diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f1bbcbfe..ee62f9a5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -110,10 +110,10 @@ Budget-conformance props. Not examples. Conventions: [`showcase/README.md`](show
 
 <p align="center">
   <a href="showcase/shipping-crate/"><img src="showcase/shipping-crate/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Shipping crate: a wooden slat crate with iron corner brackets on a dark studio floor, warm wedge on the back wall" /></a>
-  <a href="showcase/stone-well/"><img src="showcase/stone-well/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Stone well: a round brick well with a shingled pyramid roof on posts, rope and bucket, on a dark studio floor" /></a>
+  <a href="showcase/stone-well/"><img src="showcase/stone-well/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Stone well: a round well of varied grey stones with a grained wooden pyramid roof on posts, rope and a bucket on rusted iron hoops, on a dark studio floor" /></a>
   <a href="showcase/wooden-barrel/"><img src="showcase/wooden-barrel/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Wooden barrel: a 20-stave wine-cask with a head of four boards, chord-lofted iron hoops, and a bung on a dark studio floor" /></a>
   <a href="showcase/campfire/"><img src="showcase/campfire/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Campfire: a two-course ring of rounded fieldstones around a tripod of logs and glowing ash on a dark studio floor, warm wedge on the back wall" /></a>
-  <a href="showcase/market-stall/"><img src="showcase/market-stall/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Market stall: a timber frame with post feet, slatted counter, rafters, and a striped awning on a dark studio floor, warm wedge on the back wall" /></a>
+  <a href="showcase/market-stall/"><img src="showcase/market-stall/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Market stall: a grained timber frame with post feet, diagonal side braces, slatted counter, rafters, and a striped canvas awning on a dark studio floor, warm wedge on the back wall" /></a>
   <a href="showcase/street-lantern/"><img src="showcase/street-lantern/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Street lantern: an iron post with brass collars, a braced arm, and a muntined amber cage on a dark studio floor" /></a>
   <a href="showcase/treasure-chest/"><img src="showcase/treasure-chest/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Treasure chest: a slatted wooden chest with iron bands, corner brackets, and an open lid on a dark studio floor" /></a>
   <a href="showcase/terrain-scatter/"><img src="showcase/terrain-scatter/preview.webp" width="24%" alt="Terrain scatter: a Geometry Nodes dirt hill tile with bevelled masonry rocks on a dark studio floor" /></a>
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ Budget-conformance props. Not examples. Conventions: [`showcase/README.md`](show
 
 [`campfire`](showcase/campfire/) — procedural fieldstone ring, logs, and ash through the same pipeline. Falsifiers `--skip-decimate` exits 9, `--uniform-stones` exits 20.
 
-[`market-stall`](showcase/market-stall/) — procedural timber stall with striped awning and counter through the same pipeline. Falsifier `--skip-decimate` exits 9.
+[`market-stall`](showcase/market-stall/) — procedural timber stall with striped awning and counter through the same pipeline. Falsifiers `--skip-decimate` exits 9, `--short-brace` exits 17.
 
 [`street-lantern`](showcase/street-lantern/) — procedural hanging lantern with iron post, brass fittings, and amber cage through the same pipeline. Falsifier `--skip-decimate` exits 9.
 
@@ -814,7 +814,7 @@ portable path is `radius`.
 <table>
 <tr>
 <td width="46%" valign="middle">
-<a href="examples/gltf-export-roundtrip/"><img src="examples/gltf-export-roundtrip/preview.webp" alt="glTF export round-trip: two identical olive-drab sci-fi supply crates on a dark studio floor - authored beside re-imported - with teal status strips, riveted panels, and corner armor, proving the export/import round-trip preserves the asset" /></a>
+<a href="examples/gltf-export-roundtrip/"><img src="examples/gltf-export-roundtrip/preview.webp" alt="glTF export round-trip: two identical olive-drab sci-fi supply crates turned three-quarter on a dark studio floor - authored beside re-imported - with teal status strips, riveted panels, and corner armor, proving the export/import round-trip preserves the asset" /></a>
 </td>
 <td valign="middle">
 
@@ -990,7 +990,7 @@ still: DIRTY through-hole + loose-vert bead vs CLEAN manifold (same brass).
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td width="46%" valign="middle">
-<a href="examples/prop-origin-transform/"><img src="examples/prop-origin-transform/preview.webp" alt="Prop origin transform: dual-panel TRAP vs MPI KEEP street pedestals with margins all around — left bare-parent conduit accessory teleports off its dark mount well, right accessory stays seated — proving scale apply, base origin, and matrix_parent_inverse" /></a>
+<a href="examples/prop-origin-transform/"><img src="examples/prop-origin-transform/preview.webp" alt="Prop origin transform: dual-panel TRAP vs MPI KEEP street pedestals with margins all around — left bare-parent conduit accessory teleports off its dark mount well, right accessory stays seated, origin axes crossing on the floor under each base — proving scale apply, base origin, and matrix_parent_inverse" /></a>
 </td>
 <td valign="middle">
 
diff --git a/docs/gallery/assets/gltf-export-roundtrip-hero.webp b/docs/gallery/assets/gltf-export-roundtrip-hero.webp
index d7fbe283..3f1b9073 100644
Binary files a/docs/gallery/assets/gltf-export-roundtrip-hero.webp and b/docs/gallery/assets/gltf-export-roundtrip-hero.webp differ
diff --git a/docs/gallery/assets/market-stall-hero.webp b/docs/gallery/assets/market-stall-hero.webp
index a223a5aa..dfad84dd 100644
Binary files a/docs/gallery/assets/market-stall-hero.webp and b/docs/gallery/assets/market-stall-hero.webp differ
diff --git a/docs/gallery/assets/prop-origin-transform-hero.webp b/docs/gallery/assets/prop-origin-transform-hero.webp
index 9be71469..1453bfe7 100644
Binary files a/docs/gallery/assets/prop-origin-transform-hero.webp and b/docs/gallery/assets/prop-origin-transform-hero.webp differ
diff --git a/docs/gallery/assets/stone-well-hero.webp b/docs/gallery/assets/stone-well-hero.webp
index c4f7637d..b80ffd1b 100644
Binary files a/docs/gallery/assets/stone-well-hero.webp and b/docs/gallery/assets/stone-well-hero.webp differ
diff --git a/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/gltf-export-roundtrip-contact-sheet.webp b/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/gltf-export-roundtrip-contact-sheet.webp
index 7e750c1d..e11db566 100644
Binary files a/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/gltf-export-roundtrip-contact-sheet.webp and b/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/gltf-export-roundtrip-contact-sheet.webp differ
diff --git a/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/market-stall-contact-sheet.webp b/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/market-stall-contact-sheet.webp
index b6377487..1c23ad15 100644
Binary files a/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/market-stall-contact-sheet.webp and b/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/market-stall-contact-sheet.webp differ
diff --git a/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/prop-origin-transform-contact-sheet.webp b/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/prop-origin-transform-contact-sheet.webp
index 77757964..944ef82b 100644
Binary files a/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/prop-origin-transform-contact-sheet.webp and b/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/prop-origin-transform-contact-sheet.webp differ
diff --git a/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/stone-well-contact-sheet.webp b/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/stone-well-contact-sheet.webp
index 6030b2ba..4ac24748 100644
Binary files a/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/stone-well-contact-sheet.webp and b/docs/gallery/contact-sheets/stone-well-contact-sheet.webp differ
diff --git a/docs/gallery/gltf-export-roundtrip/index.html b/docs/gallery/gltf-export-roundtrip/index.html
index cd496e79..9956835f 100644
--- a/docs/gallery/gltf-export-roundtrip/index.html
+++ b/docs/gallery/gltf-export-roundtrip/index.html
@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@
   <meta property="og:image" content="https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Blender-Developer-Tools/gallery/assets/gltf-export-roundtrip-hero.webp" />
   <meta property="og:image:width" content="1280" />
   <meta property="og:image:height" content="720" />
-  <meta property="og:image:alt" content="Two identical olive equipment crates with cyan light strips, labelled AUTHORED and ROUND-TRIP." />
+  <meta property="og:image:alt" content="Two identical olive equipment crates with cyan light strips, both turned to show a side, labelled AUTHORED and ROUND-TRIP." />
   <meta property="og:site_name" content="Blender Developer Tools" />
   <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
   <meta name="twitter:title" content="gltf-export-roundtrip — Examples — Blender Developer Tools" />
   <meta name="twitter:description" content="A sci-fi supply crate exported to glTF and re-imported, verifying the round-trip against the depsgraph-evaluated mesh within float tolerances. Positions, loop normals, box-mapped UVs, and per-triangle material bindings must all survive; the on-disk JSON proves the +Y-up conversion and the V-flipped UV layout." />
   <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Blender-Developer-Tools/gallery/assets/gltf-export-roundtrip-hero.webp" />
-  <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="Two identical olive equipment crates with cyan light strips, labelled AUTHORED and ROUND-TRIP." />
+  <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="Two identical olive equipment crates with cyan light strips, both turned to show a side, labelled AUTHORED and ROUND-TRIP." />
   <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>gltf-export-roundtrip</h1>
     <p>A sci-fi supply crate exported to glTF and re-imported, verifying the round-trip against the depsgraph-evaluated mesh within float tolerances. Positions, loop normals, box-mapped UVs, and per-triangle material bindings must all survive; the on-disk JSON proves the +Y-up conversion and the V-flipped UV layout.</p>
   </header>
   <main id="main">
-    <button class="detail-hero" id="heroZoom" type="button" aria-label="View full size: Two identical olive equipment crates with cyan light strips, labelled AUTHORED and ROUND-TRIP.">
-      <img src="../assets/gltf-export-roundtrip-hero.webp" alt="Two identical olive equipment crates with cyan light strips, labelled AUTHORED and ROUND-TRIP." width="1280" height="720" />
+    <button class="detail-hero" id="heroZoom" type="button" aria-label="View full size: Two identical olive equipment crates with cyan light strips, both turned to show a side, labelled AUTHORED and ROUND-TRIP.">
+      <img src="../assets/gltf-export-roundtrip-hero.webp" alt="Two identical olive equipment crates with cyan light strips, both turned to show a side, labelled AUTHORED and ROUND-TRIP." 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> export_yup bakes (x, y, z) -&gt; (x, z, -y) into the vertex data with no node rotation (probed identical on 4.5.11 and 5.1.2); export_apply ships the evaluated mesh, not the base cage; exporter/importer RNA is guarded so a future kwarg rename fails loudly.</div>
@@ -284,7 +284,8 @@ <h1>gltf-export-roundtrip</h1>
 <ul><li><strong>The +Y-up convention is baked into vertex data.</strong> glTF is +Y-up, Blender is +Z-up, and <code>export_yup=True</code> (the default) writes <code>(x, y, z) -&gt; (x, z, -y)</code> directly into the POSITION buffer — the node carries <strong>no</strong> rotation or scale. The check parses the <code>.gltf</code> JSON and asserts the accessor bounds equal the axis-converted evaluated bounding box, and that the node transform is absent. Exporting with <code>export_yup=False</code> ships raw Z-up data every engine displays lying on its back.</li><li><strong><code>export_apply=True</code> ships the evaluated mesh, not the base cage.</strong> The crate&#x27;s bevel modifier lives only in the depsgraph; with flat shading and UV seams the exporter splits exactly one vertex per evaluated loop (7,560), so the on-disk POSITION count is an exact witness. <code>export_apply=False</code> silently writes the 624-vertex cage.</li><li><strong>The round-trip is faithful.</strong> Re-imported positions (bit-exact here), loop normals (≤2e-4), box-mapped UVs (≤3e-5), and per-triangle material bindings all match the evaluated mesh. UVs are V-flipped on disk (glTF texture origin is top-left) and flipped back on import — both flips are proven by reading the <code>.bin</code> buffer directly.</li></ul>
 <p><strong>Version witness (probed on Blender 4.5.11 LTS and 5.1.2):</strong> the operator signatures are byte-identical — 109 exporter properties, 20 importer properties, same defaults — and the exported JSON differs only in <code>asset.generator</code> (&quot;Khronos glTF Blender I/O v4.5.51&quot; vs &quot;v5.1.20&quot;). The example therefore runs identical kwargs on both versions and guards forward drift explicitly: every kwarg it passes must still exist in the operator&#x27;s RNA, so a future rename fails loudly instead of drifting silently. One genuine 5.x removal surfaced during authoring: <code>Mesh.calc_normals()</code> is gone (loop normals auto-compute on read) — calling it is itself a cross-version hazard, noted in the code.</p>
 <p>Two more authoring hazards are pinned in comments: exact face-plane coincidences between kit-bashed shells weld loops on export (the count check catches it), and <code>read_factory_settings</code> mid-check frees the original mesh — touching a freed RNA raises <code>ReferenceError</code>, so counts are captured before the wipe.</p>
-<p>The render stages the authored crate beside the actual re-imported one — same bevels, same materials carried through the file itself. If the axis conversion broke, the right twin would lie on its side; if the modifier contract broke, its silhouette would lose the rounded edges.</p>
+<p>The render stages the authored crate beside the actual re-imported one — same bevels, same materials carried through the file itself. If the axis conversion broke, the right twin would lie on its side; if the modifier contract broke, its silhouette would lose the rounded edges. Both twins are turned 22° off square so each shows a side and its corner armour; dead-on, the pair read as two flat front elevations. The re-imported object comes back in <code>QUATERNION</code> rotation mode, so the render path switches it to <code>XYZ</code> before turning it — presentation only, after every check has run.</p>
+<p>The render path gates framing through <code>gallery_framing.check_framing</code>. The helper returns 10, which is already a check code here, so the call site remaps a framing violation to 22.</p>
 <h2>Run</h2>
 <pre><code># Cheap correctness check (no render) — the CI check:
 blender --background --python gltf_export_roundtrip.py --
@@ -297,7 +298,7 @@ <h2>Run</h2>
 blender --background --python gltf_export_roundtrip.py -- --output crate.png --engine cycles</code></pre>
 <h2>Exit codes</h2>
 <p>Per-script sequential checks. <code>9</code> is a valid check code; there is no rule against it.</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>Exporter/importer RNA kwargs drifted</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Base cage drifted from its closed form</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Authored UVs drifted from the box-map closed form</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>Bevel produced no evaluated geometry</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>On-disk node/mesh/generator contract drifted</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>On-disk primitive/material binding count drifted</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>On-disk POSITION bounds ≠ axis-converted bbox (<code>--no-yup</code> lands here)</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>On-disk POSITION count ≠ evaluated loop count</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>On-disk UV V-flip failed</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Re-import did not produce exactly one mesh</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>Re-imported object carries a transform</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>Material names drifted on re-import</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>Re-import vert count ≠ evaluated loop count</td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>Round-trip position drift</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>Round-trip normal drift</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>Round-trip UV drift</td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>Re-import triangle count drifted</td></tr><tr><td>20</td><td>Per-triangle material bindings drifted</td></tr><tr><td>21</td><td><code>--output</code> produced no file</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>Exporter/importer RNA kwargs drifted</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Base cage drifted from its closed form</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Authored UVs drifted from the box-map closed form</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>Bevel produced no evaluated geometry</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>On-disk node/mesh/generator contract drifted</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>On-disk primitive/material binding count drifted</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>On-disk POSITION bounds ≠ axis-converted bbox (<code>--no-yup</code> lands here)</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>On-disk POSITION count ≠ evaluated loop count</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>On-disk UV V-flip failed</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Re-import did not produce exactly one mesh</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>Re-imported object carries a transform</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>Material names drifted on re-import</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>Re-import vert count ≠ evaluated loop count</td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>Round-trip position drift</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>Round-trip normal drift</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>Round-trip UV drift</td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>Re-import triangle count drifted</td></tr><tr><td>20</td><td>Per-triangle material bindings drifted</td></tr><tr><td>21</td><td><code>--output</code> produced no file</td></tr><tr><td>22</td><td>Gallery framing violation (render path only; the helper&#x27;s 10, remapped)</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
 <p>The <code>blender-smoke</code> workflow runs the check on Blender 5.2 LTS and 4.5 LTS (5.1 on the weekly cron, the <code>needs-5.1</code> PR label, or manual dispatch). Smoke does not pass <code>--output</code> or <code>--no-yup</code>.</p>
     </section>
     <section class="detail-section src">
@@ -349,6 +350,11 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
 <span class="k">import</span> bpy, bmesh, sys, os, math, json, struct, shutil, tempfile, argparse
 <span class="k">import</span> mathutils
 
