Nothing wrong with cutting a few extra and trying them on their own. The plant I just harvested was one of the 2foot clones I made for shits n giggles. I had to top it to make it fit into flower area nicely but it produced well. =)
When they start, I check them everyday, and will mist the first 1-3 days, but overall I just make sure they are wet, which they usually remain even with the hood off. After a couple of days, they start to dry up. I don't really hold the dip long, i just make sure it submerges so water can get to where the stem is through the top. Once I am confident some water made it into the sweet spot, I put them back.
As it gets better at using the moisture in the RR, I dip more. I just do it by sight but I really do let those fuckers soak up whatever they can at this point. I never do it more than 2x a day though. I only end up pouring the water into the tray at the end, and I am pouring just enough that they soak up what they need and the rest evaps fairly quickly. I can't say I suggest that for everyone, just saying that as long as the RR's are wet, they will take your shit and produce roots most of the time. I do use a heatpad, but don't need it. I produce roots with or without it, no thermostat on it either.