Reply To: What’s the point of “apply scale” ?
Scaling something in edit mode actually applies that transformation to the vertices themselves, while scaling something in object mode stretches out the object without actually effecting the vertex data. To see this clearly, scale up a cube in object mode so that it’s really stretched on the X axis. Take any edge that’s perpendicular to the X axis and bevel it – you’ll notice that it’s not an even 45 degree bevel. (It would be, however, if you cleared the scale with Alt+S.) Next, apply the scale in object mode and try beveling another edge – this bevel will be perfectly aligned.
Here’s how I like to think of object vs. mesh data: https://cgcookie.com/lesson/object-and-mesh-data