+<span class="c"># Shared Layer 1 framing measurement (render path only) — see gallery_framing.py</span>
+sys.path.insert(<span class="n">0</span>, os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), os.pardir))
+sys.dont_write_bytecode = <span class="k">True</span>  <span class="c"># keep examples/__pycache__ out of the repo tree</span>
+<span class="k">import</span> gallery_framing
+
 <span class="c"># ---------------------------------------------------------------------------</span>
 <span class="c"># Crate specification. Every part is an axis-aligned box, so every base-cage</span>
 <span class="c"># vertex is a closed form: center +/- size/2. The parts interpenetrate on</span>
@@ -801,8 +807,15 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
 
     <span class="c"># the authored twin keeps its materials; the re-imported twin renders with</span>
     <span class="c"># whatever the file carried back — the same look through the format itself</span>
+    <span class="c"># turned a quarter off square so each crate shows a side and its corner</span>
+    <span class="c"># guards read as solid; dead-on, the pair was two flat front elevations</span>
     authored.location.x = -<span class="n">1.35</span>
     roundtrip.location.x = <span class="n">1.35</span>
+    <span class="c"># the importer leaves objects in QUATERNION mode, where rotation_euler</span>
+    <span class="c"># is ignored</span>
+    <span class="k">for</span> ob <span class="k">in</span> (authored, roundtrip):
+        ob.rotation_mode = <span class="s">&#x27;XYZ&#x27;</span>
+        ob.rotation_euler.z = math.radians(-<span class="n">22.0</span>)
 
     pm = bpy.data.materials.new(<span class="s">&quot;PlaqueMetal&quot;</span>)
     pm.use_nodes = <span class="k">True</span>
@@ -823,14 +836,14 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
         ob.location = (x, -<span class="n">1.55</span>, <span class="n">0.01</span>)
         ob.data.materials.append(pm)
         scene.collection.objects.link(ob)
+        <span class="k">return</span> ob
 
-    plaque(<span class="s">&quot;AUTHORED&quot;</span>, -<span class="n">1.35</span>)
-    plaque(<span class="s">&quot;ROUND-TRIP&quot;</span>, <span class="n">1.35</span>)
+    plaques = [plaque(<span class="s">&quot;AUTHORED&quot;</span>, -<span class="n">1.35</span>), plaque(<span class="s">&quot;ROUND-TRIP&quot;</span>, <span class="n">1.35</span>)]
 
     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">30.0</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()
@@ -870,7 +883,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     cam_data = bpy.data.cameras.new(<span class="s">&quot;Cam&quot;</span>)
     cam_data.lens = <span class="n">53.0</span>
     cam = bpy.data.objects.new(<span class="s">&quot;Cam&quot;</span>, cam_data)
-    cam.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, -<span class="n">8.6</span>, <span class="n">2.7</span>)
+    cam.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, -<span class="n">8.9</span>, <span class="n">3.3</span>)
     scene.collection.objects.link(cam)
     target = bpy.data.objects.new(<span class="s">&quot;Aim&quot;</span>, <span class="k">None</span>)
     target.location = (<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.75</span>)
@@ -894,8 +907,19 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     <span class="c"># AgX would wash the olive drab and teal glow toward pastel</span>
     <span class="c"># (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), before the beauty render so a</span>
+    <span class="c"># defective composition ships no artifact. The helper returns 10, which is</span>
+    <span class="c"># a check code here (POSITION count), so the call site remaps it to 22.</span>
+    fcode = gallery_framing.check_framing(
+        scene, cam,
+        hero=[authored, roundtrip],
+        elements=[authored, roundtrip] + plaques,
+        stage=[floor, wall],
+    )
+    <span class="k">if</span> fcode:
+        <span class="k">return</span> <span class="n">22</span>
     bpy.ops.render.render(write_still=<span class="k">True</span>)
-    <span class="k">return</span> os.path.exists(path) <span class="k">and</span> os.path.getsize(path) &gt; <span class="n">0</span>
+    <span class="k">return</span> <span class="n">0</span> <span class="k">if</span> os.path.exists(path) <span class="k">and</span> os.path.getsize(path) &gt; <span class="n">0</span> <span class="k">else</span> <span class="n">21</span>
 
 
 <span class="k">def</span> main():
@@ -926,10 +950,12 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
         authored = build_crate()
         <span class="k">for</span> m <span class="k">in</span> make_materials():
             authored.data.materials.append(m)
-        <span class="k">if</span> <span class="k">not</span> render_still(authored, roundtrip, os.path.abspath(args.output),
-                            args.engine):
+        rcode = render_still(authored, roundtrip, os.path.abspath(args.output),
+                             args.engine)
+        <span class="k">if</span> rcode == <span class="n">21</span>:
             print(<span class="s">&quot;ERROR: render produced no file&quot;</span>, file=sys.stderr)
-            <span class="k">return</span> <span class="n">21</span>
+        <span class="k">if</span> rcode:
+            <span class="k">return</span> rcode
         print(<span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">rendered still </span>{args.output}<span class="s">&quot;</span>)
 
     print(<span class="s">&quot;gltf-export-roundtrip OK&quot;</span>)
@@ -946,7 +972,7 @@ <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/gltf-export-roundtrip-hero.webp" alt="Two identical olive equipment crates with cyan light strips, labelled AUTHORED and ROUND-TRIP." />
+    <img src="../assets/gltf-export-roundtrip-hero.webp" alt="Two identical olive equipment crates with cyan light strips, both turned to show a side, labelled AUTHORED and ROUND-TRIP." />
   </dialog>
   <footer>
     <div class="statusbar">
diff --git a/docs/gallery/index.html b/docs/gallery/index.html
index 486136b7..ff0ba360 100644
--- a/docs/gallery/index.html
+++ b/docs/gallery/index.html
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@ <h2><a href="vse-cut-list/">vse-cut-list</a></h2>
       </article>
       <article class="card" data-tags="export uv">
         <a class="card-media" href="gltf-export-roundtrip/" tabindex="-1" aria-hidden="true">
-          <img src="assets/gltf-export-roundtrip-hero.webp" alt="Two identical olive equipment crates with cyan light strips, labelled AUTHORED and ROUND-TRIP." loading="lazy" decoding="async" />
+          <img src="assets/gltf-export-roundtrip-hero.webp" alt="Two identical olive equipment crates with cyan light strips, both turned to show a side, labelled AUTHORED and ROUND-TRIP." loading="lazy" decoding="async" />
         </a>
         <div class="card-body">
           <h2><a href="gltf-export-roundtrip/">gltf-export-roundtrip</a></h2>
@@ -750,7 +750,7 @@ <h2><a href="mesh-hygiene-audit/">mesh-hygiene-audit</a></h2>
       </article>
       <article class="card" data-tags="transforms parenting game-pipeline">
         <a class="card-media" href="prop-origin-transform/" tabindex="-1" aria-hidden="true">
-          <img src="assets/prop-origin-transform-hero.webp" alt="Two teal pedestals labelled TRAP and MPI KEEP: on the left a conduit fitting has jumped out of its socket, on the right it sits seated." loading="lazy" decoding="async" />
+          <img src="assets/prop-origin-transform-hero.webp" alt="Two teal pedestals labelled TRAP and MPI KEEP, origin axes crossing on the floor under each base: on the left a conduit fitting has jumped out of its socket, on the right it sits seated." loading="lazy" decoding="async" />
         </a>
         <div class="card-body">
           <h2><a href="prop-origin-transform/">prop-origin-transform</a></h2>
@@ -915,7 +915,7 @@ <h2><a href="shipping-crate/">shipping-crate</a></h2>
       </article>
       <article class="card" data-tags="mesh export showcase">
         <a class="card-media" href="stone-well/" tabindex="-1" aria-hidden="true">
-          <img src="assets/stone-well-hero.webp" alt="A round stone well of grey blocks under a four-post wooden roof, with a bucket hanging inside." loading="lazy" decoding="async" />
+          <img src="assets/stone-well-hero.webp" alt="A round well of grey stones, each a slightly different shade, under a four-post grained wooden roof, with a bucket on rusted iron hoops hanging inside." loading="lazy" decoding="async" />
         </a>
         <div class="card-body">
           <h2><a href="stone-well/">stone-well</a></h2>
@@ -948,12 +948,12 @@ <h2><a href="campfire/">campfire</a></h2>
       </article>
       <article class="card" data-tags="mesh export showcase">
         <a class="card-media" href="market-stall/" tabindex="-1" aria-hidden="true">
-          <img src="assets/market-stall-hero.webp" alt="A timber market stall with a red and white striped awning and a counter with shelves." loading="lazy" decoding="async" />
+          <img src="assets/market-stall-hero.webp" alt="A grained timber market stall with diagonal side braces, a red and cream striped canvas awning and a counter with shelves." loading="lazy" decoding="async" />
         </a>
         <div class="card-body">
           <h2><a href="market-stall/">market-stall</a></h2>
           <p class="teaches">A procedural timber market stall 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: 4324 tris, three materials with 34 faces per awning stripe slot, UVs in 0..1 with zero AABB overlap, outer AABB 1.389×1.011×1.740 m, grounded zmin, 4 wrap feet, brace-counter overlap 0, awning seat 4 mm, post plumb 0, LOD ratios in band, convex collider 58 tris, non-empty glTF. Hygiene all zero. --skip-decimate exits 9; --stray-vert 15; --lift-z/--short-feet 16; --low-brace 17; --float-awning 18; --rake-posts 19.</p>
+          <p class="witnesses"><span class="tag">witnesses</span> Recomputed: 4324 tris, three materials with 34 faces per awning stripe slot, UVs in 0..1 with zero AABB overlap, outer AABB 1.389×1.011×1.740 m, grounded zmin, 4 wrap feet, brace-counter overlap 0, both side braces seated 0.0418 m into their posts, awning seat 4 mm, post plumb 0, LOD ratios in band, convex collider 58 tris, non-empty glTF. Hygiene all zero. --skip-decimate exits 9; --stray-vert 15; --lift-z/--short-feet 16; --low-brace/--short-brace 17; --float-awning 18; --rake-posts 19.</p>
           <a class="card-link" href="market-stall/">View showcase piece<span class="sr-only"> market-stall</span> <span aria-hidden="true">&rarr;</span></a>
         </div>
       </article>
diff --git a/docs/gallery/market-stall/index.html b/docs/gallery/market-stall/index.html
index 9d44304d..2f9dccfa 100644
--- a/docs/gallery/market-stall/index.html
+++ b/docs/gallery/market-stall/index.html
@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@
   <meta property="og:image" content="https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Blender-Developer-Tools/gallery/assets/market-stall-hero.webp" />
   <meta property="og:image:width" content="1280" />
   <meta property="og:image:height" content="720" />
-  <meta property="og:image:alt" content="A timber market stall with a red and white striped awning and a counter with shelves." />
+  <meta property="og:image:alt" content="A grained timber market stall with diagonal side braces, a red and cream striped canvas awning and a counter with shelves." />
   <meta property="og:site_name" content="Blender Developer Tools" />
   <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
   <meta name="twitter:title" content="market-stall — Showcase — Blender Developer Tools" />
   <meta name="twitter:description" content="A procedural timber market stall 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/market-stall-hero.webp" />
-  <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="A timber market stall with a red and white striped awning and a counter with shelves." />
+  <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="A grained timber market stall with diagonal side braces, a red and cream striped canvas awning and a counter with shelves." />
   <style>
     /* fonts are deployed by the landing build (docs/fonts/) */
     @font-face { font-family: 'Barlow Condensed'; font-weight: 600; font-display: swap;
@@ -268,32 +268,33 @@ <h1>market-stall</h1>
     <p>A procedural timber market stall 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 timber market stall with a red and white striped awning and a counter with shelves.">
-      <img src="../assets/market-stall-hero.webp" alt="A timber market stall with a red and white striped awning and a counter with shelves." width="1280" height="720" />
+    <button class="detail-hero" id="heroZoom" type="button" aria-label="View full size: A grained timber market stall with diagonal side braces, a red and cream striped canvas awning and a counter with shelves.">
+      <img src="../assets/market-stall-hero.webp" alt="A grained timber market stall with diagonal side braces, a red and cream striped canvas awning and a counter with shelves." 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: 4324 tris, three materials with 34 faces per awning stripe slot, UVs in 0..1 with zero AABB overlap, outer AABB 1.389×1.011×1.740 m, grounded zmin, 4 wrap feet, brace-counter overlap 0, awning seat 4 mm, post plumb 0, LOD ratios in band, convex collider 58 tris, non-empty glTF. Hygiene all zero. --skip-decimate exits 9; --stray-vert 15; --lift-z/--short-feet 16; --low-brace 17; --float-awning 18; --rake-posts 19.</div>
+    <div class="callout"><span class="tag">witnesses</span> Recomputed: 4324 tris, three materials with 34 faces per awning stripe slot, UVs in 0..1 with zero AABB overlap, outer AABB 1.389×1.011×1.740 m, grounded zmin, 4 wrap feet, brace-counter overlap 0, both side braces seated 0.0418 m into their posts, awning seat 4 mm, post plumb 0, LOD ratios in band, convex collider 58 tris, non-empty glTF. Hygiene all zero. --skip-decimate exits 9; --stray-vert 15; --lift-z/--short-feet 16; --low-brace/--short-brace 17; --float-awning 18; --rake-posts 19.</div>
     <div class="runline">
       <pre id="runCmd">blender --background --python showcase/market-stall/market_stall.py --</pre>
       <button class="copy-btn" id="copyRun" type="button">Copy</button>
     </div>
     <section class="detail-section md">
-<p>A showcase piece, not an example. Procedural timber stall (corner posts with wrap plinths, slatted counter and shelf, back-wall planks, side braces that sit in the post bay, striped awning with a front roller and hanging valance) then the shipped pipeline: unique-cell UVs, Cycles high-to-low normal bake, LOD chain, convex collider, Unity glTF export.</p>
+<p>A showcase piece, not an example. Procedural timber stall (corner posts with wrap plinths, slatted counter and shelf, back-wall planks, side braces that run post to post, striped awning with a front roller and hanging valance) then the shipped pipeline: unique-cell UVs, Cycles high-to-low normal bake, LOD chain, convex collider, Unity glTF export.</p>
 <p>The old piece used capped foot cubes coplanar with the post bottoms and counter-leg pads coplanar with the legs, which z-fought at Z=0. Wrap plates stand off the post; counter legs go to Z=0 without a second bottom face.</p>
+<p>The side braces used to start at the back post and stop at mid-depth, 0.43 m short of the front post, nearly level and joined to nothing at the front: in the side elevation they read as pegs hanging in the air. The audit that should have caught it never did, because a level brace fails its brace shape test and was never measured. Each brace now runs from the front post, just above the counter, up to the back post under the header, so the side bay is triangulated; the brace-in-post seat below asserts both ends. Wood carries grain and a tone per piece (<code>PlankTone</code> / <code>GrainDir</code> face attributes), and the awning is a matte canvas with faint dirt, not two flat paints.</p>
 <p>It asserts <strong>budget conformance</strong> of the generated result. It does not witness an API contract. &quot;It rendered without error&quot; is not a check.</p>
 <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>3900–5200</td><td>4324 / 4324 / 4324</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>0.2197 / 0.2197 / 0.2197</td></tr><tr><td>Materials</td><td>exactly 3 distinct; ≥16 faces per stripe slot</td><td>3 slots; 34 / 34 stripe faces</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>(1.389, 1.011, 1.740) m ± 0.01</td><td>(1.3892, 1.0107, 1.7402), zmin 0</td></tr><tr><td>Collider tris</td><td>≤ 80</td><td>58</td></tr><tr><td>Export</td><td>written, size &gt; 0</td><td>312752 / 312752 / 312728 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>3900–5200</td><td>4324 / 4324 / 4324</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>0.2197 / 0.2197 / 0.2197</td></tr><tr><td>Materials</td><td>exactly 3 distinct; ≥16 faces per stripe slot</td><td>3 slots; 34 / 34 stripe faces</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>(1.389, 1.011, 1.740) m ± 0.01</td><td>(1.3892, 1.0107, 1.7402), zmin 0</td></tr><tr><td>Collider tris</td><td>≤ 80</td><td>58</td></tr><tr><td>Export</td><td>written, size &gt; 0, removed after measuring</td><td>312400 / 312400 / 312376 bytes</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
 <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: 4 wrap feet</td><td>each <code>zmin</code> ≤ 1e-3</td><td>4, foot_z 0.00000</td></tr><tr><td>Frame plan</td><td>1.36 × 0.92 m ± 0.04</td><td>1.3600 × 0.9200</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>Brace-vs-counter overlap</td><td>≤ 1e-6 m³</td><td>0.000000</td></tr><tr><td>Header-post tenon engage</td><td>≥ 0.4 × tenon</td><td>0.0595</td></tr><tr><td>Awning-on-header seat</td><td>−0.002–0.010 m</td><td>0.00378</td></tr><tr><td>Post plumb (XY drift)</td><td>≤ 0.008 m</td><td>0.00000</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
-<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. Construction uses no RNG. Export byte counts differ by 24 B on 5.2.1 (glTF serializer), not a gated axis.</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>Brace-vs-counter overlap</td><td>≤ 1e-6 m³</td><td>0.000000</td></tr><tr><td>Brace-in-post seat: 2 side braces, each end past the post&#x27;s inner face</td><td>≥ 0.020 m</td><td>0.0418</td></tr><tr><td>Header-post tenon engage</td><td>≥ 0.4 × tenon</td><td>0.0595</td></tr><tr><td>Awning-on-header seat</td><td>−0.002–0.010 m</td><td>0.00378</td></tr><tr><td>Post plumb (XY drift)</td><td>≤ 0.008 m</td><td>0.00000</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
+<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. Construction uses no RNG; the per-piece wood tone is drawn from a seeded <code>random.Random(TONE_SEED)</code>, the same every run. Export byte counts differ by series (glTF serializer), not a gated axis.</p>
 <h3>Falsifiers</h3>
-<p>Each violates one named budget. All eight 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-feet</code></td><td>named wrap-foot supports at Z=0</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td><code>--low-brace</code></td><td>brace-vs-counter overlap</td><td>17</td></tr><tr><td><code>--float-awning</code></td><td>awning-on-header seat</td><td>18</td></tr><tr><td><code>--rake-posts</code></td><td>post plumb</td><td>19</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
+<p>Each violates one named budget. Every falsifier was 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-feet</code></td><td>named wrap-foot supports at Z=0</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td><code>--low-brace</code></td><td>brace-vs-counter overlap</td><td>17</td></tr><tr><td><code>--short-brace</code></td><td>brace-in-post seat (front end stops at mid-depth, -0.4181 m)</td><td>17</td></tr><tr><td><code>--float-awning</code></td><td>awning-on-header seat</td><td>18</td></tr><tr><td><code>--rake-posts</code></td><td>post plumb</td><td>19</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
 <h2>Run</h2>
 <pre><code>blender --background --python market_stall.py --
 blender --background --python market_stall.py -- --skip-decimate
@@ -301,13 +302,14 @@ <h2>Run</h2>
 blender --background --python market_stall.py -- --lift-z
 blender --background --python market_stall.py -- --short-feet
 blender --background --python market_stall.py -- --low-brace
+blender --background --python market_stall.py -- --short-brace
 blender --background --python market_stall.py -- --float-awning
 blender --background --python market_stall.py -- --rake-posts
 blender --background --python market_stall.py -- --output stall.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 ≠ 3 distinct slots, or stripe faces missing</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 wrap foot floats</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>Joint fit: brace occupying the counter volume</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>Seat: awning-on-header gap</td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>Post plumb or frame plan 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 ≠ 3 distinct slots, or stripe faces missing</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 wrap foot floats</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>Joint fit: brace occupying the counter volume, or a side brace not seated in both posts</td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>Seat: awning-on-header gap</td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>Post plumb or frame plan off the stated real-world size</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
     </section>
     <section class="detail-section src">
       <h2>Source</h2>
@@ -326,9 +328,11 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
 budget: ``--skip-decimate`` the LOD-ratio band, ``--stray-vert`` mesh
 hygiene, ``--lift-z`` grounded zmin, ``--short-feet`` named post-foot
 supports, ``--low-brace`` brace-vs-counter joint fit, ``--float-awning``
-awning-on-header seat, ``--rake-posts`` post plumb.
+awning-on-header seat, ``--rake-posts`` post plumb, ``--short-brace``
+brace-in-post seat.
 
