Divider question

[Kesh Ikuma]

Hi,

I've been looking for dividers on eBay, and I'm getting a bit lost on what to go after. Is there any form of divider that is *not* useful to do layout in woodworking? Specifically, is "metalworking" dividers not good for woodworking dividers? If I observed correctly, the metalworking dividers seem to have (for a lack of better words) "chunky" legs as opposed to pointy ones that I've seen in the woodworking videos

Thanks!

[Jim Koepke]

Have you tried searching > drafting set -card -team < the minus card and team eliminates a lot of sports cards.

Look through the completed listing to see what has sold and prices.

It is an inexpensive way to get a few at once.

jtk

[Kesh Ikuma]

Jim,

Thanks for the search idea (and the search trick!). I did search "divider" under Business & Industrial and that got a handful of results. Your suggestion results in nicer looking sets though. (It actually brought me a childhood nostalgia as I remember "borrowing" my dad's set looked just like them.)

Many (if not all) in these drafting sets have what I called chuncky-legged ones. They must have a slots at the end to clamp separate pins while the legs of the pointy kinds are formed a sharp tip. Any advantage of one over the other? I'm probably overthinking this as I do with most everything else...

[Sean Hughto]

251530285273

251528643838

[Cody Cantrell]

I love my round leg Starretts 3" & 6".

[Bill Houghton]

Machinist's dividers, like these:
289376
are probably the most common thing you'll find in eBay. They come in several different leg shapes, which won't make much difference day in and day out. What will make a difference is whether the nut is plain or quick-release. The latter allows you to get close and then fine tune your setting.

Maybe less common, but in my opinion better for woodworking, are wing dividers:
289375
These allow you to get to the rough setting quickly, and then fine tune it; and the springs holding the divider in position are frequently stronger than on machinist's dividers, so you're less likely to accidentally tighten up the setting in use.

I've sent you a private message with more information.

[Kesh Ikuma]

Bill, nice description! I never thought of the advantage of the wing divider (didn't even realize the "fine-tunabilty" of it). Knowing that, Sean's finding (251530285273) is really tempting.

Thanks guys for your input. I'll keep my eyes out for them.

[Walter Plummer]

Another option is trammel points. http://www.homedepot.com/p/General-Tools-Precision-Adjustable-Trammels-2-Pack-520/100659790 The minimum radius is limited but the maximum is how long a stick you have. Very fine points and the accessory to hold a pencil. Very handy to have.

[Bill Houghton]

A few of the cheaper wing dividers out there in the wild lack the fine adjustment. Look for the extra nut (usually, as in the case of the eBay auction Sean listed, knurled), on the fixed end of the wing. Some wing dividers allow for the use of a pencil, in place of one leg or on an attachment to the leg. This is a nice feature.

And, responding to Walter Plummer's comment, I'm right glad I have trammel points for long arcs, but I'd hate to have to use them to lay out dovetail spacing, or the legs on the pedestal of a candle stand. You can swing dividers around with one hand; trammel points would take two hands, and you'd have to have a really short stick to put them on.

[Jim Koepke]

...

Many (if not all) in these drafting sets have what I called chuncky-legged ones. They must have a slots at the end to clamp separate pins while the legs of the pointy kinds are formed a sharp tip. Any advantage of one over the other? I'm probably overthinking this as I do with most everything else...

In different instances the different kinds have advantages.

Of course some are fast setting or have solid points. The advantage of some of the sets is the ability to change out the points for pencil leads or even inking nibs on some of them. Some folks have used the inking tips for making knives.

One of my compass/dividers can use a cut off nail in place of a pencil lead.

Between compasses, dividers and calipers I likely know where well over a dozen are. There should be another dozen packed away somewhere that I haven't seen in a few years.

They are as handy to have around as marking gauges.

jtk

[Jim Neeley]

I have some like the Starrett 83B-6 seen http://www.starrett.com/metrology/product-detail/Precision-Measuring-Tools/Precision-Hand-Tools/Calipers,-Dividers-and-Tram/Calipers-and-Dividers/83B-6.

They are expensive but have the quick-adjust nut to get you close but leave the full precision of the screw mechanism for fine-tuning the position. They do not, however, support the pencil/compass conversion.

Ya pays your money, makes your choices, and takes your chances! :-)

[Joe Close]

Jim. Do you find the 6" to work well? I've been looking at the Starrett, but can't decide on 3" or 6". Currently using some generic 12" things.

[Kesh Ikuma]

Of course some are fast setting or have solid points. The advantage of some of the sets is the ability to change out the points for pencil leads or even inking nibs on some of them. Some folks have used the inking tips for making knives.


Ah, that makes sense. That's pretty nifty to use an inking tip on a compass

[Jim Neeley]

Jim. Do you find the 6" to work well? I've been looking at the Starrett, but can't decide on 3" or 6". Currently using some generic 12" things.

I find the 6" to be ideal for me. A good pair of dividers works well down to even small sizes (that's where cheap ones get flaky) and I haven't felt the need for anything larger. I started out with one pair, found where it'd be convenient to have more and bought a second set of 6"-ers.

My philosophy is to buy quality once and cry only once, even if I must wait longer to get it. I do recognize that there's other philosophies out there. Besides, I'm just a hobbiest, so time isn't direct income for me.

YMMV.

[Jim Koepke]

A few of the cheaper wing dividers out there in the wild lack the fine adjustment. Look for the extra nut (usually, as in the case of the eBay auction Sean listed, knurled), on the fixed end of the wing.

Saw a pair of ~6" winged dividers today with the adjustment nut. The spring was a bit weak. Priced at less than $10.

I bought some other things. (That is the subject of another post.)

jtk

[Tom Blank]

I have both wing and machinist style. Some of the chunky ones are relatively heavy, can make them somewhat cumbersome to use. The machinist dividers with the short handle on top are convenient for stepping off multiple increments as you can more easily rotate/twirl them. I have pretty much gravitated to using only the machinist style.

[Kesh Ikuma]

Thanks guys for a lot of info. I just won a bid that I placed on the spur of the moment on a lot of 2 pairs of dividers, one each of wing (Sargent) and machinist (Fulton) style :D I'll give them both a try and see which one I'll like more.

289467

My next stop towards my first dovetail is a dovetail marker :) (Yes, I know full well that all these layout tools are not essential but please don't stop me now lol)

[Federico Mena Quintero]

My life became so much better once I figured out you can actually sharpen dividers, or reshape their points - mine left one prick just a bit "wider" than the other point, and it was unnerving. I guess you can make any type of dividers work.