Hi fate ... Happy `15 to you too [and to all reading this ] If you want to see /read all posts and threads a registered-member has made, you click their name and their Toplace profile will open ..you can then select ` Find all threads` or ` Find all posts`.......
Your Question at [1] above: Yes -- I used to go according to the occipital bone ``rule`` .. I found [like you] that the perimeter was too ` high` on the back of the head and the hair would tend to curl outwards .... I reckon people`s skulls can be different....the occipital bone varies in it`s position from one person to the next .... what I now do is I don`t have the hair trimmed /cut by the stylist longer than an inch maximum, at the nape area....in other words, from the edge of the perimeter to the tips of the hair is between 1/2 inch and one inch maximum....

When making a template, I visualize where I want the tips of the hair to be at the nape area.. I mark a line along the skin with an eyebrow pencil...then I mark another horizontal line above it somewhere between half an inch and one inch max.....that`ll be where the perimeter of the system will ` sit` . ... the longer the hair there, the more it tends to curl out from the neck and you`ll be driven demented from being self-conscious of it ..by keeping the hair short /` close` to the perimeter, it sits in nice and snug to the nape [ hope that makes sense !]
I used to read about using the occipital bone as a point of reference...mine seems to be ` high` so by me having the edge of the system sitting near to it, I found it was just too high up on the back of my head.. I now have the perimeter ` sitting` at the nape with no more than 1 inch of hair, max, coming down from there...that way, you have short hair which can`t actually curl out because it`s cut short !
I also have slightly higher density there than over the rest of the system [around 10% more] as I find the ` thicker` hair tends to stay together rather than be like rats tails at the back !
[2] The 2nd photo there is probably a little unclear.... I have left a small gap but it`s not apparent -- I should have pulled the ear forward when taking the photo ..you don`t need a huge gap...maybe just 1/4 of an inch--it`s just that you don`t want the lace rubbing on your ear or immediately behind it, and it leave a little room for some hair, even though it will be cut very short... around the ears is always tricky --the hair will be cut to it`s shortest in that area,compared to any other area on your Fullcap...this also tends to cut out any wave that`s been put into the hair ..you can get this kind of ` frizzy` look to the hair there due to it being cut in so tightly...it something I`m always trying to avoid, when a thinning scissors is used.
I`m going with 60% density on this over most of it, 50% at the front hairline, 70% nape and 45% temple /sideburn area.... [that`s covered your question 4 ] apart from adding that densities are not ` standard` .... different vendors can have different `equivalent` densities...a 50% from one, can be like 70% from another !! It`s a bit of a mine field.... I think the trick is when you find a supplier you`re pretty happy with, and you get a system for the first time, have a good look and then ` adjust` your densities on subsequent orders as you think fit.

Yes I too mark directional arrows on the template before sending it off ....and yes, there are times when a particular ventilator doesn`t do such a good job ....again, I find the sideburn area to be most likely to be the one area to annoy me ....you can ` adjust` the hair- direction a bit if you wet the knots, then soak them in conditioner for half an hour ..... you can usually then pull the hair into a better direction before rinsing off the conditioner.... I always ask for ``flat to base` ventilation on those areas and the nape also ... i`ve never had a problem at the back though ....just the bottom/sides of the sideburn area sometimes.... [think that`s covered your last 3 questions] ---- I`ll attach a photo of a different template I did a while back [ignore the flap position --it`s not lining up with the bit of sideburn hair and had to be trimmed /adjusted later] and I think it shows the amount of gap I leave just above /behind the ear a little better.
If there`s anything else, please post away and I`ll get back as soon as I can ..don`t worry about asking things I may have covered --always a pleasure to help fellow wearers ! In relation to the front hairline... locate it by frowning ...this will crease the forehead -skin ..the scalp skin will not move -- I find it best to have a few millimeters of lace just slightly ` out` in front of that line, kind of onto the start of the forehead..well, the style I wear looks better with the hair ` forward` a bit ... again...it`s not an exact science .... you`d be surprised what a [negative] difference to the overall ` look` can be if the system is slightly too far back off the face....of course the opposite is true, but with the hair covering the frontal area, it`s less obvious to the casual observer.

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Photo ....