-No RNG. Slat jitter is closed-form ``sin(i)``. DECIMATE COLLAPSE
+Slat jitter is closed-form ``sin(i)``; the per-piece wood tone is drawn
+from ``random.Random(TONE_SEED)``, so it is the same every run. DECIMATE COLLAPSE
 triangle counts are not byte-identical across Blender versions — the LOD
 gate is a ratio band, not an exact count.
 
@@ -339,6 +343,7 @@ <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
@@ -408,6 +413,17 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
 FLOAT_AWNING = <span class="n">0.008</span>
 RAKE = math.radians(<span class="n">2.0</span>)
 SHORT_FOOT_Z = <span class="n">0.048</span>
+<span class="c"># Brace ends must sit inside the post they tenon into, at both ends: the</span>
+<span class="c"># depth each end reaches past the post&#x27;s inner face, along Y. The first</span>
+<span class="c"># build stopped the front end at y = +0.04, 0.43 m short of the front post,</span>
+<span class="c"># so the brace hung in the air behind the counter.</span>
+BRACE_SEAT_MIN = <span class="n">0.020</span>
+BRACE_COUNT = <span class="n">2</span>
+<span class="c"># --short-brace stops the front end at that old mid-depth point.</span>
+SHORT_BRACE_Y = <span class="n">0.04</span>
+PLANK_TONE_JITTER = <span class="n">0.28</span>
+TONE_SEED = <span class="n">31</span>
+WOOD_GRAIN_SCALE = <span class="n">30.0</span>
 
 WOOD_IDX = <span class="n">0</span>
 STRIPE_A_IDX = <span class="n">1</span>
@@ -576,6 +592,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     float_awning=<span class="k">False</span>,
     rake_posts=<span class="k">False</span>,
     short_feet=<span class="k">False</span>,
+    short_brace=<span class="k">False</span>,
 ):
     bm = bmesh.new()
     wood_verts = []
@@ -667,10 +684,12 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
                 a = Vector((sx, py_f, <span class="n">0.28</span>))
                 b = Vector((sx, py_b, BACK_H * <span class="n">0.58</span>))
             <span class="k">else</span>:
-                <span class="c"># On the post centreline so the brace tenons the post instead</span>
-                <span class="c"># of reading as a wing in the front elevation.</span>
-                a = Vector((sx, <span class="n">0.04</span>, COUNTER_Z + <span class="n">0.14</span>))
-                b = Vector((sx, py_b, BACK_H * <span class="n">0.56</span>))
+                <span class="c"># Post centre to post centre, so both ends tenon a post and</span>
+                <span class="c"># the side frame is triangulated. On the post centreline so it</span>
+                <span class="c"># does not read as a wing in the front elevation.</span>
+                fy = SHORT_BRACE_Y <span class="k">if</span> short_brace <span class="k">else</span> py_f
+                a = Vector((sx, fy, COUNTER_Z + <span class="n">0.17</span>))
+                b = Vector((sx, py_b, BACK_H - <span class="n">0.22</span>))
             wood_verts.extend(add_oriented_box(bm, a, b, (BRACE, BRACE), WOOD_IDX))
 
         inner_w = WIDTH - <span class="n">2.0</span> * POST - <span class="n">0.024</span>
@@ -792,7 +811,12 @@ <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_verts <span class="k">for</span> e <span class="k">in</span> v.link_edges})
+            <span class="c"># A set of BMEdges iterates in memory order, which varies run to</span>
+            <span class="c"># run and reorders the bevelled faces; sort by index.</span>
+            bm.edges.index_update()
+            edges = sorted(
+                {e <span class="k">for</span> v <span class="k">in</span> wood_verts <span class="k">for</span> e <span class="k">in</span> v.link_edges}, key=<span class="k">lambda</span> e: e.index
+            )
             bmesh.ops.bevel(
                 bm,
                 geom=edges,
@@ -831,16 +855,168 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     <span class="k">return</span> obj
 
 
-<span class="k">def</span> principled(name, color, metallic, roughness):
+<span class="k">def</span> principled(name, color, metallic, roughness, noise_scale=<span class="n">0.0</span>, wear=<span class="k">None</span>):
     mat = bpy.data.materials.new(name)
     mat.use_nodes = <span class="k">True</span>
-    bsdf = mat.node_tree.nodes[<span class="s">&quot;Principled BSDF&quot;</span>]
+    nt = mat.node_tree
+    bsdf = nt.nodes[<span class="s">&quot;Principled BSDF&quot;</span>]
     bsdf.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Base Color&quot;</span>].default_value = color
     bsdf.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Metallic&quot;</span>].default_value = metallic
     bsdf.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Roughness&quot;</span>].default_value = roughness
+    <span class="k">if</span> noise_scale &gt; <span class="n">0.0</span> <span class="k">and</span> wear <span class="k">is</span> <span class="k">not</span> <span class="k">None</span>:
+        tex = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeTexNoise&quot;</span>)
+        tex.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Scale&quot;</span>].default_value = noise_scale
+        tex.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Detail&quot;</span>].default_value = <span class="n">8.0</span>
+        tex.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Roughness&quot;</span>].default_value = <span class="n">0.55</span>
+        mix = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeMix&quot;</span>)
+        mix.data_type = <span class="s">&quot;RGBA&quot;</span>
+        mix.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;A&quot;</span>].default_value = color
+        mix.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;B&quot;</span>].default_value = wear
+        fac = mix.inputs.get(<span class="s">&quot;Factor&quot;</span>) <span class="k">or</span> mix.inputs.get(<span class="s">&quot;Fac&quot;</span>)
+        nt.links.new(tex.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Fac&quot;</span>], fac)
+        nt.links.new(mix.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Result&quot;</span>], bsdf.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Base Color&quot;</span>])
+        rmix = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeMix&quot;</span>)
+        rmix.data_type = <span class="s">&quot;FLOAT&quot;</span>
+        rmix.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;A&quot;</span>].default_value = roughness
+        rmix.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;B&quot;</span>].default_value = min(<span class="n">1.0</span>, roughness + <span class="n">0.18</span>)
+        rfac = rmix.inputs.get(<span class="s">&quot;Factor&quot;</span>) <span class="k">or</span> rmix.inputs.get(<span class="s">&quot;Fac&quot;</span>)
+        nt.links.new(tex.outputs[<span class="s">&quot;Fac&quot;</span>], rfac)
+        nt.links.new(rmix.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> _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 post, rail, slat and plank is its own shell, so each gets one
+    tone and grain running along its own long axis. The awning shells take
+    the attributes too; their materials never read them.
+    &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> stall_materials():
+    <span class="s">&quot;&quot;&quot;(wood, stripe_a, stripe_b): shared by the check, the render and inspection.
+
+    The first build was one flat brown for every piece of timber and two
+    flat stripe colours, so the frame read as a single moulding. Wood now
+    carries grain and a tone per piece; the canvas carries faint dirt so
+    the stripes read as cloth, not paint.
+    &quot;&quot;&quot;</span>
+    wood = wood_material(<span class="s">&quot;StallWood&quot;</span>)
+    stripe_a = principled(
+        <span class="s">&quot;StallStripeA&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.62</span>, <span class="n">0.075</span>, <span class="n">0.055</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.78</span>,
+        noise_scale=<span class="n">26.0</span>, wear=(<span class="n">0.46</span>, <span class="n">0.07</span>, <span class="n">0.05</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>),
+    )
+    stripe_b = principled(
+        <span class="s">&quot;StallStripeB&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.80</span>, <span class="n">0.72</span>, <span class="n">0.54</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.80</span>,
+        noise_scale=<span class="n">26.0</span>, wear=(<span class="n">0.62</span>, <span class="n">0.55</span>, <span class="n">0.40</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>),
+    )
+    <span class="k">return</span> wood, stripe_a, stripe_b
+
+
 <span class="k">def</span> assign_slots(obj, wood, stripe_a, stripe_b):
     <span class="c"># Do not materials.clear() — that resets polygon material_index to 0</span>
     <span class="c"># on this Blender, which would drop awning stripes onto wood.</span>
@@ -1056,7 +1232,23 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
         <span class="k">if</span> abs(<span class="n">0.5</span> * (h[<span class="n">1</span>] + h[<span class="n">4</span>]) - <span class="n">0.5</span> * (p[<span class="n">1</span>] + p[<span class="n">4</span>])) &lt; POST * <span class="n">2.0</span>
     ]
     engage = min(pairs) <span class="k">if</span> pairs <span class="k">else</span> <span class="n">1.0</span>
+    frame_posts = [p <span class="k">for</span> p <span class="k">in</span> posts <span class="k">if</span> abs(<span class="n">0.5</span> * (p[<span class="n">0</span>] + p[<span class="n">3</span>])) &gt; hx - POST]
+    <span class="c"># Side plates sit on the headers and pass the brace shape test too;</span>
+    <span class="c"># the braces proper are the ones below the front header.</span>
+    side_braces = [b <span class="k">for</span> b <span class="k">in</span> braces <span class="k">if</span> b[<span class="n">2</span>] &lt; FRONT_H - <span class="n">2.0</span> * POST]
+    seats = []
+    <span class="k">for</span> brace <span class="k">in</span> side_braces:
+        bx = <span class="n">0.5</span> * (brace[<span class="n">0</span>] + brace[<span class="n">3</span>])
+        side = [p <span class="k">for</span> p <span class="k">in</span> frame_posts <span class="k">if</span> abs(<span class="n">0.5</span> * (p[<span class="n">0</span>] + p[<span class="n">3</span>]) - bx) &lt; POST]
+        front = [p <span class="k">for</span> p <span class="k">in</span> side <span class="k">if</span> <span class="n">0.5</span> * (p[<span class="n">1</span>] + p[<span class="n">4</span>]) &lt; <span class="n">0.0</span>]
+        back = [p <span class="k">for</span> p <span class="k">in</span> side <span class="k">if</span> <span class="n">0.5</span> * (p[<span class="n">1</span>] + p[<span class="n">4</span>]) &gt; <span class="n">0.0</span>]
+        <span class="k">if</span> <span class="k">not</span> front <span class="k">or</span> <span class="k">not</span> back:
+            seats.append(-<span class="n">1.0</span>)
+            <span class="k">continue</span>
+        seats.append(min(front[<span class="n">0</span>][<span class="n">4</span>] - brace[<span class="n">1</span>], brace[<span class="n">4</span>] - back[<span class="n">0</span>][<span class="n">1</span>]))
     <span class="k">return</span> {
+        <span class="s">&quot;brace_seat&quot;</span>: min(seats) <span class="k">if</span> seats <span class="k">else</span> -<span class="n">1.0</span>,
+        <span class="s">&quot;side_braces&quot;</span>: len(side_braces),
         <span class="s">&quot;posts&quot;</span>: len(posts),
         <span class="s">&quot;headers&quot;</span>: len(headers),
         <span class="s">&quot;braces&quot;</span>: len(braces),
@@ -1251,6 +1443,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     low_brace=<span class="k">False</span>,
     float_awning=<span class="k">False</span>,
     rake_posts=<span class="k">False</span>,
+    short_brace=<span class="k">False</span>,
 ):
     bpy.ops.wm.read_factory_settings(use_empty=<span class="k">True</span>)
     low = build_stall_mesh(
@@ -1261,6 +1454,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
         float_awning=float_awning,
         rake_posts=rake_posts,
         short_feet=short_feet,
+        short_brace=short_brace,
     )
     high = build_stall_mesh(
         <span class="s">&quot;StallHigh&quot;</span>,
@@ -1270,10 +1464,11 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
         float_awning=float_awning,
         rake_posts=rake_posts,
         short_feet=short_feet,
+        short_brace=short_brace,
     )
-    wood = principled(<span class="s">&quot;StallWood&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.42</span>, <span class="n">0.24</span>, <span class="n">0.10</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.55</span>)
-    stripe_a = principled(<span class="s">&quot;StallStripeA&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.72</span>, <span class="n">0.12</span>, <span class="n">0.10</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.62</span>)
-    stripe_b = principled(<span class="s">&quot;StallStripeB&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.86</span>, <span class="n">0.80</span>, <span class="n">0.62</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.58</span>)
+    paint_planks(low.data)
+    paint_planks(high.data)
+    wood, stripe_a, stripe_b = stall_materials()
     assign_slots(low, wood, stripe_a, stripe_b)
     assign_slots(high, wood, stripe_a, stripe_b)
 
