Thread Gaging & Care of Gages

1. Clean the part before gaging. Get rid of dirt and chips so that the gage is checking product size unaffected by foreign material.
2. Keep the gage clean and lightly oiled, both in use and in storage. Light oil will greatly increase wear life. It also helps to prevent "loading" or "smearing" of product material onto gage threads. There can, of course, be some circumstances or materials where oil is objectionable.
3. Align and start threads carefully. Cross threading can damage end threads of both product and gage.
4. Don't force the gage. Use reasonable light pressure only. Use common sense to prevent damage or wear on the gage and to correctly evaluate acceptance or rejection of parts.
5. Protect gages from damage, rust, knicks or jams that could ruin a gage and allow inaccurate results to result. Furnish some kind of protective box at the workbench. Seal/peal plastic dip on gage threads in storage is desirable.
6. Use thread ring gages equally from both faces. Many times ring gages, submitted for reinspection or reconditioning, are found to be worn/tapered only on the stamped side. The ring is made to be used from either face. Using it alternatively from each end will prolong the wear life.
7. Check/recalibrate gages periodically to insure they are still within proper tolerances and in suitable condition for continued usage.