I relate.....
Also, if you are going to do the same time many times, jigs are great.
Yep. Never use an already cut piece to measure if you're doing more than 2-3. Those tolerances will stack up on you.
Yeah, I have done that before. It's the same for measuring wires/cable too. You think you are getting the "same cut" but you are really introducing small inconsistencies with every cut and it gets worse and worse the more you do.
Jigs are not perfect but they do help a LOT.