@@ -1334,6 +1529,14 @@ <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 sets TMPDIR from its own preference, which resolves to the</span>
+    <span class="c"># working directory on a stock portable build, so every run left a .glb</span>
+    <span class="c"># in the repo root. The budget only needs the byte count.</span>
+    <span class="k">if</span> os.path.isfile(export_path):
+        <span class="k">try</span>:
+            os.remove(export_path)
+        <span class="k">except</span> OSError:
+            <span class="k">pass</span>
 
     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(
@@ -1359,7 +1562,8 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     )
     print(
         <span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">measured feet=</span>{sup[<span class="s">&#x27;feet&#x27;</span>]}<span class="s"> foot_z=</span>{sup[<span class="s">&#x27;foot_z&#x27;</span>]:<span class="s">.5f</span>}<span class="s"> </span><span class="s">&quot;</span>
-        <span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">brace_overlap=</span>{jnt[<span class="s">&#x27;overlap&#x27;</span>]:<span class="s">.6f</span>}<span class="s"> engage=</span>{jnt[<span class="s">&#x27;engage&#x27;</span>]:<span class="s">.4f</span>}<span class="s"> </span><span class="s">&quot;</span>
+        <span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">brace_overlap=</span>{jnt[<span class="s">&#x27;overlap&#x27;</span>]:<span class="s">.6f</span>}<span class="s"> brace_seat=</span>{jnt[<span class="s">&#x27;brace_seat&#x27;</span>]:<span class="s">.4f</span>}<span class="s"> </span><span class="s">&quot;</span>
+        <span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">side_braces=</span>{jnt[<span class="s">&#x27;side_braces&#x27;</span>]}<span class="s"> engage=</span>{jnt[<span class="s">&#x27;engage&#x27;</span>]:<span class="s">.4f</span>}<span class="s"> </span><span class="s">&quot;</span>
         <span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">seat=</span>{seat:<span class="s">.5f</span>}<span class="s"> plumb=</span>{plumb:<span class="s">.5f</span>}<span class="s"> frame=(</span>{fx:<span class="s">.4f</span>}<span class="s">,</span>{fy:<span class="s">.4f</span>}<span class="s">,</span>{fz:<span class="s">.4f</span>}<span class="s">)</span><span class="s">&quot;</span>
     )
 
@@ -1448,6 +1652,12 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
             <span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">posts=</span>{jnt[<span class="s">&#x27;posts&#x27;</span>]}<span class="s"> braces=</span>{jnt[<span class="s">&#x27;braces&#x27;</span>]}<span class="s"> slats=</span>{jnt[<span class="s">&#x27;slats&#x27;</span>]}<span class="s">&quot;</span>,
             <span class="n">17</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> jnt[<span class="s">&quot;side_braces&quot;</span>] != BRACE_COUNT <span class="k">or</span> jnt[<span class="s">&quot;brace_seat&quot;</span>] &lt; BRACE_SEAT_MIN:
+        <span class="k">return</span> fail(
+            <span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">brace seat </span>{jnt[<span class="s">&#x27;brace_seat&#x27;</span>]:<span class="s">.4f</span>}<span class="s"> &lt; </span>{BRACE_SEAT_MIN}<span class="s"> </span><span class="s">&quot;</span>
+            <span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">side_braces=</span>{jnt[<span class="s">&#x27;side_braces&#x27;</span>]}<span class="s"> (want </span>{BRACE_COUNT}<span class="s">)</span><span class="s">&quot;</span>,
+            <span class="n">17</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> seat &lt; AWNING_SEAT_MIN <span class="k">or</span> seat &gt; AWNING_SEAT_MAX:
         <span class="k">return</span> fail(<span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">awning seat gap </span>{seat:<span class="s">.5f</span>}<span class="s"> &gt; </span>{AWNING_SEAT_MAX}<span class="s">&quot;</span>, <span class="n">18</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> (
@@ -1486,7 +1696,7 @@ <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>)
+        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()
@@ -1582,6 +1792,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     p.add_argument(<span class="s">&quot;--low-brace&quot;</span>, action=<span class="s">&quot;store_true&quot;</span>)
     p.add_argument(<span class="s">&quot;--float-awning&quot;</span>, action=<span class="s">&quot;store_true&quot;</span>)
     p.add_argument(<span class="s">&quot;--rake-posts&quot;</span>, action=<span class="s">&quot;store_true&quot;</span>)
+    p.add_argument(<span class="s">&quot;--short-brace&quot;</span>, action=<span class="s">&quot;store_true&quot;</span>)
     args = p.parse_args(argv)
 
     code, low, _high, wood, tex, _col = check(
@@ -1592,6 +1803,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
         low_brace=args.low_brace,
         float_awning=args.float_awning,
         rake_posts=args.rake_posts,
+        short_brace=args.short_brace,
     )
     <span class="k">if</span> code:
         <span class="k">return</span> code
@@ -1616,7 +1828,7 @@ <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/market-stall-hero.webp" alt="A timber market stall with a red and white striped awning and a counter with shelves." />
+    <img src="../assets/market-stall-hero.webp" alt="A grained timber market stall with diagonal side braces, a red and cream striped canvas awning and a counter with shelves." />
   </dialog>
   <footer>
     <div class="statusbar">
diff --git a/docs/gallery/prop-origin-transform/index.html b/docs/gallery/prop-origin-transform/index.html
index aad15ec8..d110e3d7 100644
--- a/docs/gallery/prop-origin-transform/index.html
+++ b/docs/gallery/prop-origin-transform/index.html
@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@
   <meta property="og:image" content="https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Blender-Developer-Tools/gallery/assets/prop-origin-transform-hero.webp" />
   <meta property="og:image:width" content="1280" />
   <meta property="og:image:height" content="720" />
-  <meta property="og:image:alt" content="Two teal pedestals labelled TRAP and MPI KEEP: on the left a conduit fitting has jumped out of its socket, on the right it sits seated." />
+  <meta property="og:image:alt" content="Two teal pedestals labelled TRAP and MPI KEEP, origin axes crossing on the floor under each base: on the left a conduit fitting has jumped out of its socket, on the right it sits seated." />
   <meta property="og:site_name" content="Blender Developer Tools" />
   <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
   <meta name="twitter:title" content="prop-origin-transform — Examples — Blender Developer Tools" />
   <meta name="twitter:description" content="Street pedestal origin-to-base-center + data-API scale apply + matrix_parent_inverse for a flanged conduit accessory. After bake: scale (1,1,1), local min.z==0, world AABB unchanged. Bare parent jumps the accessory off an empty mount socket; MPI keeps it seated." />
   <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Blender-Developer-Tools/gallery/assets/prop-origin-transform-hero.webp" />
-  <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="Two teal pedestals labelled TRAP and MPI KEEP: on the left a conduit fitting has jumped out of its socket, on the right it sits seated." />
+  <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="Two teal pedestals labelled TRAP and MPI KEEP, origin axes crossing on the floor under each base: on the left a conduit fitting has jumped out of its socket, on the right it sits seated." />
   <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>prop-origin-transform</h1>
     <p>Street pedestal origin-to-base-center + data-API scale apply + matrix_parent_inverse for a flanged conduit accessory. After bake: scale (1,1,1), local min.z==0, world AABB unchanged. Bare parent jumps the accessory off an empty mount socket; MPI keeps it seated.</p>
   </header>
   <main id="main">
-    <button class="detail-hero" id="heroZoom" type="button" aria-label="View full size: Two teal pedestals labelled TRAP and MPI KEEP: on the left a conduit fitting has jumped out of its socket, on the right it sits seated.">
-      <img src="../assets/prop-origin-transform-hero.webp" alt="Two teal pedestals labelled TRAP and MPI KEEP: on the left a conduit fitting has jumped out of its socket, on the right it sits seated." width="1280" height="720" />
+    <button class="detail-hero" id="heroZoom" type="button" aria-label="View full size: Two teal pedestals labelled TRAP and MPI KEEP, origin axes crossing on the floor under each base: on the left a conduit fitting has jumped out of its socket, on the right it sits seated.">
+      <img src="../assets/prop-origin-transform-hero.webp" alt="Two teal pedestals labelled TRAP and MPI KEEP, origin axes crossing on the floor under each base: on the left a conduit fitting has jumped out of its socket, on the right it sits seated." 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> Bare child.parent = parent teleports accessories off their mounts; skipping view_layer.update() before matrix_world, or leaving non-uniform scale / centered origin, breaks engine ingest placement.</div>
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ <h1>prop-origin-transform</h1>
 <ul><li><strong>Stale <code>matrix_world</code>.</strong> After a location edit, <code>matrix_world</code> is unchanged until <code>view_layer.update()</code> (same half of the orrery contract).</li><li><strong>Scale apply via data API.</strong> Non-uniform scale baked into verts; <code>obj.scale == (1,1,1)</code> exactly afterward.</li><li><strong>Origin at base center.</strong> Local bbox <code>min.z == 0</code>, XY centered; world AABB delta across the bake is <strong>0</strong> (gate <code>1e-5</code>).</li><li><strong>Bare-parent trap.</strong> Parenting the accessory without MPI jumps it (~0.43 m measured); setting <code>matrix_parent_inverse</code> restores world location (err ~3e-8).</li></ul>
 <p><strong>What each check catches on failure:</strong> skipping scale apply leaves non-identity scale; skipping origin bake leaves <code>min.z ≈ -0.756</code>; skipping MPI leaves the accessory teleported.</p>
 <p><strong>Version witness:</strong> byte-identical numbers on Blender 4.5.11 LTS and 5.1.2.</p>
-<p>The render is a dual panel: left <strong>TRAP</strong> (bare parent — flanged conduit teleports off a deep shadowed mount socket) vs right <strong>MPI KEEP</strong> (same metal fitting seated in the socket), with emissive origin markers at each pedestal&#x27;s base. Accessory and pedestal stay in one material family so displacement — not color — carries the proof. Check closed forms are unchanged.</p>
+<p>The render is a dual panel: left <strong>TRAP</strong> (bare parent — flanged conduit teleports off a deep shadowed mount socket) vs right <strong>MPI KEEP</strong> (same metal fitting seated in the socket), with emissive origin markers at each pedestal&#x27;s base. The origin is inside the plinth, so the red X and green Y stubs are centred on it and run 1.7 m along the floor, exiting the plinth on both sides: where they cross, under the base, is the origin. The first cut drew 0.28 m stubs from the origin outward, all buried, and 0.11 m labels that vanished at card size; the labels are 0.21 m now. Accessory and pedestal stay in one material family so displacement — not color — carries the proof. Check closed forms are unchanged.</p>
 <h2>Run</h2>
 <pre><code>blender --background --python prop_origin_transform.py --
 blender --background --python prop_origin_transform.py -- --skip-mpi
@@ -670,7 +670,13 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
 
 
 <span class="k">def</span> origin_marker(sc, loc):
-    <span class="s">&quot;&quot;&quot;Small emissive triad at the object origin — scene evidence, not a light.&quot;&quot;&quot;</span>
+    <span class="s">&quot;&quot;&quot;Emissive triad at the object origin — scene evidence, not a light.
+
+    The origin sits at the base centre, inside the plinth, so a bead alone is
+    buried. The X and Y stubs are centred on it and run long enough to exit
+    the plinth on both sides along the floor: where they cross, under the
+    pedestal, is the origin.
+    &quot;&quot;&quot;</span>
     mat = make_material(
         <span class="s">&quot;OriginMark&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">1.0</span>, <span class="n">0.55</span>, <span class="n">0.1</span>), rough=<span class="n">0.35</span>, metallic=<span class="n">0.0</span>,
         emit=(<span class="n">1.0</span>, <span class="n">0.6</span>, <span class="n">0.1</span>), estr=<span class="n">2.2</span>,
@@ -687,18 +693,19 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     ob.location = loc
     sc.collection.objects.link(ob)
     <span class="c"># Axis stubs</span>
-    <span class="k">for</span> axis, rgb, rot <span class="k">in</span> (
-        (<span class="s">&quot;X&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">1.0</span>, <span class="n">0.2</span>, <span class="n">0.15</span>), (<span class="n">0</span>, math.radians(<span class="n">90</span>), <span class="n">0</span>)),
-        (<span class="s">&quot;Y&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.2</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>, <span class="n">0.25</span>), (math.radians(-<span class="n">90</span>), <span class="n">0</span>, <span class="n">0</span>)),
-        (<span class="s">&quot;Z&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.25</span>, <span class="n">0.45</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), (<span class="n">0</span>, <span class="n">0</span>, <span class="n">0</span>)),
+    <span class="k">for</span> axis, rgb, rot, depth <span class="k">in</span> (
+        (<span class="s">&quot;X&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">1.0</span>, <span class="n">0.2</span>, <span class="n">0.15</span>), (<span class="n">0</span>, math.radians(<span class="n">90</span>), <span class="n">0</span>), <span class="n">1.7</span>),
+        (<span class="s">&quot;Y&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.2</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>, <span class="n">0.25</span>), (math.radians(-<span class="n">90</span>), <span class="n">0</span>, <span class="n">0</span>), <span class="n">1.7</span>),
+        (<span class="s">&quot;Z&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.25</span>, <span class="n">0.45</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), (<span class="n">0</span>, <span class="n">0</span>, <span class="n">0</span>), <span class="n">0.56</span>),
     ):
         ame = bpy.data.meshes.new(<span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">Axis</span>{axis}<span class="s">&quot;</span>)
         abm = bmesh.new()
         <span class="k">try</span>:
             bmesh.ops.create_cone(
-                abm, cap_ends=<span class="k">True</span>, segments=<span class="n">8</span>, radius1=<span class="n">0.015</span>, radius2=<span class="n">0.015</span>, depth=<span class="n">0.28</span>,
+                abm, cap_ends=<span class="k">True</span>, segments=<span class="n">8</span>, radius1=<span class="n">0.022</span>, radius2=<span class="n">0.022</span>, depth=depth,
             )
-            bmesh.ops.translate(abm, vec=(<span class="n">0</span>, <span class="n">0</span>, <span class="n">0.14</span>), verts=abm.verts)
+            <span class="k">if</span> axis == <span class="s">&quot;Z&quot;</span>:
+                bmesh.ops.translate(abm, vec=(<span class="n">0</span>, <span class="n">0</span>, depth / <span class="n">2.0</span>), verts=abm.verts)
             abm.to_mesh(ame)
         <span class="k">finally</span>:
             abm.free()
@@ -707,7 +714,8 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
         )
         ame.materials.append(am)
         aob = bpy.data.objects.new(<span class="s">f&quot;</span><span class="s">Axis</span>{axis}<span class="s">&quot;</span>, ame)
-        aob.location = loc
+        <span class="c"># X and Y are centred on the origin, lifted one radius onto the floor</span>
+        aob.location = loc + Vector((<span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.022</span> <span class="k">if</span> axis != <span class="s">&quot;Z&quot;</span> <span class="k">else</span> <span class="n">0.0</span>))
         aob.rotation_euler = rot
         sc.collection.objects.link(aob)
 
