Finding the Toyota Camry of Sliding Bevel Gauges

**LanceC** · 18th May 2020, 12:29 PM

Settle in folks, this is a long one.

Sky hooks, perpetual motion machines, cold fusion and sliding bevel gauges that lock in place. These are all wonderful theoretical concepts, and were they realised, their application to global problems would be nothing short of breath-taking.

Of course I’m being a little hyperbolic, because you can buy sliding bevel gauges that do lock in place. But the likes of Vesper’s units, which admittedly are beautiful tools with a solid reputation, start at $250, and Starret’s #47 comes in close to $200 too. I’m not doubting the value in the high end versions but boy, that’s a lot of money.

Ringed-Gidgee_SB-Set-e1518075488115 (1).jpg 47e50266cUSp1 (1).png

Let me introduce you to my bevel gauges, Slippy and Slidey.

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Slippy, the one on the right was actually a present for my wife many many years ago when she was woodworking before I was. It’s a Johnson B75, which on it’s manufacturers page proudly states “Made in the USA”. It’s even stamped on the blade like it means something. It doesn’t. Short of resorting to a pair of plyers and pushing the wing nut to within an inch of it’s manufacturing specification, there is no way to get this thing to lock. It just hangs out with my other tools because I can’t bring myself to throw it away.

Slidey, on the left, is a fancier timber/brass looking generic unit I bought a couple of months ago. It’s got a larger locking wheel which should provide more torque. Like a propeller hat though, this looks good but serves no function, certainly not that of a sliding bevel gauge.

It’s hard to understand why a manufacturer would make something which doesn’t do the one thing it is designed to do. I understand the business rationale behind building an inferior product, but not a useless one.

Of course there are the highly regarded vintage Stanley #18s, but despite looking for a while, I’ve not found any second hand. Sorry, that’s a lie, there have been two which sold for around $100! Unfortunately out of my price range.

DSC_4987 (1).jpg

I have made numerous attempts to fix Slidey. From removing the burs on the blade to cleaning up the slot and finally gluing some 400 grit wet and dry paper into the slot. Sadly Slidey continues to live up to its name.

20200406_182241-scaled.jpg 20200406_182357-scaled.jpg

I have searched high and low for alternatives. There seems to be some promising contenders in the $50-ish bracket, namely iGaging and Shinwa units. the problem is that I am now gun shy. Having been burned twice any review I read where someone mentions “hard to lock in place” has my left eye twitching and me throwing my hands up in exasperation before putting off buying a sliding bevel that works to a later date. Yes, I do acknowledge that putting too much credence in Amazon reviews from random strangers is folly.

I can’t/don’t want to afford the Mercedes of sliding bevel gauges, and the Trabants have proven useless (though this is probably unfair, because even the worst car in history still performed its most basic function). All I want is to find the Toyota Camry of the sliding bevel gauge world. Simple, reliable, and does what it needs to do without any fuss.

I devised a plan out of this slip and slide predicament though. I would order a couple of the above contenders from a supplier who will let me return it if I was not totally satisfied. If no good, it would wend its way home as not fit for purpose

If all options prove unsatisfactory I was going to have to accept that a sliding bevel which locks is simply more complicated to manufacturer than I ever imagined, and accept that sometimes a Mercedes is the only option.

With that I hang my workshop apron in the sky hook next to my bench and went inside to order some gauges.

Interlude as we wait for slow shipping to arrive ...

Three weeks later they arrived and the result is good. Actually outstanding!

Exhibit A – iGaging 6″ Stainless Steel Sliding Bevel Square

This gauge cost $26 delivered to my front door.

20200515_154943.jpg

I am smitten. Totally smitten. It has heft, it fits very easily in the hand, and it locks very solidly with only medium finger pressure on the knurled thumbscrew. If I dropped this, I would be confident that however it lands, it will retain the setting. There is no question in my mind, that were I to loose this one, I would order another before I went to bed that night.

Exhibit B – Shinwa 62588 Japanese 6″/15 cm Stainless Steel Sliding Bevel Gauge

20200515_160249.jpg 156735.0 (1).jpg

This gauge cost $17 AUD delivered to my door.

Despite the arm being the same length as the iGaging, it has a totally different feel being narrower and having a longer body. But I like it. It locks sufficiently for medium use with finger pressure. It is not quite as solid as the iGaging and will move if dropped. But given a tweak with a screwdriver in the slotted thumbwheel, it won’t go anywhere, easily passing any drop test.

Thoughts

I’m not sending either one back. I see that they will serve different uses on my workbench. Whilst the iGaging will be in my hand for frequent measurements and marking, the Shinwa unit will “store” an angle for use throughout a project. That’s the plan anyway. How it pans out in real life is yet to be seen.

