceError</code>.</p>
 <p><strong>Version divergence:</strong> the string format itself differs — <code>&quot;5.1.2&quot;</code> on 5.x but <code>&quot;4.5.11 LTS&quot;</code> on 4.5 (the suffix is part of <code>version_string</code>). The check therefore asserts the contract that holds on both: <code>version_string</code> starts with the dotted <code>bpy.app.version</code> tuple. Code that parses <code>version_string</code> as a bare semver breaks on every LTS build; branch on the <code>bpy.app.version</code> tuple instead.</p>
+<h2>Staging</h2>
+<p>The numerals stand on a dark plinth, with the steel caption set into the plinth&#x27;s front face. The caption used to float in the air above the stamp, and an emissive bar lay along the bottom edge of the frame. The still renders under the Standard view transform on the house stage. Render path only; the checked text body and its extents are unchanged.</p>
 <h2>Run</h2>
 <pre><code># Cheap correctness check (no render) — the CI check:
 blender --background --python text_version_stamp.py --
@@ -464,7 +466,12 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     s = <span class="n">3.1</span> / width
     obj.scale = (s, s, s)
     obj.rotation_euler = (math.radians(<span class="n">90</span>), <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>)
-    obj.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>, s * height / <span class="n">2</span> + <span class="n">0.02</span>)
+    <span class="c"># The stamp stands on a dark plinth, and the caption is set into the</span>
+    <span class="c"># plinth&#x27;s front face. It used to float in the air above the stamp,</span>
+    <span class="c"># with a glowing bar along the bottom edge of the frame.</span>
+    plinth_h = <span class="n">0.30</span>
+    plinth_d = <span class="n">0.56</span>
+    obj.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>, plinth_h + s * height / <span class="n">2</span> + <span class="n">0.02</span>)
 
     <span class="c"># small steel caption above, also a TextCurve</span>
     cap = bpy.data.curves.new(<span class="s">&quot;Caption&quot;</span>, type=<span class="s">&#x27;FONT&#x27;</span>)
@@ -480,28 +487,29 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     cap.materials.append(cmat)
     cap_obj = bpy.data.objects.new(<span class="s">&quot;Caption&quot;</span>, cap)
     cap_obj.rotation_euler = (math.radians(<span class="n">90</span>), <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>)
-    cap_obj.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>, s * height + <span class="n">0.62</span>)
+    cap_obj.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, -plinth_d / <span class="n">2</span> - cap.extrude, plinth_h / <span class="n">2</span>)
     scene.collection.objects.link(cap_obj)
 
-    <span class="c"># teal emissive underline bar grounding the stamp</span>
     <span class="k">import</span> bmesh
-    bar_me = bpy.data.meshes.new(<span class="s">&quot;Bar&quot;</span>)
+    plinth_me = bpy.data.meshes.new(<span class="s">&quot;Plinth&quot;</span>)
     bm = bmesh.new()
     <span class="k">try</span>:
         bmesh.ops.create_cube(bm, size=<span class="n">1.0</span>)
-        bm.to_mesh(bar_me)
+        bmesh.ops.bevel(bm, geom=list(bm.edges), offset=<span class="n">0.012</span>, segments=<span class="n">2</span>,
+                        profile=<span class="n">0.5</span>, affect=<span class="s">&quot;EDGES&quot;</span>, clamp_overlap=<span class="k">True</span>)
+        bm.to_mesh(plinth_me)
     <span class="k">finally</span>:
         bm.free()
-    bmat = bpy.data.materials.new(<span class="s">&quot;Glow&quot;</span>)
-    bmat.use_nodes = <span class="k">True</span>
-    bb = bmat.node_tree.nodes[<span class="s">&quot;Principled BSDF&quot;</span>]
-    bb.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Emission Color&quot;</span>].default_value = (<span class="n">0.1</span>, <span class="n">0.9</span>, <span class="n">0.8</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>)
-    bb.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Emission Strength&quot;</span>].default_value = <span class="n">14.0</span>
-    bar_me.materials.append(bmat)
-    bar = bpy.data.objects.new(<span class="s">&quot;Bar&quot;</span>, bar_me)
-    bar.scale = (<span class="n">3.9</span>, <span class="n">0.06</span>, <span class="n">0.02</span>)
-    bar.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, -<span class="n">0.35</span>, <span class="n">0.02</span>)
-    scene.collection.objects.link(bar)
+    pmat = bpy.data.materials.new(<span class="s">&quot;Plinth&quot;</span>)
+    pmat.use_nodes = <span class="k">True</span>
+    pb = pmat.node_tree.nodes[<span class="s">&quot;Principled BSDF&quot;</span>]
+    pb.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Base Color&quot;</span>].default_value = (<span class="n">0.045</span>, <span class="n">0.045</span>, <span class="n">0.05</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>)
+    pb.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Roughness&quot;</span>].default_value = <span class="n">0.45</span>
+    plinth_me.materials.append(pmat)
+    plinth = bpy.data.objects.new(<span class="s">&quot;Plinth&quot;</span>, plinth_me)
+    plinth.scale = (<span class="n">3.5</span>, plinth_d, plinth_h)
+    plinth.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>, plinth_h / <span class="n">2</span>)
+    scene.collection.objects.link(plinth)
 
     <span class="c"># dark studio: floor + back wall</span>
     floor_me = bpy.data.meshes.new(<span class="s">&quot;Floor&quot;</span>)
@@ -514,8 +522,8 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     fmat = bpy.data.materials.new(<span class="s">&quot;Studio&quot;</span>)
     fmat.use_nodes = <span class="k">True</span>
     fb = fmat.node_tree.nodes[<span class="s">&quot;Principled BSDF&quot;</span>]
-    fb.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Base Color&quot;</span>].default_value = (<span class="n">0.05</span>, <span class="n">0.055</span>, <span class="n">0.065</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>)
-    fb.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Roughness&quot;</span>].default_value = <span class="n">0.35</span>
+    fb.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Base Color&quot;</span>].default_value = (<span class="n">0.03</span>, <span class="n">0.032</span>, <span class="n">0.037</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>)
+    fb.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Roughness&quot;</span>].default_value = <span class="n">0.7</span>
     floor_me.materials.append(fmat)
     floor = bpy.data.objects.new(<span class="s">&quot;Floor&quot;</span>, floor_me)
     scene.collection.objects.link(floor)
@@ -548,10 +556,10 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     <span class="c"># Reframed: the old (0,-8.5,1.15) fixed 86.5° pitch left the stamp at</span>
     <span class="c"># 0.663 fill with a dead lower third; moved in with an aim on the stamp&#x27;s</span>
     <span class="c"># vertical center so text, caption, and underline bar balance the frame.</span>
-    cam.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, -<span class="n">6.0</span>, <span class="n">1.5</span>)
+    cam.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, -<span class="n">5.45</span>, <span class="n">1.55</span>)
     scene.collection.objects.link(cam)
     aim = bpy.data.objects.new(<span class="s">&quot;Aim&quot;</span>, <span class="k">None</span>)
-    aim.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">1.05</span>)
+    aim.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.62</span>)
     scene.collection.objects.link(aim)
     con = cam.constraints.new(<span class="s">&#x27;TRACK_TO&#x27;</span>)
     con.target = aim
@@ -571,13 +579,15 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     scene.render.resolution_y = <span class="n">720</span>
     scene.render.image_settings.file_format = <span class="s">&#x27;PNG&#x27;</span>
     scene.render.filepath = path
+    <span class="c"># AgX would dull the brass toward tan (docs/VISUAL-STYLE.md)</span>
+    scene.view_settings.view_transform = <span class="s">&#x27;Standard&#x27;</span>
     <span class="c"># Layer 1 framing gate (silhouette matte) — exit 10 on violation, before</span>
     <span class="c"># the beauty render so a defective composition ships no artifact. The hero</span>
-    <span class="c"># is the version stamp; caption and underline bar count for margins.</span>
+    <span class="c"># is the version stamp; caption and plinth count for margins.</span>
     fcode = gallery_framing.check_framing(
         scene, cam,
         hero=[obj],
-        elements=[obj, cap_obj, bar],
+        elements=[obj, cap_obj, plinth],
         stage=[floor, wall],
     )
     <span class="k">if</span> fcode:
@@ -625,7 +635,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
   </main>
   <dialog class="lightbox" id="lightbox" aria-label="Full-size render">
     <button class="lightbox-close" type="button" autofocus>Close</button>
-    <img src="../assets/text-version-stamp-hero.webp" alt="The word BLENDER above the Blender version number in large gold 3D characters." />
+    <img src="../assets/text-version-stamp-hero.webp" alt="The Blender version number in large gold 3D characters standing on a dark plinth, the word BLENDER set into its face." />
   </dialog>
   <footer>
     <div class="statusbar">
diff --git a/examples/cross-version-property-delete/README.md b/examples/cross-version-property-delete/README.md
index 3dda5440..96623763 100644
--- a/examples/cross-version-property-delete/README.md
+++ b/examples/cross-version-property-delete/README.md
@@ -24,6 +24,15 @@ no `active_object`.
 - exit 7 — `del` did not run (`--skip-delete` / `--unset-instead` falsify
   this: measured `clear_has=True`)
 