@@ -717,6 +725,7 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     cu.body = text
     cu.size = size
     cu.align_x = <span class="s">&quot;CENTER&quot;</span>
+    cu.extrude = <span class="n">0.006</span>
     ob = bpy.data.objects.new(text, cu)
     ob.location = loc
     sc.collection.objects.link(ob)
@@ -729,7 +738,7 @@ <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">30.0</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()
@@ -858,8 +867,9 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
     origin_marker(sc, Vector(left.matrix_world.translation))
     origin_marker(sc, Vector(right.matrix_world.translation))
 
-    p_trap = placard(sc, <span class="s">&quot;TRAP&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.15</span>, -<span class="n">1.25</span>, <span class="n">0.02</span>), size=<span class="n">0.11</span>)
-    p_keep = placard(sc, <span class="s">&quot;MPI KEEP&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">2.1</span>, -<span class="n">1.25</span>, <span class="n">0.02</span>), size=<span class="n">0.11</span>)
+    <span class="c"># Big enough to read at card size; at 0.11 they vanished in the thumbnail.</span>
+    p_trap = placard(sc, <span class="s">&quot;TRAP&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.1</span>, -<span class="n">1.2</span>, <span class="n">0.02</span>), size=<span class="n">0.21</span>)
+    p_keep = placard(sc, <span class="s">&quot;MPI KEEP&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">2.15</span>, -<span class="n">1.2</span>, <span class="n">0.02</span>), size=<span class="n">0.21</span>)
 
     floor, wall = build_studio(sc)
 
@@ -951,7 +961,7 @@ <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/prop-origin-transform-hero.webp" alt="Two teal pedestals labelled TRAP and MPI KEEP: on the left a conduit fitting has jumped out of its socket, on the right it sits seated." />
+    <img src="../assets/prop-origin-transform-hero.webp" alt="Two teal pedestals labelled TRAP and MPI KEEP, origin axes crossing on the floor under each base: on the left a conduit fitting has jumped out of its socket, on the right it sits seated." />
   </dialog>
   <footer>
     <div class="statusbar">
diff --git a/docs/gallery/stone-well/index.html b/docs/gallery/stone-well/index.html
index 98e7b464..d8cf29fa 100644
--- a/docs/gallery/stone-well/index.html
+++ b/docs/gallery/stone-well/index.html
@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@
   <meta property="og:image" content="https://tmhsdigital.github.io/Blender-Developer-Tools/gallery/assets/stone-well-hero.webp" />
   <meta property="og:image:width" content="1280" />
   <meta property="og:image:height" content="720" />
-  <meta property="og:image:alt" content="A round stone well of grey blocks under a four-post wooden roof, with a bucket hanging inside." />
+  <meta property="og:image:alt" content="A round well of grey stones, each a slightly different shade, under a four-post grained wooden roof, with a bucket on rusted iron hoops hanging inside." />
   <meta property="og:site_name" content="Blender Developer Tools" />
   <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
   <meta name="twitter:title" content="stone-well — Showcase — Blender Developer Tools" />
   <meta name="twitter:description" content="A procedural stone well 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/stone-well-hero.webp" />
-  <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="A round stone well of grey blocks under a four-post wooden roof, with a bucket hanging inside." />
+  <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="A round well of grey stones, each a slightly different shade, under a four-post grained wooden roof, with a bucket on rusted iron hoops hanging inside." />
   <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>stone-well</h1>
     <p>A procedural stone well 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 round stone well of grey blocks under a four-post wooden roof, with a bucket hanging inside.">
-      <img src="../assets/stone-well-hero.webp" alt="A round stone well of grey blocks under a four-post wooden roof, with a bucket hanging inside." width="1280" height="720" />
+    <button class="detail-hero" id="heroZoom" type="button" aria-label="View full size: A round well of grey stones, each a slightly different shade, under a four-post grained wooden roof, with a bucket on rusted iron hoops hanging inside.">
+      <img src="../assets/stone-well-hero.webp" alt="A round well of grey stones, each a slightly different shade, under a four-post grained wooden roof, with a bucket on rusted iron hoops hanging inside." 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: 9380 tris, three materials with face floors, UVs in 0..1 with zero AABB overlap, outer AABB 1.312×1.312×1.761 m, LOD ratios in band, convex collider 346 tris, hygiene zero (loose, non-manifold, doubles, n-gons), zero coplanar cross-shell face pairs, all 12 bottom-course stones on the floor, each post tenoned 18 mm into the measured coping and standing under a roof hip corner, the bucket hanging 0.10 m clear of the coping, grounded zmin, non-empty glTF. --stand-posts exits 15 on the z-fight budget; --float-stone exits 16 on the named-support budget; --shallow-tenon and --drop-bucket exit 18; --turn-posts exits 19 on post placement; --skip-decimate exits 9 on the LOD1 ratio budget; --lift-z exits 16 on the grounded budget.</div>
@@ -283,8 +283,8 @@ <h1>stone-well</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>8280–9500</td><td>9380 / 9380 / 9380</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>0.2198 / 0.2198 / 0.2198</td></tr><tr><td>Materials</td><td>exactly 3 distinct</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Material faces</td><td>stone ≥ 3000, wood ≥ 600, metal ≥ 100</td><td>all above</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>(1.312, 1.312, 1.761) m ± 0.01</td><td>(1.3120, 1.3120, 1.7606)</td></tr><tr><td>Grounded</td><td>bbox min Z within 1e-4 of 0</td><td>0.0000 / 0.0000 / 0.0000</td></tr><tr><td>Named supports</td><td>all 12 bottom-course stones on the floor within 1e-4</td><td>12/12, worst 0.000000</td></tr><tr><td>Hygiene</td><td>loose V/E, non-manifold, zero-area, doubles @1e-5, n-gons: all 0</td><td>0 / 0 / 0 on every axis</td></tr><tr><td>Z-fighting</td><td>coplanar cross-shell face pairs = 0</td><td>0 / 0 / 0</td></tr><tr><td>Post tenon</td><td>each post seats 0.015–0.022 m into the measured coping top</td><td>0.01800 / 0.01800 / 0.01800</td></tr><tr><td>Post placement</td><td>each post within 0.02 rad, in plan, of a roof hip corner recomputed from the mesh</td><td>0.00000</td></tr><tr><td>Bucket clearance</td><td>hangs 0.085–0.115 m clear of the measured coping top</td><td>0.10000</td></tr><tr><td>Material-island gap</td><td>stone↔wood and metal↔wood min distance ≤ 0.008 m</td><td>0.00000 / 0.00000 / 0.00000</td></tr><tr><td>Collider tris</td><td>≤ 380</td><td>346</td></tr><tr><td>Export</td><td>written, size &gt; 0, removed after measuring</td><td>690092 bytes on 5.2.1</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
-<p>DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts are <strong>not</strong> guaranteed identical across series — the gate is a ratio band, not an exact count. This mesh happened to match on 4.5.11 / 5.1.2 / 5.2.1. Bake pixels are stochastic; the gate is <code>has_data</code> plus operator <code>FINISHED</code>, not byte-identity. Construction uses no RNG. glTF byte size differs by a few hundred bytes across series; the gate is &quot;written and non-empty&quot;, not a byte count, and the file is removed once measured.</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>8280–9500</td><td>9380 / 9380 / 9380</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>0.2198 / 0.2198 / 0.2198</td></tr><tr><td>Materials</td><td>exactly 3 distinct</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Material faces</td><td>stone ≥ 3000, wood ≥ 600, metal ≥ 100</td><td>all above</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>(1.312, 1.312, 1.761) m ± 0.01</td><td>(1.3120, 1.3120, 1.7606)</td></tr><tr><td>Grounded</td><td>bbox min Z within 1e-4 of 0</td><td>0.0000 / 0.0000 / 0.0000</td></tr><tr><td>Named supports</td><td>all 12 bottom-course stones on the floor within 1e-4</td><td>12/12, worst 0.000000</td></tr><tr><td>Hygiene</td><td>loose V/E, non-manifold, zero-area, doubles @1e-5, n-gons: all 0</td><td>0 / 0 / 0 on every axis</td></tr><tr><td>Z-fighting</td><td>coplanar cross-shell face pairs = 0</td><td>0 / 0 / 0</td></tr><tr><td>Post tenon</td><td>each post seats 0.015–0.022 m into the measured coping top</td><td>0.01800 / 0.01800 / 0.01800</td></tr><tr><td>Post placement</td><td>each post within 0.02 rad, in plan, of a roof hip corner recomputed from the mesh</td><td>0.00000</td></tr><tr><td>Bucket clearance</td><td>hangs 0.085–0.115 m clear of the measured coping top</td><td>0.10000</td></tr><tr><td>Material-island gap</td><td>stone↔wood and metal↔wood min distance ≤ 0.008 m</td><td>0.00000 / 0.00000 / 0.00000</td></tr><tr><td>Collider tris</td><td>≤ 380</td><td>346</td></tr><tr><td>Export</td><td>written, size &gt; 0, removed after measuring</td><td>690216 bytes on 5.2.1</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
+<p>DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts are <strong>not</strong> guaranteed identical across series — the gate is a ratio band, not an exact count. This mesh happened to match on 4.5.11 / 5.1.2 / 5.2.1. Bake pixels are stochastic; the gate is <code>has_data</code> plus operator <code>FINISHED</code>, not byte-identity. Construction uses no RNG; the per-piece material tone is drawn from a seeded <code>random.Random(TONE_SEED)</code>, the same every run. glTF byte size differs by a few hundred bytes across series; the gate is &quot;written and non-empty&quot;, not a byte count, and the file is removed once measured.</p>
 <h2>Falsifiers</h2>
 <p>Each flag breaks one stage so a <strong>named</strong> budget fails and the piece exits <em>that</em> code.</p>
 <div class="table-wrap"><table><thead><tr><th scope="col">Flag</th><th scope="col">Target budget</th><th scope="col">Exit</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><code>--skip-decimate</code></td><td>LOD1 ratio band (ratio becomes 1.0)</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td><code>--lift-z</code></td><td>AABB grounded zmin (whole mesh up 0.05 m)</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td><code>--stand-posts</code></td><td>Coplanar cross-shell pairs — puts the posts back on the axis <em>and</em> stands them on the coping, which is the pair of choices the shipped piece made (0 → 4 pairs)</td><td>15</td></tr><tr><td><code>--float-stone</code></td><td>Named supports — lifts one bottom-course stone 4 mm while the other eleven still ground the AABB</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td><code>--shallow-tenon</code></td><td>Post tenon band — seats the posts only 4 mm, too shallow to be a joint but not flush, so no faces share a plane</td><td>18</td></tr><tr><td><code>--drop-bucket</code></td><td>Bucket clearance — lowers the bucket 0.26 m back down the shaft</td><td>18</td></tr><tr><td><code>--turn-posts</code></td><td>Post placement — rotates the post ring one curb facet off the roof&#x27;s hip corners</td><td>19</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
@@ -327,8 +327,9 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
 hip corner, 19). See README.md for why two of them are aimed the way
 they are.
 
-No RNG. Construction is closed-form (per-stone jitter is a deterministic
-hash). DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts are not byte-identical across
+Construction is closed-form (per-stone jitter is a deterministic hash);
+the per-piece material tone is drawn from ``random.Random(TONE_SEED)``, so
+it is the same every run. DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts are not byte-identical across
 Blender versions — the LOD gate is a ratio band, not an exact count.
 
