I need a pencil compass recommendation

[Brian Kent]

My pencil compass is way too flimsy. What do you have that holds a good position and is a decent cost?

[cecil rolfe]

I use a drafting compass available at any office supply, around $10.00. Center wheel positive adjustment makes them accurate. They use a lead instead of a pencil.

[kevin nee]

I just upgraded mine. Got one on eBay & one on Amazon 8 & 12 inch.
smooth working stainless high quality very reasonable. I think one came
from Grizly. Free shipping. Good luck!

[Dan Hintz]

If you want a set that will last several lifetimes, look for Dietzgen... I have my father's college set and continue to use it.

But a $10-15 model from the local art supply store will likely suffice in most cases. Cast aluminum and plastic, usually, but durable enough for daily use.

[Al Launier]

I still have my Dietzgen drafting set from college (1960) as well as my "like new" K&E slide rule. Don't know if i could use the K&E, but my handheld calculator works just as well. :D

[Cary Falk]

I have a set of trammel points that I use. No max size of circles but ther is a limitation on the smaller side.
http://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-H5876-2-Piece-Tramme-Length/dp/B0002U8BSG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428577174&sr=8-1&keywords=trammel+points

[Lee Schierer]

I also use a drafting set. It has two compasses a small one that works well for up to about a 3" radius and a larger one that also has an extension arm that give me a much larger radius. You quite often can find drafting sets at larger flea markets.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Brian, here's the one I have

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32619&cat=1,42936

Regards, Rod.

[Brian Tymchak]

I use a Groz 8" that I think I got from Rockler maybe 10 years ago. I know it's not the best, but it is steel and works for me. I just checked the price on it - $29. I'm pretty sure I didn't pay anywhere near that then.

[Joe Jensen]

I used to use my drafting compass from Engineering school but that's really a fine tool. I recently bought this Fastcap one and I like it a lot. Very rigid and it works great. $13.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001GUDT6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Andrew Joiner]

I made a temporary one that works so well I hung it on the wall. It's a wood bar with a nail for a pivot. A 1"C clamp holds the pencil firmly as set.

[Mike Henderson]

You can pickup drafting instruments on eBay very cheap. Nobody uses those for drafting any more.

Mike

[Brian Kent]

I just put a bid for Dietzgen set.

[Mike Schuch]

My nice German compass set wasn't big enough for a lot of the curves I needed to draw so I picked up one of these for $8.

311084
http://www.harborfreight.com/12-inch-locking-wing-divider-96440.html

Very sturdy and locks securely even though it is cheap.

[paul cottingham]

I use this one. Holds tight, and really well made
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32626&cat=1,42936,42937
for anything really, really big, I use this
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32630&cat=1,42936,42939

both are great tools, very well made.

[Dan Hintz]

I just put a bid for Dietzgen set.

Plenty out there on eBay, and you really can't go wrong with a set that hasn't been abused. The larger sets even have nice inking compasses and other tools.

[Kent A Bathurst]

I use this one. Holds tight, and really well made
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32626&cat=1,42936,42937



^^^^^ What Paul says ^^^^^

[Dave Lehnert]

Hi Brian, here's the one I have

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32619&cat=1,42936

Regards, Rod.

+1. Used this model for years.

[Brian Kent]

Thanks for the advice. I just got a vintage Schoenner Drafting set with the compass I need plus far more for $9.95 including shipping. (E-Bay)

[Bryan Wiesendahl]

For anyone else I can chime in and say the Lee Valley ones are great. The big one is almost 90$ here in Canada, but it was worth it to buy it once.

The points are scary sharp, so you might want to hit them with some 400 if you're not looking for a needle point.

[Edward Oleen]

Yeah... Me too, and I used to be able to make my log-log-decitrig jump through hoops... Those were the days, or was it daze???

[Dennis Aspö]

The Staedtler 555 looks real nice, but very expensive for what it is.