+## Staging
+
+The two tags now hang from the stand's bar on steel rods. The bar used
+to run 0.17 m behind the plates with nothing joining them, and the
+"rings" were solid discs, so the plates hung on air. The bar spans both
+plates, the post rises to it, and the base is as wide as what it
+carries. Render path only: the check reads ID properties, never
+geometry.
+
 ## Run
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/examples/cross-version-property-delete/cross_version_property_delete.py b/examples/cross-version-property-delete/cross_version_property_delete.py
index 9e862a30..d39a48f8 100644
--- a/examples/cross-version-property-delete/cross_version_property_delete.py
+++ b/examples/cross-version-property-delete/cross_version_property_delete.py
@@ -207,6 +207,31 @@ def render_still(keep_parts, clear_parts, stand, path, engine):
     for ob in stand:
         assign(ob, steel)
 
+    # Render-only staging: the check reads ID properties, never geometry.
+    # The build left the bar 0.17 m behind the plates with nothing joining
+    # them, and the "rings" are solid discs, so the plates hung on air.
+    # Here the bar runs in the plates' plane above their tops, spans both,
+    # and each plate hangs from it on two rods; the post rises to the bar
+    # and the base is as wide as what it carries.
+    post, base, bar = stand
+    plate_top = keep_plate.location.z + 0.525
+    bar_z = plate_top + 0.16
+    bar.location = (0.0, 0.0, bar_z)
+    bar.scale.x = 4.4 / 2.6
+    post.location = (0.0, 0.0, 0.5 * bar_z)
+    post.scale.z = bar_z / 1.55
+    base.location = (0.0, 0.0, 0.06)
+    base.scale.x = 4.6 / 3.4
+    hangers = []
+    for plate in (keep_plate, clear_plate):
+        for dx in (-0.62, 0.62):
+            rod = cylinder(f"Hanger{len(hangers)}", 0.018, bar_z - plate_top + 0.05,
+                           (plate.location.x + dx, 0.0, 0.5 * (plate_top - 0.03 + bar_z)), segs=12)
+            assign(rod, steel)
+            hangers.append(rod)
+    for ring in (keep_ring, clear_ring):
+        ring.hide_render = True
+
     inlay = None
     if KEY in keep_plate.keys():
         inlay = add_inlay("Keep", keep_plate)
@@ -253,13 +278,13 @@ def light(name, loc, energy, size, col, rot):
     light("Glint", (1.6, -5.0, 6.0), 850.0, 0.9, (1.0, 0.9, 0.7), (40, 0, 18))
 
     aim = bpy.data.objects.new("Aim", None)
-    aim.location = (0.0, 0.0, 1.15)
+    aim.location = (0.0, 0.0, 0.95)
     aim.hide_render = True
     scene.collection.objects.link(aim)
     cam_data = bpy.data.cameras.new("Cam")
     cam_data.lens = 50.0
     cam = bpy.data.objects.new("Cam", cam_data)
-    cam.location = (3.55, -6.59, 3.30)
+    cam.location = (3.95, -7.35, 3.3)
     scene.collection.objects.link(cam)
     scene.camera = cam
     track = cam.constraints.new("TRACK_TO")
@@ -281,7 +306,7 @@ def light(name, loc, energy, size, col, rot):
     scene.render.filepath = path
     scene.view_settings.view_transform = "Standard"
 
-    hero = [keep_plate, clear_plate, keep_ring, clear_ring] + list(stand)
+    hero = [keep_plate, clear_plate] + list(stand) + hangers
     if inlay is not None:
         hero.append(inlay)
     fcode = gallery_framing.check_framing(
diff --git a/examples/cross-version-property-delete/preview.webp b/examples/cross-version-property-delete/preview.webp
index 91899af1..27718877 100644
Binary files a/examples/cross-version-property-delete/preview.webp and b/examples/cross-version-property-delete/preview.webp differ
diff --git a/examples/gallery.json b/examples/gallery.json
index 080758ad..05466440 100644
--- a/examples/gallery.json
+++ b/examples/gallery.json
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@
       "name": "text-version-stamp",
       "dir": "examples/text-version-stamp",
       "teaches": "The TextCurve data API — curves.new(type='FONT'), live body text from bpy.app.version_string, extrude and bevel_depth solids, and evaluated-mesh conversion — so every render self-documents which Blender produced it.",
-      "alt": "The word BLENDER above the Blender version number in large gold 3D characters.",
+      "alt": "The Blender version number in large gold 3D characters standing on a dark plinth, the word BLENDER set into its face.",
       "witnessesFix": "TextCurve solids are exactly predictable: evaluated z-extent = 2 × (extrude + bevel_depth), bevel widens the outline by 2 × bevel_depth, editing body regenerates geometry — and version_string is not bare semver on LTS (\"4.5.11 LTS\"), so parse bpy.app.version instead.",
       "hero": "docs/gallery/assets/text-version-stamp-hero.webp",
       "preview": "examples/text-version-stamp/preview.webp",
@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@
       "name": "cross-version-property-delete",
       "dir": "examples/cross-version-property-delete",
       "teaches": "Custom ID properties are removed with del, not property_unset. The IDs are built through bpy.data.objects.new so the check does not depend on active_object.",
-      "alt": "Two framed display panels on a stand: the left shows a lit cyan screen, the right a blank grey one.",
+      "alt": "Two brass tags hanging from a stand on steel rods: the left shows a lit cyan inlay, the right a blank grey pocket.",
       "witnessesFix": "Factory-empty has no active_object; property_unset raises TypeError and leaves the key; del removes it (clear_has=False). --skip-delete and --unset-instead exit 7.",
       "hero": "docs/gallery/assets/cross-version-property-delete-hero.webp",
       "preview": "examples/cross-version-property-delete/preview.webp",
diff --git a/examples/text-version-stamp/README.md b/examples/text-version-stamp/README.md
index 509e3744..0bb71e90 100644
--- a/examples/text-version-stamp/README.md
+++ b/examples/text-version-stamp/README.md
@@ -22,6 +22,14 @@ asserts the contract that holds on both: `version_string` starts with the dotted
 `bpy.app.version` tuple. Code that parses `version_string` as a bare semver breaks
 on every LTS build; branch on the `bpy.app.version` tuple instead.
 
