Why are gear tooth gauges so ridiculously expensive?

Industry can’t get away with paper cutouts and 3d printed plastic. I’m an airline pilot, and years ago there was a DC9 whose windshield blew out because the maintenance team used screws that were literally a couple thousandths too small. But it resulted in the Captain being sucked out of the plane (fortunately he lived to tell the tale). I get that as hobbyists we are not in industry, and close tolerance isn’t that big a deal, but I like the idea of ”doing it as the pros”, and as such I have been patient and purchased Starrett from ebay. So while I agree with everyones position above, and I support doing things in a “cost effective” manner, I also maintain the ideal of doing the best that I can. When I look at the work I do, and can see that it is to tolerances greater than spec, I am proud, and the extra $60 doesn’t matter...... how much does proud cost? That is for each of us to answer; I’m also proud when I manage to save $60 by clipping coupons, lol. Cheers lads, no disrespect, just my 2 cents.


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Moderatemixed said:
Industry can’t get away with paper cutouts and 3d printed plastic. I’m an airline pilot, and years ago there was a DC9 whose windshield blew out because the maintenance team used screws that were literally a couple thousandths too small. But it resulted in the Captain being sucked out of the plane (fortunately he lived to tell the tale). I get that as hobbyists we are not in industry, and close tolerance isn’t that big a deal, but I like the idea of ”doing it as the pros”, and as such I have been patient and purchased Starrett from ebay. So while I agree with everyones position above, and I support doing things in a “cost effective” manner, I also maintain the ideal of doing the best that I can. When I look at the work I do, and can see that it is to tolerances greater than spec, I am proud, and the extra $60 doesn’t matter...... how much does proud cost? That is for each of us to answer; I’m also proud when I manage to save $60 by clipping coupons, lol. Cheers lads, no disrespect, just my 2 cents.


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I'm not sure anyone is saying to use a paper cutout or 3d printed gauge to check tolerances (or steel ones for that matter), and one wouldn't use screw pitch gauge for that either. But if I have a worn buggered up gear in my hand and am trying to determine which gear cutter to use (or buy) they are very useful ... and plastic works for me. The gears I deal with most (not that I deal with them often) are from 4-8 dp and can be either 14 1/2 or 20 PA. So, for most gauge sets I have seen ... I would need 4 sets, 2-5 DP and 6-80 DP in both 14.5 and 20 PA. I'll keep printing them on my 3D printer.
 
Many long years ago, I was explaning to a co-worker how mass production worked. Since we both were in the electronics field, I related the story of ICs, specificly the 7400 TTL chip. When they first came out, they were expensive. Very expensive. Later, the price came down. Over the years, as more complex ICs came to be, they got so cheap they weren't worth the profit on the shelf space. You had to ask for one, in dozen lots~~

What it came down to is the manufacturing costs. The first 7400 costs $300 K to make. The second one costs 37 cents. The thousandth one cost 3 cents. And got cheaper from there.

Gear guages fall into that same catagory. Only they never got much beyond the first stage.

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