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View Full Version : Any recommendations on a high-quality contour gauge?



Andy Pratt
05-26-2013, 5:30 PM
Does anyone have a recommendation on where I can buy a high-quality contour gauge?

All I see available wherever I look are the following:
1) The metal gauge that has been around forever, which becomes useless after one or two of the wires fall out.
2) The plastic gauges that are more recent and are usually reviewed as having fingers that are too wide for detailed work, and slide around too easily.

My main use of this would be in replicating mouldings and trim work. I know I can scribe it to paper but that is often a pain given the location of the moulding in a house and I would really like to have a contour gauge I can rely on.

Price isn't too big a deal, I would pay $50-100 to have something I don't want to throw in the lake every time I try to use it. I wish LV or LN would come out with something here.

Alan Schwabacher
05-26-2013, 6:43 PM
I don't have a solution, but wanted to add that it should lock. Why should a contour gauge be any different from a bevel gauge in that regard?

Peter Kelly
05-26-2013, 7:11 PM
http://www.generaltools.com/837--6-CONTOUR-GAGE_p_246.html#

Made in USA too.

Andy Pratt
05-27-2013, 9:12 AM
Yeah, great idea on the locking part alan.

Peter, that's the kind I described as 1), that ends up losing a wire or two and becoming totally useless after that happens. I had that exact one (same brand) and it had this happen after about 5 uses, and I'm careful with my tools. Once one wire falls out or bends too much all the rest get loose and do the same.