I finally gave in and bought that fancy digital tension gauge for $350

Used it on a job in Phoenix last week and it gave me three different readings on the same cable. My old manual gauge was right the whole time. Anyone know a good brand that actually works?

3 comments

3 Comments

robert_ross958d ago

Man that's the worst. I've seen this happen with so much new gear lately, not just tension gauges. Feels like companies are rushing stuff to market before it's actually ready, just to say they have the latest tech. You pay a premium for something that should be simple and reliable, and it can't even do the basic job right. Makes you wonder if the old way was better because they actually had to get it perfect.

harris.andrew8d ago

Reminds me of a buddy who bought a top of the line laser level. Thing was supposed to be dead accurate. We're setting up forms for a pour and it's giving him a different plane every time he turns it on. He ended up using a string line and a bubble level to finish the job. Sometimes the simple tools just WORK.

fionam118d agoMost Upvoted

Ever think maybe we forget how to use the simple tools because we rely on the fancy ones too much? Like, your buddy probably still knew how to set a string line, but how many new guys would have a clue? The tech fails, and suddenly there's no backup skill in the room. It's not just about the tool breaking, it's about us losing the know-how to work without it.