     blender --background --python stone_well.py --
@@ -339,6 +340,7 @@ <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
@@ -388,6 +390,9 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
 <span class="c"># coplanar cross-shell pairs, one per post). POST_TOP is held fixed so</span>
 <span class="c"># nothing above the posts moves.</span>
 POST_SEAT = <span class="n">0.018</span>
+PLANK_TONE_JITTER = <span class="n">0.28</span>
+TONE_SEED = <span class="n">37</span>
+WOOD_GRAIN_SCALE = <span class="n">30.0</span>
 POST_SEAT_MIN = <span class="n">0.015</span>
 POST_SEAT_MAX = <span class="n">0.022</span>
 POST_CLEAR = <span class="n">0.58</span>
@@ -709,7 +714,12 @@ <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> stone_verts <span class="k">for</span> e <span class="k">in</span> v.link_edges})
+            <span class="c"># A set of BMEdges iterates in memory order, which varies run to</span>
+            <span class="c"># run and reorders the bevelled faces; sort by index.</span>
+            bm.edges.index_update()
+            edges = sorted(
+                {e <span class="k">for</span> v <span class="k">in</span> stone_verts <span class="k">for</span> e <span class="k">in</span> v.link_edges}, key=<span class="k">lambda</span> e: e.index
+            )
             bmesh.ops.bevel(
                 bm,
                 geom=edges,
@@ -874,7 +884,12 @@ <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_bevel_verts <span class="k">for</span> e <span class="k">in</span> v.link_edges})
+            <span class="c"># A set of BMEdges iterates in memory order, which varies run to</span>
+            <span class="c"># run and reorders the bevelled faces; sort by index.</span>
+            bm.edges.index_update()
+            edges = sorted(
+                {e <span class="k">for</span> v <span class="k">in</span> wood_bevel_verts <span class="k">for</span> e <span class="k">in</span> v.link_edges}, key=<span class="k">lambda</span> e: e.index
+            )
             ret = bmesh.ops.bevel(
                 bm,
                 geom=edges,
@@ -987,6 +1002,163 @@ <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.
+
+    Every stone, post, beam and roof board is its own shell, so each gets
+    one tone and grain running along its own long axis. Stone reads the
+    tone only; metal reads neither.
+    &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> shell_groups(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> stone_material(name):
+    <span class="s">&quot;&quot;&quot;Weathered granite: mottled noise, and a value shift per stone (``PlankTone``).
+
+    The first build gave every stone one grey, so the courses read as a
+    single moulded ring rather than laid stone.
+    &quot;&quot;&quot;</span>
+    mat = principled(
+        name, (<span class="n">0.40</span>, <span class="n">0.41</span>, <span class="n">0.43</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.86</span>,
+        noise_scale=<span class="n">9.0</span>, wear=(<span class="n">0.25</span>, <span class="n">0.25</span>, <span class="n">0.26</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>),
+    )
+    nt = mat.node_tree
+    bsdf = nt.nodes[<span class="s">&quot;Principled BSDF&quot;</span>]
+    src = bsdf.inputs[<span class="s">&quot;Base Color&quot;</span>].links[<span class="n">0</span>].from_socket
+    tone = nt.nodes.new(<span class="s">&quot;ShaderNodeAttribute&quot;</span>)
+    tone.attribute_name = <span class="s">&quot;PlankTone&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">0.9</span>
+    gain.inputs[<span class="n">2</span>].default_value = <span class="n">0.55</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(src, _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>])
+    <span class="k">return</span> mat
+
+
+<span class="k">def</span> well_materials():
+    <span class="s">&quot;&quot;&quot;(stone, wood, metal): shared by the check, the render and inspection.
+
+    Bucket hoops and crank were bright satin metal (metallic 1.0, roughness
+    0.30) and read as chrome; they are rusted iron now.
+    &quot;&quot;&quot;</span>
+    stone = stone_material(<span class="s">&quot;WellStone&quot;</span>)
+    wood = wood_material(<span class="s">&quot;WellWood&quot;</span>)
+    metal = principled(
+        <span class="s">&quot;WellMetal&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> stone, wood, metal
+
+
 <span class="k">def</span> assign_slots(obj, stone, wood, metal):
     <span class="c"># Index-preserving: materials.clear() resets every polygon&#x27;s</span>
     <span class="c"># material_index to 0 (the piece would render all-stone). Assign by</span>
@@ -1382,18 +1554,9 @@ <h2>Source</h2>
                           post_seat=seat, turn_posts=turn)
     high = build_well_mesh(<span class="s">&quot;WellHigh&quot;</span>, bevel_offset=<span class="n">0.010</span>, bevel_segments=<span class="n">4</span>,
                            post_seat=seat, turn_posts=turn)
-    stone = principled(
-        <span class="s">&quot;WellStone&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.40</span>, <span class="n">0.42</span>, <span class="n">0.46</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.84</span>,
-        noise_scale=<span class="n">9.0</span>, wear=(<span class="n">0.29</span>, <span class="n">0.30</span>, <span class="n">0.33</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>),
-    )
-    wood = principled(
-        <span class="s">&quot;WellWood&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.48</span>, <span class="n">0.22</span>, <span class="n">0.07</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), <span class="n">0.0</span>, <span class="n">0.50</span>,
-        noise_scale=<span class="n">7.0</span>, wear=(<span class="n">0.30</span>, <span class="n">0.13</span>, <span class="n">0.04</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>),
-    )
-    metal = principled(
-        <span class="s">&quot;WellMetal&quot;</span>, (<span class="n">0.62</span>, <span class="n">0.58</span>, <span class="n">0.48</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>), <span class="n">1.0</span>, <span class="n">0.30</span>,
-        noise_scale=<span class="n">5.0</span>, wear=(<span class="n">0.34</span>, <span class="n">0.32</span>, <span class="n">0.27</span>, <span class="n">1.0</span>),
-    )
+    paint_planks(low.data)
+    paint_planks(high.data)
+    stone, wood, metal = well_materials()
     assign_slots(low, stone, wood, metal)
     assign_slots(high, stone, wood, metal)
     <span class="k">if</span> lift_z:
@@ -1706,7 +1869,7 @@ <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>)
+        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()
@@ -1866,7 +2029,7 @@ <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/stone-well-hero.webp" alt="A round stone well of grey blocks under a four-post wooden roof, with a bucket hanging inside." />
+    <img src="../assets/stone-well-hero.webp" alt="A round well of grey stones, each a slightly different shade, under a four-post grained wooden roof, with a bucket on rusted iron hoops hanging inside." />
   </dialog>
   <footer>
     <div class="statusbar">
diff --git a/examples/gallery.json b/examples/gallery.json
index 05466440..d3b349d6 100644
--- a/examples/gallery.json
+++ b/examples/gallery.json
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@
       "name": "gltf-export-roundtrip",
       "dir": "examples/gltf-export-roundtrip",
       "teaches": "A sci-fi supply crate exported to glTF and re-imported, verifying the round-trip against the depsgraph-evaluated mesh within float tolerances. Positions, loop normals, box-mapped UVs, and per-triangle material bindings must all survive; the on-disk JSON proves the +Y-up conversion and the V-flipped UV layout.",
-      "alt": "Two identical olive equipment crates with cyan light strips, labelled AUTHORED and ROUND-TRIP.",
+      "alt": "Two identical olive equipment crates with cyan light strips, both turned to show a side, labelled AUTHORED and ROUND-TRIP.",
       "witnessesFix": "export_yup bakes (x, y, z) -> (x, z, -y) into the vertex data with no node rotation (probed identical on 4.5.11 and 5.1.2); export_apply ships the evaluated mesh, not the base cage; exporter/importer RNA is guarded so a future kwarg rename fails loudly.",
       "hero": "docs/gallery/assets/gltf-export-roundtrip-hero.webp",
       "preview": "examples/gltf-export-roundtrip/preview.webp",
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@
       "name": "prop-origin-transform",
       "dir": "examples/prop-origin-transform",
       "teaches": "Street pedestal origin-to-base-center + data-API scale apply + matrix_parent_inverse for a flanged conduit accessory. After bake: scale (1,1,1), local min.z==0, world AABB unchanged. Bare parent jumps the accessory off an empty mount socket; MPI keeps it seated.",
-      "alt": "Two teal pedestals labelled TRAP and MPI KEEP: on the left a conduit fitting has jumped out of its socket, on the right it sits seated.",
+      "alt": "Two teal pedestals labelled TRAP and MPI KEEP, origin axes crossing on the floor under each base: on the left a conduit fitting has jumped out of its socket, on the right it sits seated.",
       "witnessesFix": "Bare child.parent = parent teleports accessories off their mounts; skipping view_layer.update() before matrix_world, or leaving non-uniform scale / centered origin, breaks engine ingest placement.",
       "hero": "docs/gallery/assets/prop-origin-transform-hero.webp",
       "preview": "examples/prop-origin-transform/preview.webp",
diff --git a/examples/gltf-export-roundtrip/README.md b/examples/gltf-export-roundtrip/README.md
index 8eee1907..8520b94b 100644
--- a/examples/gltf-export-roundtrip/README.md
+++ b/examples/gltf-export-roundtrip/README.md
@@ -49,7 +49,15 @@ raises `ReferenceError`, so counts are captured before the wipe.
 The render stages the authored crate beside the actual re-imported one — same
 bevels, same materials carried through the file itself. If the axis conversion
 broke, the right twin would lie on its side; if the modifier contract broke, its
-silhouette would lose the rounded edges.
+silhouette would lose the rounded edges. Both twins are turned 22° off
+square so each shows a side and its corner armour; dead-on, the pair read
+as two flat front elevations. The re-imported object comes back in
+`QUATERNION` rotation mode, so the render path switches it to `XYZ`
+before turning it — presentation only, after every check has run.
+
+The render path gates framing through `gallery_framing.check_framing`.
+The helper returns 10, which is already a check code here, so the call
+site remaps a framing violation to 22.
 
 ## Run
 
@@ -94,6 +102,7 @@ against it.
 | 19 | Re-import triangle count drifted |
 | 20 | Per-triangle material bindings drifted |
 | 21 | `--output` produced no file |
+| 22 | Gallery framing violation (render path only; the helper's 10, remapped) |
 
 The `blender-smoke` workflow runs the check on Blender 5.2 LTS and 4.5 LTS
 (5.1 on the weekly cron, the `needs-5.1` PR label, or manual dispatch).
diff --git a/examples/gltf-export-roundtrip/gltf_export_roundtrip.py b/examples/gltf-export-roundtrip/gltf_export_roundtrip.py
index 0f2dd176..b112f2f1 100644
--- a/examples/gltf-export-roundtrip/gltf_export_roundtrip.py
+++ b/examples/gltf-export-roundtrip/gltf_export_roundtrip.py
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@
 import bpy, bmesh, sys, os, math, json, struct, shutil, tempfile, argparse
 import mathutils
 
+# Shared Layer 1 framing measurement (render path only) — see gallery_framing.py
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), os.pardir))
+sys.dont_write_bytecode = True  # keep examples/__pycache__ out of the repo tree
+import gallery_framing
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Crate specification. Every part is an axis-aligned box, so every base-cage
 # vertex is a closed form: center +/- size/2. The parts interpenetrate on
@@ -493,8 +498,15 @@ def render_still(authored, roundtrip, path, engine):
 
     # the authored twin keeps its materials; the re-imported twin renders with
     # whatever the file carried back — the same look through the format itself
+    # turned a quarter off square so each crate shows a side and its corner
+    # guards read as solid; dead-on, the pair was two flat front elevations
     authored.location.x = -1.35
     roundtrip.location.x = 1.35
+    # the importer leaves objects in QUATERNION mode, where rotation_euler
+    # is ignored
+    for ob in (authored, roundtrip):
+        ob.rotation_mode = 'XYZ'
+        ob.rotation_euler.z = math.radians(-22.0)
 
     pm = bpy.data.materials.new("PlaqueMetal")
     pm.use_nodes = True
@@ -515,14 +527,14 @@ def plaque(text, x):
         ob.location = (x, -1.55, 0.01)
         ob.data.materials.append(pm)
         scene.collection.objects.link(ob)
+        return ob
 
-    plaque("AUTHORED", -1.35)
-    plaque("ROUND-TRIP", 1.35)
+    plaques = [plaque("AUTHORED", -1.35), plaque("ROUND-TRIP", 1.35)]
 
     floor_me = bpy.data.meshes.new("Floor")
     bm = bmesh.new()
     try:
-        bmesh.ops.create_grid(bm, x_segments=1, y_segments=1, size=30.0)
+        bmesh.ops.create_grid(bm, x_segments=1, y_segments=1, size=60.0)
         bm.to_mesh(floor_me)
     finally:
         bm.free()
@@ -562,7 +574,7 @@ def light(name, loc, energy, size, col, rot):
     cam_data = bpy.data.cameras.new("Cam")
     cam_data.lens = 53.0
     cam = bpy.data.objects.new("Cam", cam_data)
-    cam.location = (0.0, -8.6, 2.7)
+    cam.location = (0.0, -8.9, 3.3)
     scene.collection.objects.link(cam)
     target = bpy.data.objects.new("Aim", None)
     target.location = (0.0, 0.0, 0.75)
@@ -586,8 +598,19 @@ def light(name, loc, energy, size, col, rot):
     # AgX would wash the olive drab and teal glow toward pastel
     # (docs/VISUAL-STYLE.md)
     scene.view_settings.view_transform = 'Standard'
+    # Layer 1 framing gate (silhouette matte), before the beauty render so a
+    # defective composition ships no artifact. The helper returns 10, which is
+    # a check code here (POSITION count), so the call site remaps it to 22.
+    fcode = gallery_framing.check_framing(
+        scene, cam,
+        hero=[authored, roundtrip],
+        elements=[authored, roundtrip] + plaques,
+        stage=[floor, wall],
+    )
+    if fcode:
+        return 22
     bpy.ops.render.render(write_still=True)
-    return os.path.exists(path) and os.path.getsize(path) > 0
+    return 0 if os.path.exists(path) and os.path.getsize(path) > 0 else 21
 
 
 def main():
@@ -618,10 +641,12 @@ def main():
         authored = build_crate()
         for m in make_materials():
             authored.data.materials.append(m)
-        if not render_still(authored, roundtrip, os.path.abspath(args.output),
-                            args.engine):
+        rcode = render_still(authored, roundtrip, os.path.abspath(args.output),
+                             args.engine)
+        if rcode == 21:
             print("ERROR: render produced no file", file=sys.stderr)
-            return 21
+        if rcode:
+            return rcode
         print(f"rendered still {args.output}")
 
     print("gltf-export-roundtrip OK")
diff --git a/examples/gltf-export-roundtrip/preview.webp b/examples/gltf-export-roundtrip/preview.webp
index b0e84d07..672e8e26 100644
Binary files a/examples/gltf-export-roundtrip/preview.webp and b/examples/gltf-export-roundtrip/preview.webp differ
diff --git a/examples/prop-origin-transform/README.md b/examples/prop-origin-transform/README.md
index ae73d9ac..b9549aec 100644
--- a/examples/prop-origin-transform/README.md
+++ b/examples/prop-origin-transform/README.md
@@ -39,7 +39,11 @@ MPI leaves the accessory teleported.
 The render is a dual panel: left **TRAP** (bare parent — flanged conduit
 teleports off a deep shadowed mount socket) vs right **MPI KEEP** (same metal
 fitting seated in the socket), with emissive origin markers at each pedestal's
-base. Accessory and pedestal stay in one material family so displacement — not
+base. The origin is inside the plinth, so the red X and green Y stubs are
+centred on it and run 1.7 m along the floor, exiting the plinth on both
+sides: where they cross, under the base, is the origin. The first cut drew
+0.28 m stubs from the origin outward, all buried, and 0.11 m labels that
+vanished at card size; the labels are 0.21 m now. Accessory and pedestal stay in one material family so displacement — not
 color — carries the proof. Check closed forms are unchanged.
 
