Divider Recommendations

[JohnM Martin]

Does anyone have any recommendations for tool makers that make dividers? I know I could buy a number of commercially available products, but I thought I would check and see if there are any tool makers out there that make dividers before going that route. I checked the crucible store via the Lost Art Press site and I guess they don't have any or they quit making them?

[Steve Southwood]

Crucible Tool (LAP) has decided to stop production of the dividers.

All the pairs I have have been found at antique shops and flea markets. I have close to 10 pair, and all Starrett. They sale fairly cheap.

[Jim Koepke]

Crucible Tool (LAP) has decided to stop production of the dividers.

All the pairs I have have been found at antique shops and flea markets. I have close to 10 pair, and all Starrett. They sale fairly cheap.

Two of my dividers are Starrett found at a second hand store for $5. The owners of the store are very friendly. My comment was that his price was too low. He said he would look them up, but he would let me have them for the $2 and $3 price he had marked on them. Okay, twist my arm. It wasn't my intent to purchase them, but he convinced me to take them home. Since then my use of dividers has increased. Another old pair set me back ~$10.

Often at flea markets or even on ebay there are old drafting sets for sale cheap. It is useful to have multiple pairs in different sizes. The older heavier types are also useful at the lathe.

In a drafting set the large pair is usually just a friction set.

jtk

[Mike Henderson]

I have a bunch of dividers, probably mostly Starrett. When I was buying them, they were pretty available on eBay.

One thing to watch out for - Some people will take a set of inside calipers and grind the legs down to make them look like dividers. But they don't have a "spinner" at the top. And dividers without a spinner are much harder to use.

Mike

[The round leg Starretts are my favorites but those are harder to find.]

[Keith Mathewson]

Inexpensive dividers work just as well as custom made. If your desire is user primary as Mike suggests use eBay. I have a pair made by Seth Gould which are a pleasure to use and support an craftsman http://www.sethgould.com/standard/dividers

[Tom Blank]

Starretts with round legs. Find them on ebay or the sale board here.

[Frederick Skelly]

I have two pair of these from Lee Valley. LINK (http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=43202&cat=1,43513,43550)

[Roger Nair]

For new dividers, I suggest Osborne dividers, they are locking with a fine adjuster and very well made by an old USA firm in a traditional pattern with an attractive price.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=osbourne+dividers&i=tools&ref=nb_sb_noss

[Tom M King]

The Staretts are really nice. I have those stored away for use when I need multiples. The ones that have been used the most for close to 40 years are a cheap pair of Generals. They are just left out because they were cheap to start with. They still work fine though, and continue to do what they're supposed to do. They do have a fine adjuster.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/General-Tools-Flat-Leg-Divider-450-6/100659807?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CG%7CBase%7CD25T%7C25-1_HAND+TOOLS%7CNA%7CPLA%7c71700000034127224%7c5870 0003933021546%7c92700031755124805&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjMfoBRDDARIsAMUjNZrDwl_MN3vYduxAxe5V SRCMS8qGduq_IZeyIiDUK1aRZgSBZvBW6gwaAgfgEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Eric Rathhaus]

HJ Epstein has the osbornes at a slightly lower price than amazon. Looks like they have an imported general line too. Here's the link: https://www.harryepstein.com/index.php/tool-type/dividers.html

[Frederick Skelly]

HJ Epstein has the osbornes at a slightly lower price than amazon. Looks like they have an imported general line too. Here's the link: https://www.harryepstein.com/index.php/tool-type/dividers.html

You can't go wrong with Harry Epstein. I've bought from them several times.

[John K Jordan]

You might also search the forum here. A recent discussion addressed the same and there were probably more.
https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?271130-dividers-recommendation&p=2888164#post2888164

JKJ

[Tom M King]

These forty some year old General dividers have laid out some hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of handrails, and balustrades, with never an oddball space left on any end, and helped design proportions on many other projects, like these shutters designed on brown builder paper with these dividers on the tablesaw outfeed table one morning.

I have other fancier ones, but these hold a special place, left out on the bench.