Struggling to 'fix' normals This is a really simple model, I can't get the bevel op to smooth the edges because the normals are wrong.

Normally(!), calculate outside fixes all this, or is this a bug in 2.82?
Recalculate Outside (CtrlN or CtrlShiftN) is Face Normal orientation.
What you have marked on screen is Vertex Normal Direction.


Try search for Normal Average.
For more info read Blenders Manual bottom part.