+## Staging
+
+The numerals stand on a dark plinth, with the steel caption set into the
+plinth's front face. The caption used to float in the air above the
+stamp, and an emissive bar lay along the bottom edge of the frame. The
+still renders under the Standard view transform on the house stage.
+Render path only; the checked text body and its extents are unchanged.
+
 ## Run
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/examples/text-version-stamp/preview.webp b/examples/text-version-stamp/preview.webp
index 6b65c980..600e491d 100644
Binary files a/examples/text-version-stamp/preview.webp and b/examples/text-version-stamp/preview.webp differ
diff --git a/examples/text-version-stamp/text_version_stamp.py b/examples/text-version-stamp/text_version_stamp.py
index 25768e00..aea964d7 100644
--- a/examples/text-version-stamp/text_version_stamp.py
+++ b/examples/text-version-stamp/text_version_stamp.py
@@ -159,7 +159,12 @@ def render_still(obj, path, engine):
     s = 3.1 / width
     obj.scale = (s, s, s)
     obj.rotation_euler = (math.radians(90), 0.0, 0.0)
-    obj.location = (0.0, 0.0, s * height / 2 + 0.02)
+    # The stamp stands on a dark plinth, and the caption is set into the
+    # plinth's front face. It used to float in the air above the stamp,
+    # with a glowing bar along the bottom edge of the frame.
+    plinth_h = 0.30
+    plinth_d = 0.56
+    obj.location = (0.0, 0.0, plinth_h + s * height / 2 + 0.02)
 
     # small steel caption above, also a TextCurve
     cap = bpy.data.curves.new("Caption", type='FONT')
@@ -175,28 +180,29 @@ def render_still(obj, path, engine):
     cap.materials.append(cmat)
     cap_obj = bpy.data.objects.new("Caption", cap)
     cap_obj.rotation_euler = (math.radians(90), 0.0, 0.0)
-    cap_obj.location = (0.0, 0.0, s * height + 0.62)
+    cap_obj.location = (0.0, -plinth_d / 2 - cap.extrude, plinth_h / 2)
     scene.collection.objects.link(cap_obj)
 
-    # teal emissive underline bar grounding the stamp
     import bmesh
-    bar_me = bpy.data.meshes.new("Bar")
+    plinth_me = bpy.data.meshes.new("Plinth")
     bm = bmesh.new()
     try:
         bmesh.ops.create_cube(bm, size=1.0)
-        bm.to_mesh(bar_me)
+        bmesh.ops.bevel(bm, geom=list(bm.edges), offset=0.012, segments=2,
+                        profile=0.5, affect="EDGES", clamp_overlap=True)
+        bm.to_mesh(plinth_me)
     finally:
         bm.free()
-    bmat = bpy.data.materials.new("Glow")
-    bmat.use_nodes = True
-    bb = bmat.node_tree.nodes["Principled BSDF"]
-    bb.inputs["Emission Color"].default_value = (0.1, 0.9, 0.8, 1.0)
-    bb.inputs["Emission Strength"].default_value = 14.0
-    bar_me.materials.append(bmat)
-    bar = bpy.data.objects.new("Bar", bar_me)
-    bar.scale = (3.9, 0.06, 0.02)
-    bar.location = (0.0, -0.35, 0.02)
-    scene.collection.objects.link(bar)
+    pmat = bpy.data.materials.new("Plinth")
+    pmat.use_nodes = True
+    pb = pmat.node_tree.nodes["Principled BSDF"]
+    pb.inputs["Base Color"].default_value = (0.045, 0.045, 0.05, 1.0)
+    pb.inputs["Roughness"].default_value = 0.45
+    plinth_me.materials.append(pmat)
+    plinth = bpy.data.objects.new("Plinth", plinth_me)
+    plinth.scale = (3.5, plinth_d, plinth_h)
+    plinth.location = (0.0, 0.0, plinth_h / 2)
+    scene.collection.objects.link(plinth)
 
     # dark studio: floor + back wall
     floor_me = bpy.data.meshes.new("Floor")
@@ -209,8 +215,8 @@ def render_still(obj, path, engine):
     fmat = bpy.data.materials.new("Studio")
     fmat.use_nodes = True
     fb = fmat.node_tree.nodes["Principled BSDF"]
-    fb.inputs["Base Color"].default_value = (0.05, 0.055, 0.065, 1.0)
-    fb.inputs["Roughness"].default_value = 0.35
+    fb.inputs["Base Color"].default_value = (0.03, 0.032, 0.037, 1.0)
+    fb.inputs["Roughness"].default_value = 0.7
     floor_me.materials.append(fmat)
     floor = bpy.data.objects.new("Floor", floor_me)
     scene.collection.objects.link(floor)
@@ -243,10 +249,10 @@ def light(name, loc, energy, size, col, rot):
     # Reframed: the old (0,-8.5,1.15) fixed 86.5° pitch left the stamp at
     # 0.663 fill with a dead lower third; moved in with an aim on the stamp's
     # vertical center so text, caption, and underline bar balance the frame.
-    cam.location = (0.0, -6.0, 1.5)
+    cam.location = (0.0, -5.45, 1.55)
     scene.collection.objects.link(cam)
     aim = bpy.data.objects.new("Aim", None)
-    aim.location = (0.0, 0.0, 1.05)
+    aim.location = (0.0, 0.0, 0.62)
     scene.collection.objects.link(aim)
     con = cam.constraints.new('TRACK_TO')
     con.target = aim
@@ -266,13 +272,15 @@ def light(name, loc, energy, size, col, rot):
     scene.render.resolution_y = 720
     scene.render.image_settings.file_format = 'PNG'
     scene.render.filepath = path
+    # AgX would dull the brass toward tan (docs/VISUAL-STYLE.md)
+    scene.view_settings.view_transform = 'Standard'
     # Layer 1 framing gate (silhouette matte) — exit 10 on violation, before
     # the beauty render so a defective composition ships no artifact. The hero
-    # is the version stamp; caption and underline bar count for margins.
+    # is the version stamp; caption and plinth count for margins.
     fcode = gallery_framing.check_framing(
         scene, cam,
         hero=[obj],
-        elements=[obj, cap_obj, bar],
+        elements=[obj, cap_obj, plinth],
         stage=[floor, wall],
     )
     if fcode:
diff --git a/showcase/README.md b/showcase/README.md
index 4c1839f9..ea6c3b50 100644
--- a/showcase/README.md
+++ b/showcase/README.md
@@ -464,6 +464,14 @@ entry in `showcase/gallery.json`, and a rendered still.
   bite inside it, outer face proud of it. Assert the band's outer
   half-width against the host's (`--sunk-bands`). An overlap test alone
   passes a sunk band, because a sunk band overlaps too.
+- **A forging is not a turning (exit 19).** A lathed, elliptical waist
+  under a rectangular anvil face reads as a funnel. Loft forged parts from
+  a squared section (a superellipse) and assert it: corner reach, how far
+  a section vertex fills its bounding rectangle's corner, is 0.707 for an
+  ellipse. `--round-waist` is the falsifier.
+- **Paint wears through to what is under it.** A painted board is one
+  flat colour until a mask lets the wood show at the edges and pores;
+  shade the paint per board.
 - **Iron is not chrome.** Cast and forged iron is near-black or rusted
   and rough. Metallic 1.0 with roughness under 0.4 reads as polished
   steel or plastic (`hand-pump` read as chrome).
diff --git a/showcase/anvil/README.md b/showcase/anvil/README.md
index b56e777a..a4ecf2a6 100644
--- a/showcase/anvil/README.md
+++ b/showcase/anvil/README.md
@@ -28,14 +28,14 @@ materials, UVs, evaluated LOD, collider, or export file.
 
 | Axis | Declared | Measured (4.5.11 / 5.1.2 / 5.2.1) |
 | --- | --- | --- |
-| Base triangles | 2500–4500 | 2988 / 2988 / 2988 |
+| Base triangles | 2500–4500 | 3052 / 3052 / 3052 |
 | LOD1 ratio | 0.32–0.62 of base | 0.5000 / 0.5000 / 0.5000 |
 | LOD2 ratio | 0.10–0.35 of base | 0.2195 / 0.2195 / 0.2195 |
-| Materials | exactly 2 distinct; ≥400 wood, ≥400 metal faces | 2 slots; 1040 / 822 |
+| Materials | exactly 2 distinct; ≥400 wood, ≥400 metal faces | 2 slots; 1040 / 854 |
 | UVs | in `0..1`, AABB overlap ≤ 1e-5 | in range, overlap 0 |
 | Outer AABB | (0.621, 0.414, 0.489) m ± 0.015 | (0.6210, 0.4137, 0.4890), zmin 0 |
 | Collider tris | ≤ 280 | 134 |
-| Export | written, size > 0 | 244052 / 244052 / 244036 bytes |
+| Export | written, size > 0 | 248532 / 248532 / 248516 bytes |
 
