New to mandolin, with new used (70's vintage?) Hondo HMAN30, there's no buzzing and only the G string needs intonation correction, but the action is high. So I'm trying my hand at setup, following Rob Meldrum's detailed manual.
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...setup%20saddle
Starting with the saddle, sanding the base conservatively, re-stringing, and re-tensioning, I noticed the saddle didn't have grooves so much as shallow indentations, and more than eight. I'm guessing these were made by the strings' tension cutting into the saddle.
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So I'm trying to figure out what intra- and inter-course spacings I should use to cut grooves with Rob's "nut saws" made from the appropriate-thickness feeler gauges.

I found the following threads very informative, but left options wide open that makes it difficult for this mew player to know how to proceed.
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...t=saddle+setup
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...ghlight=sblock

So I'd appreciate suggestions on what intra- and inter-course spacings might be best to start with for a new player with smaller hands. (my string experience is beginner-intermediate guitar & ukulele)
The overall nut width is 1.186 (1 3/16)"; center-to-center outer E-to-outer G is ~0.96"; intra- and inter-course spacings at the nut all seem to be the same (as measured with calipers) at ~0.09" intra (E-E, A-A, D-D, G-G) and ~0.20" inter (E-A, A-D, D-G).
The saddle is continuous across the top, not segmented like many I've seen.
I initially thought the spacings at the saddle should match those at the nut. But since the FB widens, I could see why the overall G-to-E width might be increased. But it also makes sense to me to keep intra-course spacing closer together than inter-course spacing.

Also, should I be aiming for the depth of the saddle grooves to have strings half-in, half-above?
Thanks in advance.