I just wanted to post an a public service advisory.
I recently bought a set of feeler gauges from Amazon.
I noticed that the .014” was more like .020”. I sent
it back and ordered a different brand. I spot checked
them and they were fine. But today, i found one in the set that
was way off. It seems we can’t trust anything these days.

Totally agree that quality isn't what it used to be. But I can't help noticing that you're using what looks like an inexpensive harbor freight caliper. Any chance that the caliper is introducing error?

The gauges, being in order from thin to thick, were so off that I could feel a stark difference (loss of thickness) on that one with my fingers as I went through them. That is when I stopped and got out the, yes, cheap caliper. I wasn't trying to prove the accuracy of the feeler gauges, just confirming that they were way off on certain ones.

Have any of you noticed the spirit levels made in China. They show level or not level. Try to get one to read a 1/4 or 1/2 a bubble. They won't do it. The bubble either rolls all the way to the high side or stay center. Makes me wonder if the bubble is centered is indeed level??? I have an old Made in USA that I take very good care of.

Learned about cheap levels the hard way. Bought a new Stanley 4ft level and used it to frame interior walls. As the walls started to connect into rooms and such, things weren't lining up perpendicular and I wasn't getting perfectly square corners.



Buddy gave me his very old 2ft level stick and it showed the true level.

I was able to correct some of the walls, but still wound up firing out studs to do things like set the tub or have to cut sheetrock with a slight angle. Very frustrating.

When buying a level, it should read the same using each of the 4 edges on the same line on a surface. Whether vert or horizontal. Good levels, like those made by Smith, are expensive.

Not practical in all applications but sheet metal studs are the new way to go in my opinion for non load bearing walls. Nice straight, true walls without the need to do furring strip shims or to cut and deflect 2x4's to eliminate bowed walls.

Good lumber isn't as easy to come by as it used to be either.

My feeler gauges are over 50 years old. Must have been a reason I kept them.

I use one of those HF gauges, because I liked the digital metric gauge. I test it now and then, especially when I change a battery, against my old Starrett gauge which only reads in inches.

If you are trying to plumb a stud or wall, you don't use anything less than a 6ft level. Then you attach it to a straight edge. The only reason I keep a 90in straight edge around. I attach a small piece of the wood at each end, so the level is only touching the wall or stud at the ends. This way you avoid any curve in the lumber.

Greg W.