BevelPlus the answer to my prayers!!
Well after all my posting and whatnot about problems capping lofts, I read a non-related post in the newbie forum about someone having plugin problems and Kevin pointed him to AW's plugin page...figured I'd take a look while sitting around at work...lo and behold, what's this? BevelPlus...Bevel 2D curves with caps? Could it be? Just installed and played around with it....this is the solution I've been looking for for like 2 weeks! No cutting lofted curves into separate shapes and all that...just one action and "boom" there you have it...One extruded shape with caps. I am so beyond stoked right now! Kev, if yer ever in the NYC area, I owe you a beer, bro. Color me kooky for not having checked AW's site earlier.
--pete