 Base triangles dropped from **6616 to 2988** in the quality pass:
 overlapping face boxes and a beveled superellipse horn became one
@@ -45,8 +45,9 @@ the waste.
 DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts are **not** identical across series —
 the gate is a ratio band, not an exact count. Bake pixels are
 stochastic; the gate is `has_data` plus operator `FINISHED`, not
-byte-identity. Stave-width jitter uses fixed seed 17. Export byte counts
-differ by 16 B on 5.2.1 (glTF serializer), not a gated axis.
+byte-identity. Stave-width jitter uses fixed seed 17, and the per-piece
+wood tone its own seed. Export byte counts differ on 5.2.1 (glTF
+serializer), not a gated axis.
 
 ### Hygiene
 
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ Recomputed from the generated mesh, not asserted about the script.
 | Grounded: `zmin` | within 1e-4 of 0 | 0.0000 |
 | Named supports: 16 staves | each `zmin` ≤ 0.001 | 16, stave_z 0.00000 |
 | Body plan | 0.621 m long × 0.180 m high ± 0.05 | 0.6210 × 0.1800 |
+| **Waist form** | corner reach at the pinch ≥ 0.80 (an ellipse is 0.707) | 0.8572 |
 
 ### Joint fit and seat
 
@@ -71,9 +73,23 @@ Recomputed from the generated mesh, not asserted about the script.
 | Foot-on-head BVH gap | ≤ 0.006 m | 0.00300 |
 | Hoop bite (host r − inner hoop r) | 0.0012–0.008 m | 0.00300 |
 
+### Waist, steel and stump
+
+The waist was lofted from ellipses, so under the rectangular face it read
+as a turned funnel, not a forged anvil. It is now a superellipse section
+(exponent 4.5) through five stations that flare from the foot in to a
+pinch and out to the body. **Waist form** measures corner reach at the
+narrowest ring: how far a section vertex fills its bounding rectangle's
+corner. `--round-waist` restores the ellipse and exits 19 (0.7071).
+
+The steel was satin (metallic 0.92, roughness 0.32) and read as chrome;
+it is now dark forged steel with rust. Staves and head carry their own
+wood tone and grain. The stage grid grew from 14 to 60 m. The temp `.glb`
+is removed after its size is measured.
+
 ### Falsifiers
 
-Each violates one named budget. All six were run on 4.5.11, 5.1.2 and
+Each violates one named budget. All seven were run on 4.5.11, 5.1.2 and
 5.2.1 and returned the same code on each.
 
 | Flag | Budget violated | Exit |
@@ -84,6 +100,7 @@ Each violates one named budget. All six were run on 4.5.11, 5.1.2 and
 | `--short-staves` | named stave supports at Z=0 | 16 |
 | `--float-anvil` | foot-on-head gap | 17 |
 | `--round-band` | hoop bite band | 18 |
+| `--round-waist` | waist form | 19 |
 
