Mike,
I've read your post several times.
It looks like a good start to finish description of your process - one I'd like
to try as might others.

My comments

1. Can you guess at either how much water you add in step 3 (a wild guess will
do - is it a coffee cup full or two coffee cups full?)
or guess at how much your final loaf weighs. I don't know if you have the 1.5
lb basket or the 4 lb basket.

2. Have you tried the recipe without Rumsford? I wonder if it helps fluf up
your bread like a quick bread or do you do it just because?

Thanks for sharing your procedure.

Ed Bechtel