Trick of the Trade: How do you measure your water? R

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Some recipes call for example;
Water Qts: 14.30
Water Gal: 3.58

When I do my kits I pour in one gallon at a time till I get 6 gallons,,,,,,,mark my plastic spoon with a permanent marker at the 6, 5.5, and 5.0 levels. Was thinking about marking the levels on inside of pot with a dremel tool.
What is your trick of the trade?
 
I marked the outside of my boil kettle with sharpie for each gallon, and notched my plastic paddle in .5 gallon increments for measuring liquid inside. I used a hack saw blade and made a very small groove. Of course, the paddle is only calibrated for this brew kettle so if I get a new one Im screwed! Between the 2, I get "close enough".
 
Two methods: I have half a yardstick that I've marked in gallons for my brew kettle (the kettle has embossed markings, but they are less accurate). I also use a 1 gallon container that I've graduated in pints (half a quarts). I brew with filtered tap water and this gallon container fits under my faucet whereas my kettle does not.
 
I installed a sight glass on my HLT and calibrated in gallon intervals. For my brew kettle, I used a left over piece of cpvc pipe I had laying around and marked it at the same interval.

I used to notch my plastic spoons, but found that it weakened them by doing so, and switched to the cpvc pipe.
 
I marked the outside of my boil kettle with sharpie for each gallon, and notched my plastic paddle in .5 gallon increments for measuring liquid inside. I used a hack saw blade and made a very small groove. Of course, the paddle is only calibrated for this brew kettle so if I get a new one Im screwed! Between the 2, I get "close enough".

I'm thinkin about using a tubing cutter to score the spoon then use a Sharpie over the scored lines
 
In my BK I use a tape measure- stick it in at 3 points around the kettle and average, roughly, in my head. I do this so I can correct for any out-of-level conditions. I then put the average depth into an Excel sheet I keep for each brew which has the cylinder formula in it that spits out volume in gallons. Works like a champ, although it is a bit more cumbersome than simply marking the kettle. I have a 5 gallon notch on my brewspoon but found it was difficult to tell how far over 5 gallons I was- I boil 6.25. Kyle
 
Sharpie marks on the spoon, "5-6-7". When they get worn I just redo them.
 
I marked the inside of my brew kettle with a sharpie. I have only had to touch it up once so far. The only problem is during a boil reading it with all the steam.
 
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