 ## Run
 
@@ -95,6 +112,7 @@ blender --background --python anvil.py -- --lift-z
 blender --background --python anvil.py -- --short-staves
 blender --background --python anvil.py -- --float-anvil
 blender --background --python anvil.py -- --round-band
+blender --background --python anvil.py -- --round-waist
 blender --background --python anvil.py -- --output anvil.png
 ```
 
@@ -127,4 +145,4 @@ hygiene and joint-fit family.
 | 16 | Not grounded: bounding box `zmin` off 0, or a named stave floats |
 | 17 | Joint fit: foot-on-head gap (`--float-anvil`) |
 | 18 | Seat: hoop bite band (`--round-band`) |
-| 19 | Body length or height off the stated real-world size |
+| 19 | Body length or height off the stated real-world size, or waist form (`--round-waist`) |
diff --git a/showcase/anvil/anvil.py b/showcase/anvil/anvil.py
index d32befbf..c7cdb8ed 100644
--- a/showcase/anvil/anvil.py
+++ b/showcase/anvil/anvil.py
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
 budget: ``--skip-decimate`` the LOD-ratio band, ``--stray-vert`` mesh
 hygiene, ``--lift-z`` grounded zmin, ``--short-staves`` named stave
 supports, ``--float-anvil`` foot-on-head joint-fit, ``--round-band``
-hoop seat (hoop generated on a circle instead of the stave chords).
+hoop seat (hoop generated on a circle instead of the stave chords),
+``--round-waist`` anvil form (the waist lofted from ellipses, a funnel).
 
 Fixed seed 17 for stave-width jitter. DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts
 are not byte-identical across Blender versions — the LOD gate is a
@@ -83,6 +84,18 @@
 HARDY_HALF = 0.015
 PRITCHEL_R = 0.007
 N_SECTION = 16
+# The waist is a forged block, not a turned cone: a superellipse section
+# (exponent WAIST_P) lofted through five stations that flare from the foot
+# in to a pinch and out to the body. Corner reach, the most a section vertex
+# fills its bounding rectangle's corner, is 0.707 for an ellipse and about
+# 0.86 here; WAIST_REACH_MIN is the floor. --round-waist sets the exponent to
+# 2, the old elliptical funnel.
+WAIST_P = 4.5
+WAIST_REACH_MIN = 0.80
+# Per-piece wood tone jitter and grain frequency, as in shipping-crate.
+PLANK_TONE_JITTER = 0.28
+TONE_SEED = 29
+WOOD_GRAIN_SCALE = 30.0
 
 AREA_EPS = 1e-10
 DOUBLES_EPS = 1e-5
@@ -465,7 +478,7 @@ def build_staves(bm, spans, z0, bevel_offset, bevel_segments):
     return stave_verts
 
 
-def build_anvil_iron(bm, z_head, float_anvil, bevel_offset, bevel_segments):
+def build_anvil_iron(bm, z_head, float_anvil, bevel_offset, bevel_segments, round_waist=False):
     z_foot0 = z_head - FOOT_BITE + (FLOAT_ANVIL if float_anvil else 0.0)
     z_foot1 = z_foot0 + FOOT_H
     z_body0 = z_foot1 + WAIST_H
@@ -527,16 +540,27 @@ def build_anvil_iron(bm, z_head, float_anvil, bevel_offset, bevel_segments):
     )
     pinch_hy = 0.028
     pinch_hx = 0.055
-    waist_mid = z_foot1 + WAIST_H * 0.48
-    waist_z = (z_foot1, waist_mid, z_body0 + 0.002)
-    waist_hy = (FOOT_XY[1] * 0.46, pinch_hy, hy * 0.42)
-    waist_hx = (FOOT_XY[0] * 0.42, pinch_hx, FACE_LEN * 0.22)
+    t_pinch = 0.48
+    foot_hx, foot_hy = FOOT_XY[0] * 0.42, FOOT_XY[1] * 0.46
+    body_hx, body_hy = FACE_LEN * 0.22, hy * 0.42
+    expo = 2.0 if round_waist else WAIST_P
     real_waist = []
-    for z, hx, hy_w in zip(waist_z, waist_hx, waist_hy):
+    for t in (0.0, 0.24, t_pinch, 0.74, 1.0):
+        # concave flare: quadratic from the pinch out to each end
+        if t <= t_pinch:
+            k = ((t_pinch - t) / t_pinch) ** 2
+            hx, hy_w = pinch_hx + (foot_hx - pinch_hx) * k, pinch_hy + (foot_hy - pinch_hy) * k
+        else:
+            k = ((t - t_pinch) / (1.0 - t_pinch)) ** 2
+            hx, hy_w = pinch_hx + (body_hx - pinch_hx) * k, pinch_hy + (body_hy - pinch_hy) * k
+        z = z_foot1 + (z_body0 + 0.002 - z_foot1) * t
         ring = []
         for i in range(N_SECTION):
-            t = i * (2.0 * math.pi / N_SECTION)
-            ring.append(Vector((hx * math.cos(t), hy_w * math.sin(t), z)))
+            a = i * (2.0 * math.pi / N_SECTION)
+            c, sn = math.cos(a), math.sin(a)
+            x = hx * math.copysign(abs(c) ** (2.0 / expo), c)
+            y = hy_w * math.copysign(abs(sn) ** (2.0 / expo), sn)
+            ring.append(Vector((x, y, z)))
         real_waist.append(ring)
     loft_open(bm, real_waist, METAL_IDX, cap0=True, cap1=True)
     return z_foot0, z_face, list(horn_verts)
@@ -598,6 +622,7 @@ def build_anvil_mesh(
     short_staves=False,
     float_anvil=False,
     round_band=False,
+    round_waist=False,
 ):
     bm = bmesh.new()
     gap_ang = GAP_M / R_BOT
@@ -612,7 +637,7 @@ def build_anvil_mesh(
             croze_xy(spans, 0.5 * (head_z0 + head_z1), 0.004, 0.0),
             WOOD_IDX,
         )
-        build_anvil_iron(bm, head_z1, float_anvil, bevel_offset, bevel_segments)
+        build_anvil_iron(bm, head_z1, float_anvil, bevel_offset, bevel_segments, round_waist)
         build_hoops(bm, spans, round_band)
         bmesh.ops.remove_doubles(bm, verts=list(bm.verts), dist=1e-5)
         bmesh.ops.dissolve_degenerate(bm, dist=1e-6)
@@ -890,6 +915,168 @@ def anvil_seat(me):
         bm_s.free()
 
 
+def waist_reach(me):
+    """Corner reach of the anvil waist at its pinch, from the mesh.
+
+    The waist is the iron shell with the most Z levels holding exactly
+    N_SECTION vertices (its lofted rings). At the narrowest ring, each
+    vertex's reach is min(|dx| / half-width, |dy| / half-depth); the
+    waist's reach is the largest. An ellipse gives 0.707, a squared forging
+    much more.
+    """
+    best, best_levels = None, 0
+    for g in shells(me):
+        if mat_of(me, g) != METAL_IDX:
+            continue
+        levels = {}
+        for i in g:
+            levels.setdefault(round(me.vertices[i].co.z, 5), []).append(i)
+        rings = [r for r in levels.values() if len(r) == N_SECTION]
+        if len(rings) > best_levels:
+            best, best_levels = rings, len(rings)
+    if not best or best_levels < 3:
+        return 0.0
+
+    def half_x(r):
+        xs = [me.vertices[i].co.x for i in r]
+        return 0.5 * (max(xs) - min(xs))
+
+    ring = min(best, key=half_x)
+    cx = sum(me.vertices[i].co.x for i in ring) / len(ring)
+    cy = sum(me.vertices[i].co.y for i in ring) / len(ring)
+    hx = max(abs(me.vertices[i].co.x - cx) for i in ring)
+    hy = max(abs(me.vertices[i].co.y - cy) for i in ring)
+    return max(
+        min(abs(me.vertices[i].co.x - cx) / hx, abs(me.vertices[i].co.y - cy) / hy)
+        for i in ring
+    )
+
+
+def _long_axis(pts):
+    """Principal axis of a point set, by power iteration on its covariance."""
+    c = sum(pts, Vector()) / len(pts)
+    cov = [[0.0] * 3 for _ in range(3)]
+    for p in pts:
+        d = p - c
+        for i in range(3):
+            for j in range(3):
+                cov[i][j] += d[i] * d[j]
+    v = Vector((1.0, 0.3, 0.1))
+    for _ in range(30):
+        w = Vector([sum(cov[i][j] * v[j] for j in range(3)) for i in range(3)])
+        if w.length < 1e-12:
+            break
+        v = w.normalized()
+    return v
+
+
+def paint_planks(me):
+    """Per-shell ``PlankTone`` and ``GrainDir`` face attributes for the wood shader.
+
+    Every stave and the head is its own shell, so each gets one tone and
+    grain running along its own long axis.
+    """
+    tone = [0.5] * len(me.polygons)
+    grain = [(0.0, 0.0, 1.0)] * len(me.polygons)
+    owner = {}
+    rng = random.Random(TONE_SEED)
+    for g in shells(me):
+        pts = [me.vertices[i].co.copy() for i in g]
+        d = _long_axis(pts) if len(pts) > 2 else Vector((0.0, 0.0, 1.0))
+        t = 0.5 + rng.uniform(-PLANK_TONE_JITTER, PLANK_TONE_JITTER)
+        for i in g:
+            owner[i] = (t, tuple(d))
+    for poly in me.polygons:
+        t, d = owner[poly.vertices[0]]
+        tone[poly.index] = t
+        grain[poly.index] = d
+    a = me.attributes.new("PlankTone", "FLOAT", "FACE")
+    a.data.foreach_set("value", tone)
