Just realized my old bevel gauge was way off after all these years

Been using the same bevel gauge for like 8 years on boiler tube layouts. Grabbed a new one from the truck last week and found out I was off by almost 3 degrees on every angle this whole time. Anybody else ever find out their old tool was throwing them off?

2 comments

2 Comments

grantthomas1mo ago

Were you checking it against anything at all over those 8 years, or just assuming it was good because it hadn't changed? I ask because I've seen guys treat their bevel gauge like it's some kind of sacred artifact that never drifts. Had a foreman once who swore his old Stanley was dead nuts, but when we put it up against a digital protractor it was off by 2.7 degrees. That's a whole pass on a pipe fit-up, dude. Not trying to pile on, just curious if you ever noticed anything seemed.off and ignored it.

ruby_sanchez451mo ago

Nope. Never checked it. Just trusted it like an old friend. Same thing happened to me. Had a Mitutoyo I swore was perfect. Checked it against a new square after 5 years. Off by 1.5 degrees. Felt stupid as hell.