What if the right tools just create whole new problems instead?

Seriously, everyone's missing the real issue with gum fixes. @the_shane is right about the gum not flowing, but the bigger problem is the false sense of security it gives. You think it's fixed until the heat builds up and the whole thing falls apart. That gum acts like a slow fuse, holding things together just long enough for you to forget about it. Then when it lets go, you're left with a bigger mess than before. It's not just about stickiness or dust, it's about people ignoring why the thermostat broke in the first place.

That satisfying ping of hammer on hot steel... it just hits different than a plastic package from the hardware aisle. Makes sense why folks are getting into it.