General Digital Protractor

[reible]

The package says Pro-ANGLE (TM) and No. 1702. It should be pretty easy to locate using google or other search engine.

[ATTACH]24868[/ATTACH]

General information
absolute and relative measurements
accuracy 0.1 degree
resolution 0.05 degree
range 0.00 to 180.00 degree
display can be inverted
hold function

It uses a CR2032 battery, not my favorite but there is no room for anything else.

Zeroing is a little strange and from reviews it is clear that people don't understand how to do it. Lay the tool head and arm against a flat surface and push the zero button. In this mode you read from zero to 180 degrees and seems straight forward. The strange part seems to come when people want 90 degrees to be zero.... Some are using blocks with 90 degree surfaces etc. The way I do it is bring the arm to 90 degrees, lock it in position and then re-zero. So far that seems like a fine way to do things.

The locking knob does a good job in keeping things from moving but you can still force it. I personally would like it to lock a bit firmer but I don't see any big issues with how it is.

I picked this up locally at a Lowe's store for $19.11 so the price wasn't to bad.

I'm happy at this point but of course longer term use might change that especially if it fails in a short while.

Out 8 out of 10 on this, 1 point off for no apparent warranty and 1 point 'cause I'd like the arm knob to tighten better. Still a pretty respectable score cause I like how it works and like the size. Looking forward to trying it on several other projects and on the ringmaster.

Ed

[forrestb]

I would think the very short reference surface might be a hindrance. But it would fit small spaces.

Let us know your experience.

Forrest

[dusty]

For that price, I probably would have one too; however, is it anything more than a digitized sliding t-bevel?

It meets or beats all of the specifications of my newly acquired Angle Cube.

[JPG]

For that price, I probably would have one too]sliding[/B] t-bevel?

It meets or beats all of the specifications of my newly acquired Angle Cube.

I do not think it slides.

Methinks the iGauge, Beall, this, and others share the same 'guts'. I think iGauge and Beall are being honest almost to a fault re accuracy.( The most are better, but some are not statement by Beall)

[dusty]

[quote="JPG40504"]I do not think it slides.]

I read somewhere that the Beall and Wixey techologies differ from one another. I don't know where but I'll be on the lookout.

Right now, without completing any testing, I regret buying the iGage. It was an impulse purchase. If I could back out, I would buy the newly revised Wixey.

No good reason why except that the Wixey is a known quantity.

[reible]

I thought this might help with understanding the relative size and purpose of this tool.

I've had the one on the left for a lot of years now and it has been a mainstay in my shop. When I was working in a machine shop these were a requirement for a lot of the things I did. I couldn't afford a better one but the Craftsman turned out to be a pretty good tool.

The mechanical one gives you 1 degree readings and allows a pretty good guess to 1/2 degree. Well it did with younger eyes.

[ATTACH]24873[/ATTACH]

Ed

[terrydowning]

I have an analog one. I had not thought about the younger eyes issue. Maybe I should look into a digital one.

[keakap]

I read somewhere that the Beall and Wixey techologies differ from one another. I don't know where but I'll be on the lookout.

Right now, without completing any testing, I regret buying the iGage. It was an impulse purchase. If I could back out, I would buy the newly revised Wixey.

No good reason why except that the Wixey is a known quantity.

I considered all three also, and went with the iGage because it uses a 9v battery. Had it for years now, still on the original battery.
Also the Angle Gauge has a hold function which the others did not at the time (don't know if they do now).

I like the new Wixey's features, but I hate replaceing batteries every other project.

[dusty]

I considered all three also, and went with the iGage because it uses a 9v battery. Had it for years now, still on the original battery.
Also the Angle Gauge has a hold function which the others did not at the time (don't know if they do now).

I like the new Wixey's features, but I hate replaceing batteries every other project.

I would not like that either but I have not had that experience. I am anal about how I handle some tools and the Wixey is one of them. I use it and when I am through it goes back in the cabinet.

I don't recall if the Wixey has an auto shut off or not but that doesn't really matter. When I shelve it, I turn it off.

[keakap]

I would not like that either but I have not had that experience. I am anal about how I handle some tools and the Wixey is one of them. I use it and when I am through it goes back in the cabinet.

I don't recall if the Wixey has an auto shut off or not but that doesn't really matter. When I shelve it, I turn it off.

Me 2 (or remove power supply). To the extent possible.
But someone earlier indicated that the Wixey still uses power even when "off". Even if the iGage does as well, which would not surprise me, the 9v battery is far less worrying to me than the cell or cells that the Wix uses. AA's in particular are notorious leakers.

I've not seen Wixey up close so I don't know if it has the same "problem" as the iGage regarding power supplies, that makes removal in-between jobs inconvenient to say the least: it takes a screwdriver, and a teensy one at that.
A far cry from just shutting it off and putting it away in a drawer after a job. But at least the device does have battery level checking, so you can turn it on ever onct in a while and see if it's getting low.

When is someone going to invent a solar auto-recharge capability for tools and things such as these, that sit for long periods between uses. Say a little bitty box containing the circuitry, with a 1" sq solar "panel" on the side that sticks to your window, and it's power delivered to your tools- over on the shelves- via radio transmission {a la Tesla- the real one, not the car dreamer}.
New batteries? Fuhgeddabowdit!