+    b = me.attributes.new("GrainDir", "FLOAT_VECTOR", "FACE")
+    b.data.foreach_set("vector", [c for v in grain for c in v])
+
+
+def _sock(sockets, identifier):
+    """A Mix-node socket by identifier; its A/B/Result names repeat per type."""
+    return next(sk for sk in sockets if sk.identifier == identifier)
+
+
+def wood_material(name):
+    """Grain along each stave or board (``GrainDir``), tone per piece (``PlankTone``)."""
+    mat = bpy.data.materials.new(name)
+    mat.use_nodes = True
+    nt = mat.node_tree
+    bsdf = nt.nodes["Principled BSDF"]
+    coord = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeTexCoord")
+    gdir = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeAttribute")
+    gdir.attribute_name = "GrainDir"
+    tone = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeAttribute")
+    tone.attribute_name = "PlankTone"
+    dot = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeVectorMath")
+    dot.operation = "DOT_PRODUCT"
+    nt.links.new(coord.outputs["Object"], dot.inputs[0])
+    nt.links.new(gdir.outputs["Vector"], dot.inputs[1])
+    squash = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeMath")
+    squash.operation = "MULTIPLY"
+    squash.inputs[1].default_value = 0.94
+    nt.links.new(dot.outputs["Value"], squash.inputs[0])
+    along = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeVectorMath")
+    along.operation = "SCALE"
+    nt.links.new(gdir.outputs["Vector"], along.inputs[0])
+    nt.links.new(squash.outputs["Value"], along.inputs["Scale"])
+    grain_co = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeVectorMath")
+    grain_co.operation = "SUBTRACT"
+    nt.links.new(coord.outputs["Object"], grain_co.inputs[0])
+    nt.links.new(along.outputs["Vector"], grain_co.inputs[1])
+    shift = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeVectorMath")
+    shift.operation = "ADD"
+    nt.links.new(grain_co.outputs["Vector"], shift.inputs[0])
+    nt.links.new(tone.outputs["Fac"], shift.inputs[1])
+    noise = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeTexNoise")
+    noise.inputs["Scale"].default_value = WOOD_GRAIN_SCALE
+    noise.inputs["Detail"].default_value = 6.0
+    noise.inputs["Roughness"].default_value = 0.62
+    nt.links.new(shift.outputs["Vector"], noise.inputs["Vector"])
+    ramp = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeValToRGB")
+    ramp.color_ramp.elements[0].position = 0.30
+    ramp.color_ramp.elements[0].color = (0.12, 0.052, 0.018, 1.0)
+    ramp.color_ramp.elements[1].position = 0.72
+    ramp.color_ramp.elements[1].color = (0.38, 0.18, 0.065, 1.0)
+    nt.links.new(noise.outputs["Fac"], ramp.inputs["Fac"])
+    gain = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeMath")
+    gain.operation = "MULTIPLY_ADD"
+    gain.inputs[1].default_value = 1.1
+    gain.inputs[2].default_value = 0.45
+    nt.links.new(tone.outputs["Fac"], gain.inputs[0])
+    mix = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeMix")
+    mix.data_type = "RGBA"
+    mix.blend_type = "MULTIPLY"
+    _sock(mix.inputs, "Factor_Float").default_value = 1.0
+    nt.links.new(ramp.outputs["Color"], _sock(mix.inputs, "A_Color"))
+    nt.links.new(gain.outputs["Value"], _sock(mix.inputs, "B_Color"))
+    nt.links.new(_sock(mix.outputs, "Result_Color"), bsdf.inputs["Base Color"])
+    rough = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeMapRange")
+    rough.inputs["To Min"].default_value = 0.72
+    rough.inputs["To Max"].default_value = 0.52
+    nt.links.new(noise.outputs["Fac"], rough.inputs["Value"])
+    nt.links.new(rough.outputs["Result"], bsdf.inputs["Roughness"])
+    return mat
+
+
+def anvil_materials():
+    """(wood, steel): shared by the check, the render and inspection.
+
+    Forged steel is dark and rough with a worn, brighter face; the first
+    build was satin metal (metallic 0.92, roughness 0.32) and read as chrome.
+    """
+    wood = wood_material("AnvilStump")
+    metal = principled(
+        "AnvilSteel", (0.06, 0.062, 0.066, 1.0), 0.70, 0.50,
+        noise_scale=20.0, wear=(0.13, 0.08, 0.05, 1.0),
+    )
+    return wood, metal
+
+
 def body_plan(me):
     groups = shells(me)
     xs, z0s, z1s = [], [], []
@@ -1022,19 +1209,18 @@ def check(
     short_staves=False,
     float_anvil=False,
     round_band=False,
+    round_waist=False,
 ):
     bpy.ops.wm.read_factory_settings(use_empty=True)
-    flags = dict(short_staves=short_staves, float_anvil=float_anvil, round_band=round_band)
+    flags = dict(
+        short_staves=short_staves, float_anvil=float_anvil, round_band=round_band,
+        round_waist=round_waist,
+    )
     low = build_anvil_mesh("AnvilLow", 0.004, 2, **flags)
     high = build_anvil_mesh("AnvilHigh", 0.004, 4, **flags)
-    wood = principled(
-        "AnvilStump", (0.34, 0.18, 0.07, 1.0), 0.0, 0.62,
-        noise_scale=6.5, wear=(0.22, 0.12, 0.05, 1.0),
-    )
-    metal = principled(
-        "AnvilSteel", (0.18, 0.18, 0.19, 1.0), 0.92, 0.32,
-        noise_scale=5.5, wear=(0.10, 0.10, 0.11, 1.0),
-    )
+    wood, metal = anvil_materials()
+    paint_planks(low.data)
+    paint_planks(high.data)
     assign_slots(low, wood, metal)
     assign_slots(high, wood, metal)
     if stray_vert:
@@ -1068,6 +1254,7 @@ def check(
     bite_min, bite_max = hoop_seat(low.data, spans)
     seat = anvil_seat(low.data)
     blen, bht = body_plan(low.data)
+    reach = waist_reach(low.data)
     print(
         f"measured hygiene loose_v={hyg['loose_v']} loose_e={hyg['loose_e']} "
         f"nonman={hyg['nonman']} zero_area={hyg['zero_area']} "
@@ -1078,6 +1265,7 @@ def check(
         f"hoop_bite={bite_min:.5f}..{bite_max:.5f} seat={seat:.5f} "
         f"body={blen:.4f}x{bht:.4f}"
     )
+    print(f"measured waist_reach={reach:.4f}")
 
     img, tex = setup_bake_image(low, wood)
     if img is None:
@@ -1105,6 +1293,10 @@ def check(
         os.remove(export_path)
     export_unity(export_path, [low, collider])
     export_size = os.path.getsize(export_path) if os.path.isfile(export_path) else 0
+    # Blender points TMPDIR at the working directory, so the export must not
+    # outlive the measurement.
+    if os.path.exists(export_path):
+        os.remove(export_path)
 
     print(f"blender={tuple(bpy.app.version)} skip_decimate={skip_decimate}")
     print(
@@ -1216,6 +1408,12 @@ def check(
             f"anvil body {blen:.4f}x{bht:.4f} off {BODY_LEN}x{BODY_H}",
             19,
         ), None, None, None, None, None
+    if reach < WAIST_REACH_MIN:
+        return fail(
+            f"waist corner reach {reach:.4f} < {WAIST_REACH_MIN}: a round funnel, "
+            "not a forged waist (--round-waist is the designed fail)",
+            19,
+        ), None, None, None, None, None
     return 0, low, high, wood, tex, collider
 
 
@@ -1232,7 +1430,8 @@ def render_still(low, _wood, _tex, path, engine):
     floor_me = bpy.data.meshes.new("Floor")
     bm = bmesh.new()
     try:
-        bmesh.ops.create_grid(bm, x_segments=1, y_segments=1, size=14.0)
+        # Oversized so no edge of the set can enter frame.
+        bmesh.ops.create_grid(bm, x_segments=1, y_segments=1, size=60.0)
         bm.to_mesh(floor_me)
     finally:
         bm.free()
@@ -1327,6 +1526,7 @@ def main():
     p.add_argument("--short-staves", action="store_true")
     p.add_argument("--float-anvil", action="store_true")
     p.add_argument("--round-band", action="store_true")
+    p.add_argument("--round-waist", action="store_true")
     args = p.parse_args(argv)
 
     code, low, _high, wood, tex, _col = check(
@@ -1336,6 +1536,7 @@ def main():
         short_staves=args.short_staves,
         float_anvil=args.float_anvil,
         round_band=args.round_band,
+        round_waist=args.round_waist,
     )
     if code:
         return code
diff --git a/showcase/anvil/preview.webp b/showcase/anvil/preview.webp
index c5fb1520..97cc5b67 100644
Binary files a/showcase/anvil/preview.webp and b/showcase/anvil/preview.webp differ