 ## Run
diff --git a/examples/prop-origin-transform/preview.webp b/examples/prop-origin-transform/preview.webp
index 2a0a70c3..9319faf3 100644
Binary files a/examples/prop-origin-transform/preview.webp and b/examples/prop-origin-transform/preview.webp differ
diff --git a/examples/prop-origin-transform/prop_origin_transform.py b/examples/prop-origin-transform/prop_origin_transform.py
index 9d0af98d..9123a60b 100644
--- a/examples/prop-origin-transform/prop_origin_transform.py
+++ b/examples/prop-origin-transform/prop_origin_transform.py
@@ -366,7 +366,13 @@ def check(prop, acc, skip_mpi=False):
 
 
 def origin_marker(sc, loc):
-    """Small emissive triad at the object origin — scene evidence, not a light."""
+    """Emissive triad at the object origin — scene evidence, not a light.
+
+    The origin sits at the base centre, inside the plinth, so a bead alone is
+    buried. The X and Y stubs are centred on it and run long enough to exit
+    the plinth on both sides along the floor: where they cross, under the
+    pedestal, is the origin.
+    """
     mat = make_material(
         "OriginMark", (1.0, 0.55, 0.1), rough=0.35, metallic=0.0,
         emit=(1.0, 0.6, 0.1), estr=2.2,
@@ -383,18 +389,19 @@ def origin_marker(sc, loc):
     ob.location = loc
     sc.collection.objects.link(ob)
     # Axis stubs
-    for axis, rgb, rot in (
-        ("X", (1.0, 0.2, 0.15), (0, math.radians(90), 0)),
-        ("Y", (0.2, 1.0, 0.25), (math.radians(-90), 0, 0)),
-        ("Z", (0.25, 0.45, 1.0), (0, 0, 0)),
+    for axis, rgb, rot, depth in (
+        ("X", (1.0, 0.2, 0.15), (0, math.radians(90), 0), 1.7),
+        ("Y", (0.2, 1.0, 0.25), (math.radians(-90), 0, 0), 1.7),
+        ("Z", (0.25, 0.45, 1.0), (0, 0, 0), 0.56),
     ):
         ame = bpy.data.meshes.new(f"Axis{axis}")
         abm = bmesh.new()
         try:
             bmesh.ops.create_cone(
-                abm, cap_ends=True, segments=8, radius1=0.015, radius2=0.015, depth=0.28,
+                abm, cap_ends=True, segments=8, radius1=0.022, radius2=0.022, depth=depth,
             )
-            bmesh.ops.translate(abm, vec=(0, 0, 0.14), verts=abm.verts)
+            if axis == "Z":
+                bmesh.ops.translate(abm, vec=(0, 0, depth / 2.0), verts=abm.verts)
             abm.to_mesh(ame)
         finally:
             abm.free()
@@ -403,7 +410,8 @@ def origin_marker(sc, loc):
         )
         ame.materials.append(am)
         aob = bpy.data.objects.new(f"Axis{axis}", ame)
-        aob.location = loc
+        # X and Y are centred on the origin, lifted one radius onto the floor
+        aob.location = loc + Vector((0.0, 0.0, 0.022 if axis != "Z" else 0.0))
         aob.rotation_euler = rot
         sc.collection.objects.link(aob)
 
@@ -413,6 +421,7 @@ def placard(sc, text, loc, size=0.18):
     cu.body = text
     cu.size = size
     cu.align_x = "CENTER"
+    cu.extrude = 0.006
     ob = bpy.data.objects.new(text, cu)
     ob.location = loc
     sc.collection.objects.link(ob)
@@ -425,7 +434,7 @@ def build_studio(sc):
     floor_me = bpy.data.meshes.new("Floor")
     bm = bmesh.new()
     try:
-        bmesh.ops.create_grid(bm, x_segments=1, y_segments=1, size=30.0)
+        bmesh.ops.create_grid(bm, x_segments=1, y_segments=1, size=60.0)
         bm.to_mesh(floor_me)
     finally:
         bm.free()
@@ -554,8 +563,9 @@ def make_socket(name, world_loc, mat, parent=None):
     origin_marker(sc, Vector(left.matrix_world.translation))
     origin_marker(sc, Vector(right.matrix_world.translation))
 
-    p_trap = placard(sc, "TRAP", (0.15, -1.25, 0.02), size=0.11)
-    p_keep = placard(sc, "MPI KEEP", (2.1, -1.25, 0.02), size=0.11)
+    # Big enough to read at card size; at 0.11 they vanished in the thumbnail.
+    p_trap = placard(sc, "TRAP", (0.1, -1.2, 0.02), size=0.21)
+    p_keep = placard(sc, "MPI KEEP", (2.15, -1.2, 0.02), size=0.21)
 
     floor, wall = build_studio(sc)
 
diff --git a/showcase/README.md b/showcase/README.md
index ea6c3b50..ca7b0209 100644
--- a/showcase/README.md
+++ b/showcase/README.md
@@ -505,6 +505,17 @@ entry in `showcase/gallery.json`, and a rendered still.
   oval, a broom handle is round — assert it as a ratio band at a named
   station, measured in the construction frame from a slab that holds
   exactly one ring. `--round-haft` is the falsifier.
+- **A brace joins two members (exit 17).** A diagonal that stops in
+  the air is a peg, not a brace. Assert that both ends reach past the
+  inner face of the member each tenons into, measured per side, and
+  count the braces so a classifier that silently drops one (a level
+  brace fails a "diagonal" shape test) cannot pass vacuously. The
+  falsifier stops one end short inside the envelope (`--short-brace`).
+- **Laid stone and cut timber vary piece by piece.** One flat grey on
+  every stone reads as a moulded ring; one brown on every member reads
+  as a single casting. Drive a per-shell tone (`PlankTone`) and, for
+  wood, grain along each shell's long axis (`GrainDir`) from face
+  attributes, seeded so the render is the same every run.
 - **Rendered still and gallery entry.** Showcase pieces are visual by
   definition. The pathology / sidecar exemption does not apply. Call
   `examples/gallery_framing.check_framing` on the `--output` path only.
diff --git a/showcase/gallery.json b/showcase/gallery.json
index 142f4d9b..b37ed236 100644
--- a/showcase/gallery.json
+++ b/showcase/gallery.json
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
       "name": "stone-well",
       "dir": "showcase/stone-well",
       "teaches": "A procedural stone well through UVs, bake, LOD, collider, and Unity glTF, asserting recomputed budgets rather than an API contract.",
-      "alt": "A round stone well of grey blocks under a four-post wooden roof, with a bucket hanging inside.",
+      "alt": "A round well of grey stones, each a slightly different shade, under a four-post grained wooden roof, with a bucket on rusted iron hoops hanging inside.",
       "witnessesFix": "Recomputed: 9380 tris, three materials with face floors, UVs in 0..1 with zero AABB overlap, outer AABB 1.312×1.312×1.761 m, LOD ratios in band, convex collider 346 tris, hygiene zero (loose, non-manifold, doubles, n-gons), zero coplanar cross-shell face pairs, all 12 bottom-course stones on the floor, each post tenoned 18 mm into the measured coping and standing under a roof hip corner, the bucket hanging 0.10 m clear of the coping, grounded zmin, non-empty glTF. --stand-posts exits 15 on the z-fight budget; --float-stone exits 16 on the named-support budget; --shallow-tenon and --drop-bucket exit 18; --turn-posts exits 19 on post placement; --skip-decimate exits 9 on the LOD1 ratio budget; --lift-z exits 16 on the grounded budget.",
       "hero": "docs/gallery/assets/stone-well-hero.webp",
       "preview": "showcase/stone-well/preview.webp",
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@
       "name": "market-stall",
       "dir": "showcase/market-stall",
       "teaches": "A procedural timber market stall through UVs, bake, LOD, collider, and Unity glTF, asserting recomputed budgets rather than an API contract.",
-      "alt": "A timber market stall with a red and white striped awning and a counter with shelves.",
-      "witnessesFix": "Recomputed: 4324 tris, three materials with 34 faces per awning stripe slot, UVs in 0..1 with zero AABB overlap, outer AABB 1.389×1.011×1.740 m, grounded zmin, 4 wrap feet, brace-counter overlap 0, awning seat 4 mm, post plumb 0, LOD ratios in band, convex collider 58 tris, non-empty glTF. Hygiene all zero. --skip-decimate exits 9; --stray-vert 15; --lift-z/--short-feet 16; --low-brace 17; --float-awning 18; --rake-posts 19.",
+      "alt": "A grained timber market stall with diagonal side braces, a red and cream striped canvas awning and a counter with shelves.",
+      "witnessesFix": "Recomputed: 4324 tris, three materials with 34 faces per awning stripe slot, UVs in 0..1 with zero AABB overlap, outer AABB 1.389×1.011×1.740 m, grounded zmin, 4 wrap feet, brace-counter overlap 0, both side braces seated 0.0418 m into their posts, awning seat 4 mm, post plumb 0, LOD ratios in band, convex collider 58 tris, non-empty glTF. Hygiene all zero. --skip-decimate exits 9; --stray-vert 15; --lift-z/--short-feet 16; --low-brace/--short-brace 17; --float-awning 18; --rake-posts 19.",
       "hero": "docs/gallery/assets/market-stall-hero.webp",
       "preview": "showcase/market-stall/preview.webp",
       "tags": [
diff --git a/showcase/market-stall/README.md b/showcase/market-stall/README.md
index 4e26e548..7d03bc11 100644
--- a/showcase/market-stall/README.md
+++ b/showcase/market-stall/README.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 A showcase piece, not an example. Procedural timber stall (corner posts
 with wrap plinths, slatted counter and shelf, back-wall planks, side
-braces that sit in the post bay, striped awning with a front roller and
+braces that run post to post, striped awning with a front roller and
 hanging valance) then the shipped pipeline: unique-cell UVs, Cycles
 high-to-low normal bake, LOD chain, convex collider, Unity glTF export.
 
@@ -11,6 +11,17 @@ counter-leg pads coplanar with the legs, which z-fought at Z=0. Wrap
 plates stand off the post; counter legs go to Z=0 without a second
 bottom face.
 
+The side braces used to start at the back post and stop at mid-depth,
+0.43 m short of the front post, nearly level and joined to nothing at
+the front: in the side elevation they read as pegs hanging in the air.
+The audit that should have caught it never did, because a level brace
+fails its brace shape test and was never measured. Each brace now runs
+from the front post, just above the counter, up to the back post under
+the header, so the side bay is triangulated; the brace-in-post seat
+below asserts both ends. Wood carries grain and a tone per piece
+(`PlankTone` / `GrainDir` face attributes), and the awning is a matte
+canvas with faint dirt, not two flat paints.
+
 It asserts **budget conformance** of the generated result. It does not
 witness an API contract. "It rendered without error" is not a check.
 
@@ -34,7 +45,7 @@ materials, UVs, evaluated LOD, collider, or export file.
 | UVs | in `0..1`, AABB overlap ≤ 1e-5 | in range, overlap 0 |
 | Outer AABB | (1.389, 1.011, 1.740) m ± 0.01 | (1.3892, 1.0107, 1.7402), zmin 0 |
 | Collider tris | ≤ 80 | 58 |
-| Export | written, size > 0 | 312752 / 312752 / 312728 bytes |
+| Export | written, size > 0, removed after measuring | 312400 / 312400 / 312376 bytes |
 
 ### Hygiene
 
@@ -57,6 +68,7 @@ Recomputed from the generated mesh, not asserted about the script.
 | Axis | Declared | Measured (all three) |
 | --- | --- | --- |
 | Brace-vs-counter overlap | ≤ 1e-6 m³ | 0.000000 |
+| Brace-in-post seat: 2 side braces, each end past the post's inner face | ≥ 0.020 m | 0.0418 |
 | Header-post tenon engage | ≥ 0.4 × tenon | 0.0595 |
 | Awning-on-header seat | −0.002–0.010 m | 0.00378 |
 | Post plumb (XY drift) | ≤ 0.008 m | 0.00000 |
@@ -64,13 +76,14 @@ Recomputed from the generated mesh, not asserted about the script.
 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. Construction uses no RNG. Export byte counts differ by
-24 B on 5.2.1 (glTF serializer), not a gated axis.
+byte-identity. Construction uses no RNG; the per-piece wood tone is
+drawn from a seeded `random.Random(TONE_SEED)`, the same every run. Export
+byte counts differ by series (glTF serializer), not a gated axis.
 
 ### Falsifiers
 
-Each violates one named budget. All eight were run on 4.5.11, 5.1.2 and
-5.2.1 and returned the same code on each.
+Each violates one named budget. Every falsifier was run on 4.5.11,
+5.1.2 and 5.2.1 and returned the same code on each.
 
 | Flag | Budget violated | Exit |
 | --- | --- | --- |
@@ -79,6 +92,7 @@ Each violates one named budget. All eight were run on 4.5.11, 5.1.2 and
 | `--lift-z` | bounding box `zmin` is 0 | 16 |
 | `--short-feet` | named wrap-foot supports at Z=0 | 16 |
 | `--low-brace` | brace-vs-counter overlap | 17 |
+| `--short-brace` | brace-in-post seat (front end stops at mid-depth, -0.4181 m) | 17 |
 | `--float-awning` | awning-on-header seat | 18 |
 | `--rake-posts` | post plumb | 19 |
 
@@ -91,6 +105,7 @@ blender --background --python market_stall.py -- --stray-vert
 blender --background --python market_stall.py -- --lift-z
 blender --background --python market_stall.py -- --short-feet
 blender --background --python market_stall.py -- --low-brace
+blender --background --python market_stall.py -- --short-brace
 blender --background --python market_stall.py -- --float-awning
 blender --background --python market_stall.py -- --rake-posts
 blender --background --python market_stall.py -- --output stall.png
@@ -123,6 +138,6 @@ hygiene and joint-fit family.
 | 14 | `--output` produced no file |
 | 15 | Mesh hygiene: loose, non-manifold, zero-area, doubles, n-gons, z-fight |
 | 16 | Not grounded: bounding box `zmin` off 0, or a named wrap foot floats |
-| 17 | Joint fit: brace occupying the counter volume |
+| 17 | Joint fit: brace occupying the counter volume, or a side brace not seated in both posts |
 | 18 | Seat: awning-on-header gap |
 | 19 | Post plumb or frame plan off the stated real-world size |
diff --git a/showcase/market-stall/market_stall.py b/showcase/market-stall/market_stall.py
index 9263c8a8..db5a2960 100644
--- a/showcase/market-stall/market_stall.py
+++ b/showcase/market-stall/market_stall.py
@@ -9,9 +9,11 @@
 budget: ``--skip-decimate`` the LOD-ratio band, ``--stray-vert`` mesh
 hygiene, ``--lift-z`` grounded zmin, ``--short-feet`` named post-foot
 supports, ``--low-brace`` brace-vs-counter joint fit, ``--float-awning``
-awning-on-header seat, ``--rake-posts`` post plumb.
+awning-on-header seat, ``--rake-posts`` post plumb, ``--short-brace``
+brace-in-post seat.
 
-No RNG. Slat jitter is closed-form ``sin(i)``. DECIMATE COLLAPSE
+Slat jitter is closed-form ``sin(i)``; the per-piece wood tone is drawn
+from ``random.Random(TONE_SEED)``, so it is the same every run. DECIMATE COLLAPSE
 triangle counts are not byte-identical across Blender versions — the LOD
 gate is a ratio band, not an exact count.
 
@@ -22,6 +24,7 @@
 import argparse
 import math
 import os
+import random
 import sys
 import tempfile
 import traceback
@@ -91,6 +94,17 @@
 FLOAT_AWNING = 0.008
 RAKE = math.radians(2.0)
 SHORT_FOOT_Z = 0.048
+# Brace ends must sit inside the post they tenon into, at both ends: the
+# depth each end reaches past the post's inner face, along Y. The first
+# build stopped the front end at y = +0.04, 0.43 m short of the front post,
+# so the brace hung in the air behind the counter.
+BRACE_SEAT_MIN = 0.020
+BRACE_COUNT = 2
+# --short-brace stops the front end at that old mid-depth point.
+SHORT_BRACE_Y = 0.04
+PLANK_TONE_JITTER = 0.28
+TONE_SEED = 31
+WOOD_GRAIN_SCALE = 30.0
 
 WOOD_IDX = 0
 STRIPE_A_IDX = 1
@@ -259,6 +273,7 @@ def build_stall_mesh(
     float_awning=False,
     rake_posts=False,
     short_feet=False,
+    short_brace=False,
 ):
     bm = bmesh.new()
     wood_verts = []
@@ -350,10 +365,12 @@ def build_stall_mesh(
                 a = Vector((sx, py_f, 0.28))
                 b = Vector((sx, py_b, BACK_H * 0.58))
             else:
-                # On the post centreline so the brace tenons the post instead
-                # of reading as a wing in the front elevation.
-                a = Vector((sx, 0.04, COUNTER_Z + 0.14))
-                b = Vector((sx, py_b, BACK_H * 0.56))
+                # Post centre to post centre, so both ends tenon a post and
+                # the side frame is triangulated. On the post centreline so it
+                # does not read as a wing in the front elevation.
+                fy = SHORT_BRACE_Y if short_brace else py_f
+                a = Vector((sx, fy, COUNTER_Z + 0.17))
+                b = Vector((sx, py_b, BACK_H - 0.22))
             wood_verts.extend(add_oriented_box(bm, a, b, (BRACE, BRACE), WOOD_IDX))
 
         inner_w = WIDTH - 2.0 * POST - 0.024
@@ -475,7 +492,12 @@ def build_stall_mesh(
         )
 
         if bevel_offset > 0.0:
-            edges = list({e for v in wood_verts for e in v.link_edges})
+            # A set of BMEdges iterates in memory order, which varies run to
+            # run and reorders the bevelled faces; sort by index.
+            bm.edges.index_update()
+            edges = sorted(
+                {e for v in wood_verts for e in v.link_edges}, key=lambda e: e.index
+            )
             bmesh.ops.bevel(
                 bm,
                 geom=edges,
@@ -514,16 +536,168 @@ def build_stall_mesh(
     return obj
 
