A GC today asked if I could “just eyeball” the strike on a hollow metal frame at 3 pm. I told him the only thing I eyeball is my caliper — if it isn’t flush within 1/32" and the deadbolt throws a clean 1", we’re not laughing, we’re binding. What’s your funniest precision-vs-speed moment that still kept the hardware’s integrity intact?
Same move — when a GC says ‘just eyeball it at 3 pm,’ I Sharpie the bolt, close once, read the rub, then micro-file the strike until the 1" throw clears and it sits within 1/32" without drag… On hollow metal I always shim the hinge side first so I’m not filing away a frame twist. You tried lipstick or transfer paper for a one-and-done mark?
On hollow metal, I clip a 0.031" feeler gauge to the latch edge and set the strike to just kiss it — gives me that “1/32"” without guessing — then hit the holes with a Vix bit so the screws don’t walk. If the deadbolt isn’t throwing a clean 1", I pop on a magnetic strike template and open the lip a hair instead of filing the whole plate. You ever run that setup when they want it done by 3 pm?