diff --git a/showcase/gallery.json b/showcase/gallery.json
index 0468e8a3..142f4d9b 100644
--- a/showcase/gallery.json
+++ b/showcase/gallery.json
@@ -182,8 +182,8 @@
       "name": "anvil",
       "dir": "showcase/anvil",
       "teaches": "A procedural blacksmith anvil on a timber stump through UVs, bake, LOD, collider, and Unity glTF, asserting recomputed budgets rather than an API contract.",
-      "alt": "A black iron anvil mounted on a hooped timber stump.",
-      "witnessesFix": "Recomputed: 2988 tris, two materials with 1040 wood and 822 metal faces, UVs in 0..1 with zero AABB overlap, outer AABB 0.621×0.414×0.489 m, LOD ratios in band, convex collider 134 tris, hygiene 0, 16 grounded staves, hoop bite 0.003 m, foot-on-head gap 0.003 m, non-empty glTF. --skip-decimate exits 9; --stray-vert 15; --lift-z/--short-staves 16; --float-anvil 17; --round-band 18.",
+      "alt": "A dark forged-steel anvil with a flared, squared waist, mounted on a hooped timber stump.",
+      "witnessesFix": "Recomputed: 3052 tris, two materials with 1040 wood and 854 metal faces, UVs in 0..1 with zero AABB overlap, outer AABB 0.621×0.414×0.489 m, LOD ratios in band, convex collider 134 tris, hygiene 0, 16 grounded staves, hoop bite 0.003 m, foot-on-head gap 0.003 m, waist corner reach 0.8572, non-empty glTF. --skip-decimate exits 9; --stray-vert 15; --lift-z/--short-staves 16; --float-anvil 17; --round-band 18; --round-waist 19.",
       "hero": "docs/gallery/assets/anvil-hero.webp",
       "preview": "showcase/anvil/preview.webp",
       "tags": [
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@
       "name": "signpost",
       "dir": "showcase/signpost",
       "teaches": "A procedural timber fingerboard signpost through UVs, bake, LOD, collider, and Unity glTF, asserting recomputed budgets rather than an API contract.",
-      "alt": "A wooden signpost with two pointed finger boards and dark iron bands on the post.",
+      "alt": "A wooden signpost with two pointed finger boards in worn cream paint and rusted iron bands on the post.",
       "witnessesFix": "Recomputed: 376 tris, three materials with 108 metal, 22 board and 60 wood faces, UVs in 0..1 with zero AABB overlap, outer AABB 1.260×0.142×1.551 m at zmin 0, LOD ratios in band (5.2 COLLAPSE leaner on LOD1/LOD2), convex collider 52 tris, non-empty glTF. Hygiene all zero. Board-to-post gap 5 mm, strap gap 3 mm, board AABB Y 28 mm. --skip-decimate exits 9; --stray-vert 15; --lift-z / --short-shoe 16; --gap-board 17; --float-strap 18; --yaw-boards 19.",
       "hero": "docs/gallery/assets/signpost-hero.webp",
       "preview": "showcase/signpost/preview.webp",
diff --git a/showcase/signpost/README.md b/showcase/signpost/README.md
index 20f024ef..5456f6aa 100644
--- a/showcase/signpost/README.md
+++ b/showcase/signpost/README.md
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ materials, UVs, evaluated LOD, collider, or export file.
 | UVs | in `0..1`, AABB overlap ≤ 1e-5 | in range, overlap 0 |
 | Outer AABB | (1.260, 0.142, 1.551) m ± 0.015 | (1.2600, 0.1420, 1.5510), zmin 0 |
 | Collider tris | ≤ 180 | 52 |
-| Export | written, size > 0 | 35688 / 35688 / 35676 bytes |
+| Export | written, size > 0 | 35648 / 35648 / 35640 bytes |
 
 Base triangles dropped from **504 to 376** in the quality pass: glued
 diamond cubes and a solid shoe block became wedges and a four-plate
@@ -50,9 +50,22 @@ collar. Outer AABB tightened from 1.368 × 0.201 × 1.566 m.
 DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts are **not** identical across series —
 5.2.1 is leaner on LOD1 and LOD2. The gate is a ratio band, not an
 exact count. Bake pixels are stochastic; the gate is `has_data` plus
-operator `FINISHED`, not byte-identity. Construction uses no RNG.
-Export byte counts differ by 12 B on 5.2.1 (glTF serializer), not a
-gated axis.
+operator `FINISHED`, not byte-identity. Construction is closed-form;
+the only RNG is the seeded per-piece wood tone. Bevel inputs are sorted
+by edge index, so the face order is the same on every run. Export byte
+counts differ on 5.2.1 (glTF serializer), not a gated axis.
+
+### Surface and stage
+
+The quality pass found no geometric defect: the boards, straps, bands
+and shoe seat as their budgets say. The defects were surface. The finger
+boards were flat pale yellow; they are now cream paint worn through to
+the wood by a noise mask, a shade apart per board. The iron read as
+chrome (metallic 1.0, roughness 0.38) and is now rusted. The post has its
+own tone and grain. The stage grid grew from 14 to 60 m, because the
+wall's left edge showed in the corner of the hero. The temp `.glb` is
+removed after its size is measured. With no new geometric defect, there
+is no new budget.
 
 ### Hygiene
 
diff --git a/showcase/signpost/preview.webp b/showcase/signpost/preview.webp
index c325d82e..c6526b95 100644
Binary files a/showcase/signpost/preview.webp and b/showcase/signpost/preview.webp differ
diff --git a/showcase/signpost/signpost.py b/showcase/signpost/signpost.py
index 27d53062..a1bbf896 100644
--- a/showcase/signpost/signpost.py
+++ b/showcase/signpost/signpost.py
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@
 origin. Hygiene family 15–19: ``--stray-vert``, ``--short-shoe``,
 ``--gap-board``, ``--float-strap``, ``--yaw-boards``.
 
-No RNG. Construction is closed-form. DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts
+Construction is closed-form; the only RNG is the seeded per-piece wood
+tone. DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts
 are not byte-identical across Blender versions — the LOD gate is a
 ratio band, not an exact count.
 
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@
 import argparse
 import math
 import os
+import random
 import sys
 import tempfile
 import traceback
@@ -83,6 +85,11 @@
 BOARD_IDX = 1
 METAL_IDX = 2
 
+# Per-piece wood tone jitter and grain frequency, as in shipping-crate.
+PLANK_TONE_JITTER = 0.28
+TONE_SEED = 29
+WOOD_GRAIN_SCALE = 30.0
+
 DOUBLES_EPS = 1e-5
 AREA_EPS = 1e-10
 ZMIN_EPS = 1e-4
@@ -267,6 +274,10 @@ def build_signpost_mesh(
 
         if bevel_offset > 0.0:
             edges = list({e for v in wood for e in v.link_edges})
+            # set order follows memory addresses; sort so the bevel, and the
+            # face order it produces, are the same on every run
+            bm.edges.index_update()
+            edges.sort(key=lambda e: e.index)
             ret = bmesh.ops.bevel(
                 bm,
                 geom=edges,
@@ -381,6 +392,165 @@ def principled(name, color, metallic, roughness, noise_scale=0.0, wear=None):
     return mat
 
 
+def _long_axis(pts):
+    """Principal axis of a point set, by power iteration on its covariance."""
+    c = sum(pts, Vector()) / len(pts)
+    cov = [[0.0] * 3 for _ in range(3)]
+    for p in pts:
+        d = p - c
+        for i in range(3):
+            for j in range(3):
+                cov[i][j] += d[i] * d[j]
+    v = Vector((1.0, 0.3, 0.1))
+    for _ in range(30):
+        w = Vector([sum(cov[i][j] * v[j] for j in range(3)) for i in range(3)])
+        if w.length < 1e-12:
+            break
+        v = w.normalized()
+    return v
+
+
+def paint_planks(me):
+    """Per-shell ``PlankTone`` and ``GrainDir`` face attributes for the wood shader.
+
+    The post and each finger board is its own shell, so each gets one
+    tone and grain running along its own long axis.
+    """
+    tone = [0.5] * len(me.polygons)
+    grain = [(0.0, 0.0, 1.0)] * len(me.polygons)
+    owner = {}
+    rng = random.Random(TONE_SEED)
+    for g in shells(me):
+        pts = [me.vertices[i].co.copy() for i in g]
+        d = _long_axis(pts) if len(pts) > 2 else Vector((0.0, 0.0, 1.0))
+        t = 0.5 + rng.uniform(-PLANK_TONE_JITTER, PLANK_TONE_JITTER)
+        for i in g:
+            owner[i] = (t, tuple(d))
+    for poly in me.polygons:
+        t, d = owner[poly.vertices[0]]
+        tone[poly.index] = t