 
-def principled(name, color, metallic, roughness):
+def principled(name, color, metallic, roughness, noise_scale=0.0, wear=None):
     mat = bpy.data.materials.new(name)
     mat.use_nodes = True
-    bsdf = mat.node_tree.nodes["Principled BSDF"]
+    nt = mat.node_tree
+    bsdf = nt.nodes["Principled BSDF"]
     bsdf.inputs["Base Color"].default_value = color
     bsdf.inputs["Metallic"].default_value = metallic
     bsdf.inputs["Roughness"].default_value = roughness
+    if noise_scale > 0.0 and wear is not None:
+        tex = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeTexNoise")
+        tex.inputs["Scale"].default_value = noise_scale
+        tex.inputs["Detail"].default_value = 8.0
+        tex.inputs["Roughness"].default_value = 0.55
+        mix = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeMix")
+        mix.data_type = "RGBA"
+        mix.inputs["A"].default_value = color
+        mix.inputs["B"].default_value = wear
+        fac = mix.inputs.get("Factor") or mix.inputs.get("Fac")
+        nt.links.new(tex.outputs["Fac"], fac)
+        nt.links.new(mix.outputs["Result"], bsdf.inputs["Base Color"])
+        rmix = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeMix")
+        rmix.data_type = "FLOAT"
+        rmix.inputs["A"].default_value = roughness
+        rmix.inputs["B"].default_value = min(1.0, roughness + 0.18)
+        rfac = rmix.inputs.get("Factor") or rmix.inputs.get("Fac")
+        nt.links.new(tex.outputs["Fac"], rfac)
+        nt.links.new(rmix.outputs["Result"], bsdf.inputs["Roughness"])
     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.
+
+    Every post, rail, slat and plank is its own shell, so each gets one
+    tone and grain running along its own long axis. The awning shells take
+    the attributes too; their materials never read them.
+    """
+    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 stall_materials():
+    """(wood, stripe_a, stripe_b): shared by the check, the render and inspection.
+
+    The first build was one flat brown for every piece of timber and two
+    flat stripe colours, so the frame read as a single moulding. Wood now
+    carries grain and a tone per piece; the canvas carries faint dirt so
+    the stripes read as cloth, not paint.
+    """
+    wood = wood_material("StallWood")
+    stripe_a = principled(
+        "StallStripeA", (0.62, 0.075, 0.055, 1.0), 0.0, 0.78,
+        noise_scale=26.0, wear=(0.46, 0.07, 0.05, 1.0),
+    )
+    stripe_b = principled(
+        "StallStripeB", (0.80, 0.72, 0.54, 1.0), 0.0, 0.80,
+        noise_scale=26.0, wear=(0.62, 0.55, 0.40, 1.0),
+    )
+    return wood, stripe_a, stripe_b
+
+
 def assign_slots(obj, wood, stripe_a, stripe_b):
     # Do not materials.clear() — that resets polygon material_index to 0
     # on this Blender, which would drop awning stripes onto wood.
@@ -739,7 +913,23 @@ def joint_audit(me):
         if abs(0.5 * (h[1] + h[4]) - 0.5 * (p[1] + p[4])) < POST * 2.0
     ]
     engage = min(pairs) if pairs else 1.0
+    frame_posts = [p for p in posts if abs(0.5 * (p[0] + p[3])) > hx - POST]
+    # Side plates sit on the headers and pass the brace shape test too;
+    # the braces proper are the ones below the front header.
+    side_braces = [b for b in braces if b[2] < FRONT_H - 2.0 * POST]
+    seats = []
+    for brace in side_braces:
+        bx = 0.5 * (brace[0] + brace[3])
+        side = [p for p in frame_posts if abs(0.5 * (p[0] + p[3]) - bx) < POST]
+        front = [p for p in side if 0.5 * (p[1] + p[4]) < 0.0]
+        back = [p for p in side if 0.5 * (p[1] + p[4]) > 0.0]
+        if not front or not back:
+            seats.append(-1.0)
+            continue
+        seats.append(min(front[0][4] - brace[1], brace[4] - back[0][1]))
     return {
+        "brace_seat": min(seats) if seats else -1.0,
+        "side_braces": len(side_braces),
         "posts": len(posts),
         "headers": len(headers),
         "braces": len(braces),
@@ -934,6 +1124,7 @@ def check(
     low_brace=False,
     float_awning=False,
     rake_posts=False,
+    short_brace=False,
 ):
     bpy.ops.wm.read_factory_settings(use_empty=True)
     low = build_stall_mesh(
@@ -944,6 +1135,7 @@ def check(
         float_awning=float_awning,
         rake_posts=rake_posts,
         short_feet=short_feet,
+        short_brace=short_brace,
     )
     high = build_stall_mesh(
         "StallHigh",
@@ -953,10 +1145,11 @@ def check(
         float_awning=float_awning,
         rake_posts=rake_posts,
         short_feet=short_feet,
+        short_brace=short_brace,
     )
-    wood = principled("StallWood", (0.42, 0.24, 0.10, 1.0), 0.0, 0.55)
-    stripe_a = principled("StallStripeA", (0.72, 0.12, 0.10, 1.0), 0.0, 0.62)
-    stripe_b = principled("StallStripeB", (0.86, 0.80, 0.62, 1.0), 0.0, 0.58)
+    paint_planks(low.data)
+    paint_planks(high.data)
+    wood, stripe_a, stripe_b = stall_materials()
     assign_slots(low, wood, stripe_a, stripe_b)
     assign_slots(high, wood, stripe_a, stripe_b)
 
@@ -1017,6 +1210,14 @@ 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 sets TMPDIR from its own preference, which resolves to the
+    # working directory on a stock portable build, so every run left a .glb
+    # in the repo root. The budget only needs the byte count.
+    if os.path.isfile(export_path):
+        try:
+            os.remove(export_path)
+        except OSError:
+            pass
 
     print(f"blender={tuple(bpy.app.version)} skip_decimate={skip_decimate}")
     print(
@@ -1042,7 +1243,8 @@ def check(
     )
     print(
         f"measured feet={sup['feet']} foot_z={sup['foot_z']:.5f} "
-        f"brace_overlap={jnt['overlap']:.6f} engage={jnt['engage']:.4f} "
+        f"brace_overlap={jnt['overlap']:.6f} brace_seat={jnt['brace_seat']:.4f} "
+        f"side_braces={jnt['side_braces']} engage={jnt['engage']:.4f} "
         f"seat={seat:.5f} plumb={plumb:.5f} frame=({fx:.4f},{fy:.4f},{fz:.4f})"
     )
 
@@ -1131,6 +1333,12 @@ def check(
             f"posts={jnt['posts']} braces={jnt['braces']} slats={jnt['slats']}",
             17,
         ), None, None, None, None, None
+    if jnt["side_braces"] != BRACE_COUNT or jnt["brace_seat"] < BRACE_SEAT_MIN:
+        return fail(
+            f"brace seat {jnt['brace_seat']:.4f} < {BRACE_SEAT_MIN} "
+            f"side_braces={jnt['side_braces']} (want {BRACE_COUNT})",
+            17,
+        ), None, None, None, None, None
     if seat < AWNING_SEAT_MIN or seat > AWNING_SEAT_MAX:
         return fail(f"awning seat gap {seat:.5f} > {AWNING_SEAT_MAX}", 18), None, None, None, None, None
     if (
@@ -1169,7 +1377,7 @@ 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)
+        bmesh.ops.create_grid(bm, x_segments=1, y_segments=1, size=60.0)
         bm.to_mesh(floor_me)
     finally:
         bm.free()
@@ -1265,6 +1473,7 @@ def main():
     p.add_argument("--low-brace", action="store_true")
     p.add_argument("--float-awning", action="store_true")
     p.add_argument("--rake-posts", action="store_true")
+    p.add_argument("--short-brace", action="store_true")
     args = p.parse_args(argv)
 
     code, low, _high, wood, tex, _col = check(
@@ -1275,6 +1484,7 @@ def main():
         low_brace=args.low_brace,
         float_awning=args.float_awning,
         rake_posts=args.rake_posts,
+        short_brace=args.short_brace,
     )
     if code:
         return code
diff --git a/showcase/market-stall/preview.webp b/showcase/market-stall/preview.webp
index 91aec637..aa708db6 100644
Binary files a/showcase/market-stall/preview.webp and b/showcase/market-stall/preview.webp differ
diff --git a/showcase/stone-well/README.md b/showcase/stone-well/README.md
index ddc65805..4c4b1126 100644
--- a/showcase/stone-well/README.md
+++ b/showcase/stone-well/README.md
@@ -37,13 +37,14 @@ materials, UVs, evaluated LOD, collider, or export file.
 | Bucket clearance | hangs 0.085–0.115 m clear of the measured coping top | 0.10000 |
 | Material-island gap | stone↔wood and metal↔wood min distance ≤ 0.008 m | 0.00000 / 0.00000 / 0.00000 |
 | Collider tris | ≤ 380 | 346 |
-| Export | written, size > 0, removed after measuring | 690092 bytes on 5.2.1 |
+| Export | written, size > 0, removed after measuring | 690216 bytes on 5.2.1 |
 
 DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts are **not** guaranteed identical across
 series — the gate is a ratio band, not an exact count. This mesh happened
 to match on 4.5.11 / 5.1.2 / 5.2.1. Bake pixels are stochastic; the gate
 is `has_data` plus operator `FINISHED`, not byte-identity. Construction
-uses no RNG. glTF byte size differs by a few hundred bytes across
+uses no RNG; the per-piece material tone is drawn from a seeded
+`random.Random(TONE_SEED)`, the same every run. glTF byte size differs by a few hundred bytes across
 series; the gate is "written and non-empty", not a byte count, and the
 file is removed once measured.
 
diff --git a/showcase/stone-well/preview.webp b/showcase/stone-well/preview.webp
index 040ca98d..07cf1d1b 100644
Binary files a/showcase/stone-well/preview.webp and b/showcase/stone-well/preview.webp differ
diff --git a/showcase/stone-well/stone_well.py b/showcase/stone-well/stone_well.py
index 91cff387..7a6a6612 100644
--- a/showcase/stone-well/stone_well.py
+++ b/showcase/stone-well/stone_well.py
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@
 hip corner, 19). See README.md for why two of them are aimed the way
 they are.
 
-No RNG. Construction is closed-form (per-stone jitter is a deterministic
-hash). DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts are not byte-identical across
+Construction is closed-form (per-stone jitter is a deterministic hash);
+the per-piece material tone is drawn from ``random.Random(TONE_SEED)``, so
+it is the same every run. DECIMATE COLLAPSE triangle counts are not byte-identical across
 Blender versions — the LOD gate is a ratio band, not an exact count.
 
     blender --background --python stone_well.py --
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@
 import argparse
 import math
 import os
+import random
 import sys
 import tempfile
 import traceback
@@ -75,6 +77,9 @@
 # coplanar cross-shell pairs, one per post). POST_TOP is held fixed so
 # nothing above the posts moves.
 POST_SEAT = 0.018
+PLANK_TONE_JITTER = 0.28
+TONE_SEED = 37
+WOOD_GRAIN_SCALE = 30.0
 POST_SEAT_MIN = 0.015
 POST_SEAT_MAX = 0.022
 POST_CLEAR = 0.58
@@ -396,7 +401,12 @@ def build_well_mesh(name, bevel_offset, bevel_segments,
             )
 
         if bevel_offset > 0.0:
-            edges = list({e for v in stone_verts for e in v.link_edges})
+            # A set of BMEdges iterates in memory order, which varies run to
+            # run and reorders the bevelled faces; sort by index.
+            bm.edges.index_update()
+            edges = sorted(
+                {e for v in stone_verts for e in v.link_edges}, key=lambda e: e.index
+            )
             bmesh.ops.bevel(
                 bm,
                 geom=edges,
@@ -561,7 +571,12 @@ def pt(t, s):
                 )
 
         if bevel_offset > 0.0:
-            edges = list({e for v in wood_bevel_verts for e in v.link_edges})
+            # A set of BMEdges iterates in memory order, which varies run to
+            # run and reorders the bevelled faces; sort by index.
+            bm.edges.index_update()
+            edges = sorted(
+                {e for v in wood_bevel_verts for e in v.link_edges}, key=lambda e: e.index
+            )
             ret = bmesh.ops.bevel(
                 bm,
                 geom=edges,
@@ -674,6 +689,163 @@ 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.
+
+    Every stone, post, beam and roof board is its own shell, so each gets
+    one tone and grain running along its own long axis. Stone reads the
+    tone only; metal reads neither.
+    """
+    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 shell_groups(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 stone_material(name):
+    """Weathered granite: mottled noise, and a value shift per stone (``PlankTone``).
+
+    The first build gave every stone one grey, so the courses read as a
+    single moulded ring rather than laid stone.
+    """
+    mat = principled(
+        name, (0.40, 0.41, 0.43, 1.0), 0.0, 0.86,
+        noise_scale=9.0, wear=(0.25, 0.25, 0.26, 1.0),
+    )
+    nt = mat.node_tree
+    bsdf = nt.nodes["Principled BSDF"]
+    src = bsdf.inputs["Base Color"].links[0].from_socket
+    tone = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeAttribute")
+    tone.attribute_name = "PlankTone"
+    gain = nt.nodes.new("ShaderNodeMath")
+    gain.operation = "MULTIPLY_ADD"
+    gain.inputs[1].default_value = 0.9
+    gain.inputs[2].default_value = 0.55
+    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(src, _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"])
+    return mat
+
+
+def well_materials():
+    """(stone, wood, metal): shared by the check, the render and inspection.
+
+    Bucket hoops and crank were bright satin metal (metallic 1.0, roughness
+    0.30) and read as chrome; they are rusted iron now.
+    """
+    stone = stone_material("WellStone")
+    wood = wood_material("WellWood")
+    metal = principled(
+        "WellMetal", (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 stone, wood, metal
+
+
 def assign_slots(obj, stone, wood, metal):
     # Index-preserving: materials.clear() resets every polygon's
     # material_index to 0 (the piece would render all-stone). Assign by
@@ -1069,18 +1241,9 @@ def check(skip_decimate, lift_z=False, stand_posts=False, turn_posts=False,
                           post_seat=seat, turn_posts=turn)
     high = build_well_mesh("WellHigh", bevel_offset=0.010, bevel_segments=4,
                            post_seat=seat, turn_posts=turn)
-    stone = principled(
-        "WellStone", (0.40, 0.42, 0.46, 1.0), 0.0, 0.84,
-        noise_scale=9.0, wear=(0.29, 0.30, 0.33, 1.0),
-    )
-    wood = principled(
-        "WellWood", (0.48, 0.22, 0.07, 1.0), 0.0, 0.50,
-        noise_scale=7.0, wear=(0.30, 0.13, 0.04, 1.0),
-    )
-    metal = principled(
-        "WellMetal", (0.62, 0.58, 0.48, 1.0), 1.0, 0.30,
-        noise_scale=5.0, wear=(0.34, 0.32, 0.27, 1.0),
-    )
+    paint_planks(low.data)
+    paint_planks(high.data)
+    stone, wood, metal = well_materials()
     assign_slots(low, stone, wood, metal)
     assign_slots(high, stone, wood, metal)
     if lift_z:
@@ -1393,7 +1556,7 @@ def render_still(low, stone, 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)
+        bmesh.ops.create_grid(bm, x_segments=1, y_segments=1, size=60.0)
         bm.to_mesh(floor_me)
     finally:
         bm.free()