+        grain[poly.index] = d
+    a = me.attributes.new("PlankTone", "FLOAT", "FACE")
+    a.data.foreach_set("value", tone)
+    b = me.attributes.new("GrainDir", "FLOAT_VECTOR", "FACE")
+    b.data.foreach_set("vector", [c for v in grain for c in v])
+
+
+def _sock(sockets, identifier):
+    """A Mix-node socket by identifier; its A/B/Result names repeat per type."""
+    return next(sk for sk in sockets if sk.identifier == identifier)
+
+
+def wood_material(name):
+    """Grain along the post (``GrainDir``), tone per piece (``PlankTone``)."""
+    mat = bpy.data.materials.new(name)
+    mat.use_nodes = True
+    nt = mat.node_tree
+    bsdf = nt.nodes["Principled BSDF"]
+    coord = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeTexCoord")
+    gdir = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeAttribute")
+    gdir.attribute_name = "GrainDir"
+    tone = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeAttribute")
+    tone.attribute_name = "PlankTone"
+    dot = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeVectorMath")
+    dot.operation = "DOT_PRODUCT"
+    nt.links.new(coord.outputs["Object"], dot.inputs[0])
+    nt.links.new(gdir.outputs["Vector"], dot.inputs[1])
+    squash = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeMath")
+    squash.operation = "MULTIPLY"
+    squash.inputs[1].default_value = 0.94
+    nt.links.new(dot.outputs["Value"], squash.inputs[0])
+    along = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeVectorMath")
+    along.operation = "SCALE"
+    nt.links.new(gdir.outputs["Vector"], along.inputs[0])
+    nt.links.new(squash.outputs["Value"], along.inputs["Scale"])
+    grain_co = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeVectorMath")
+    grain_co.operation = "SUBTRACT"
+    nt.links.new(coord.outputs["Object"], grain_co.inputs[0])
+    nt.links.new(along.outputs["Vector"], grain_co.inputs[1])
+    shift = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeVectorMath")
+    shift.operation = "ADD"
+    nt.links.new(grain_co.outputs["Vector"], shift.inputs[0])
+    nt.links.new(tone.outputs["Fac"], shift.inputs[1])
+    noise = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeTexNoise")
+    noise.inputs["Scale"].default_value = WOOD_GRAIN_SCALE
+    noise.inputs["Detail"].default_value = 6.0
+    noise.inputs["Roughness"].default_value = 0.62
+    nt.links.new(shift.outputs["Vector"], noise.inputs["Vector"])
+    ramp = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeValToRGB")
+    ramp.color_ramp.elements[0].position = 0.30
+    ramp.color_ramp.elements[0].color = (0.12, 0.052, 0.018, 1.0)
+    ramp.color_ramp.elements[1].position = 0.72
+    ramp.color_ramp.elements[1].color = (0.38, 0.18, 0.065, 1.0)
+    nt.links.new(noise.outputs["Fac"], ramp.inputs["Fac"])
+    gain = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeMath")
+    gain.operation = "MULTIPLY_ADD"
+    gain.inputs[1].default_value = 1.1
+    gain.inputs[2].default_value = 0.45
+    nt.links.new(tone.outputs["Fac"], gain.inputs[0])
+    mix = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeMix")
+    mix.data_type = "RGBA"
+    mix.blend_type = "MULTIPLY"
+    _sock(mix.inputs, "Factor_Float").default_value = 1.0
+    nt.links.new(ramp.outputs["Color"], _sock(mix.inputs, "A_Color"))
+    nt.links.new(gain.outputs["Value"], _sock(mix.inputs, "B_Color"))
+    nt.links.new(_sock(mix.outputs, "Result_Color"), bsdf.inputs["Base Color"])
+    rough = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeMapRange")
+    rough.inputs["To Min"].default_value = 0.72
+    rough.inputs["To Max"].default_value = 0.52
+    nt.links.new(noise.outputs["Fac"], rough.inputs["Value"])
+    nt.links.new(rough.outputs["Result"], bsdf.inputs["Roughness"])
+    return mat
+
+
+def board_material(name):
+    """Painted finger boards, weathered: cream paint worn through to wood.
+
+    A noise mask on object coordinates picks where the paint has gone and
+    the wood grain shows; ``PlankTone`` shifts each board's paint so the
+    two boards are not one board twice.
+    """
+    mat = wood_material(name)
+    nt = mat.node_tree
+    bsdf = nt.nodes["Principled BSDF"]
+    grain = bsdf.inputs["Base Color"].links[0].from_socket
+    coord = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeTexCoord")
+    wear = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeTexNoise")
+    wear.inputs["Scale"].default_value = 18.0
+    wear.inputs["Detail"].default_value = 8.0
+    wear.inputs["Roughness"].default_value = 0.65
+    nt.links.new(coord.outputs["Object"], wear.inputs["Vector"])
+    mask = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeValToRGB")
+    mask.color_ramp.elements[0].position = 0.58
+    mask.color_ramp.elements[1].position = 0.66
+    nt.links.new(wear.outputs["Fac"], mask.inputs["Fac"])
+    tone = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeAttribute")
+    tone.attribute_name = "PlankTone"
+    paint = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeMix")
+    paint.data_type = "RGBA"
+    _sock(paint.inputs, "A_Color").default_value = (0.62, 0.56, 0.42, 1.0)
+    _sock(paint.inputs, "B_Color").default_value = (0.74, 0.68, 0.52, 1.0)
+    nt.links.new(tone.outputs["Fac"], _sock(paint.inputs, "Factor_Float"))
+    mix = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeMix")
+    mix.data_type = "RGBA"
+    nt.links.new(mask.outputs["Color"], _sock(mix.inputs, "Factor_Float"))
+    nt.links.new(_sock(paint.outputs, "Result_Color"), _sock(mix.inputs, "A_Color"))
+    nt.links.new(grain, _sock(mix.inputs, "B_Color"))
+    nt.links.new(_sock(mix.outputs, "Result_Color"), bsdf.inputs["Base Color"])
+    return mat
+
+
+def signpost_materials():
+    """(wood, board, iron): shared by the check, the render and inspection."""
+    wood = wood_material("SignpostWood")
+    board = board_material("SignpostBoard")
+    metal = principled(
+        "SignpostIron", (0.17, 0.165, 0.155, 1.0), 0.80, 0.46,
+        noise_scale=18.0, wear=(0.20, 0.085, 0.032, 1.0),
+    )
+    return wood, board, metal
+
+
 def assign_slots(obj, wood, board, metal):
     mats = obj.data.materials
     wanted = (wood, board, metal)
@@ -713,18 +883,9 @@ def check(
     )
     low = build_signpost_mesh("SignpostLow", bevel_offset=0.004, bevel_segments=2, **kw)
     high = build_signpost_mesh("SignpostHigh", bevel_offset=0.004, bevel_segments=4, **kw)
-    wood = principled(
-        "SignpostWood", (0.34, 0.18, 0.07, 1.0), 0.0, 0.62,
-        noise_scale=14.0, wear=(0.22, 0.10, 0.04, 1.0),
-    )
-    board = principled(
-        "SignpostBoard", (0.76, 0.58, 0.22, 1.0), 0.0, 0.52,
-        noise_scale=10.0, wear=(0.55, 0.38, 0.14, 1.0),
-    )
-    metal = principled(
-        "SignpostIron", (0.14, 0.145, 0.155, 1.0), 1.0, 0.38,
-        noise_scale=18.0, wear=(0.22, 0.18, 0.14, 1.0),
-    )
+    wood, board, metal = signpost_materials()
+    paint_planks(low.data)
+    paint_planks(high.data)
     assign_slots(low, wood, board, metal)
     assign_slots(high, wood, board, metal)
 
@@ -780,6 +941,10 @@ def check(
         os.remove(export_path)
     export_unity(export_path, [low, collider])
     export_size = os.path.getsize(export_path) if os.path.isfile(export_path) else 0
+    # Blender points TMPDIR at the working directory, so the export must not
+    # outlive the measurement.
+    if os.path.exists(export_path):
+        os.remove(export_path)
 
     hyg = hygiene_audit(low.data)
     zf = zfight_pairs(low.data)
@@ -943,7 +1108,9 @@ def render_still(low, wood, tex, path, engine):
     floor_me = bpy.data.meshes.new("Floor")
     bm = bmesh.new()
     try:
-        bmesh.ops.create_grid(bm, x_segments=1, y_segments=1, size=14.0)
+        # Oversized so no edge of the set can enter frame; at 14 m the wall's
+        # left edge showed in the corner of the hero.
+        bmesh.ops.create_grid(bm, x_segments=1, y_segments=1, size=60.0)
         bm.to_mesh(floor_me)
     finally:
         bm.free()