Now for the big question. If two different manufacturers can produce quality tools for a modest sum, why is it so difficult for others? In examining these against Slippy and Slidey I think it comes down to one thing. Tolerances. The spacing into which the sliding arm fits is almost exactly the same thickness as the arm itself, so when tightened they have contact across the full faces. Slippy and Slidey on the other hand have arms significantly thinner than the gap, so you end up with a point pinch, rather than a face clamp.

Back to the quality of materials and manufacture. Both the iGaging and Shinwa are stamped from fairly thick stainless stock, so they are rock solid. The edges are very crisp (uncomfortably so), but easily smoothed over with a file, or in my case a buffing wheel. For the cost, I have no issue spending five minutes finessing them to improve the feel in my hand. But that’s all I’m doing, improving the feel. I needed to do nothing to make them work as required.

I’ll finish up by saying simply that I am chuffed. I now have two sliding bevel gauges that just work. And when they just work, I don’t need to think about the tool any more. Just the task at hand.

Oh what a feeling!

**riverbuilder** · 18th May 2020, 01:17 PM

Your next career should be as a romance novelist. Great read well done. Nothing better than a nice hand tool with heft ��

**Chris Parks** · 18th May 2020, 02:11 PM

Veritas had a very good sliding bevel which they discontinued, why would they do that when it worked so well? When I heard they had discontinued it and had no stock I was lucky enough to pick one up from Carbatec before they too sold all their stock. No nuts to break your fingers on in a fruitless attempt to stop it moving, just a simple lever clamp.

**derekcohen** · 18th May 2020, 02:59 PM

Lance, I am surprised when I hear that so few do not include the sliding bevel among their measuring tools. I use these all the time with angled drawer sides, for example ...

Sawing at this angle ...

... to fit here ...

Compound angles here ...

... to fit here ...

My go-to is the Vesper. I have 7" and 4" versions. But they are pricy, and I wanted another 7" as I often need more than one at a time.

I was lucky to be given a Stanley #18 by a friend in the USA. I really like it although it is flimsy compared to the Vesper (but that is not apples with apples as the Vesper is built like brick dunny). The #18 locks solidly, and that is the vital component.

I purchased a Shinwa, having seen Ishitani using it (well, it must work well enough if he uses it), and thinking that it is attractive looking as well as stainless steel. Frankly, I think it is hard work. The screw needs more than finger pressure to lock the angle in place. It has a slot for a screwdriver for a reason! That done, it holds the setting. Not as good as the Stanley #18.

Keep an eye out for the #18.

Regards from Perth

Derek

**graham.murfett** · 18th May 2020, 03:32 PM

For everyday use I use the Bahco, available everywhere.
It just works! But, I am a bit of a Bahco fan. I think Bahco stuff is a bit Toyota Corolla!

9574-200 Bahco 200MM Sliding Bevel | General Hand Tools - TradeTools | Huge Range, Great Service

**NCArcher** · 18th May 2020, 04:35 PM

The Stanleys are hard to find. I got a little bit lucky. I picked one up at a second hand place for next to nothing. Works beautifully so when I saw two for sale in a job lot I grabbed them. I thought I was doubling up on one size but gaining a smaller one. When they arrived they were one size either side of the one I had.
Bevel.jpg

I've just spent half an hour searching for the little one and haven't been able to locate it. I'm starting to get worried.

**labr@** · 18th May 2020, 06:23 PM

An enjoyable read Lance. I have only had a sliding bevel for a few months and your post made me wonder how well it would lock in place so I tried it out. It will move but only when given what I consider more force than it would receive in use. It is an Irwin in the 30 odd dollar range and was chosen because the lock is operated from the end rather than the side.

Do slippy and slidy almost move under their own weight or do they need a bit of a tap on something?

**derekcohen** · 18th May 2020, 07:43 PM

Bob, try dropping it and if it holds its setting.

Regards from Perth

Derek

**Simplicity** · 18th May 2020, 08:00 PM

Lance
Always a pleasure reading your thoughts.

Cheers Matt.

**mannetje** · 18th May 2020, 08:26 PM

Great read Lance, and thanks for the observations.

**LanceC** · 19th May 2020, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by riverbuilder

Your next career should be as a romance novelist.

Let's see what I can come up with... "His ran his fingers along the gentle contours of her body, up her neck and toward her barely open mouth. A sharp intake of breath, as a small droplet of blood formed on the tip of his thumb where she had playfully bitten him. She smiled wryly, confident in her stature as his first love. She knew about the ever increasing amounts of time he was spending with his new plaything, a much younger low angle jack. She also knew however that he would never discard her, a humble #4, for she was a classic."

Originally Posted by labr@

Do slippy and slidy almost move under their own weight or do they need a bit of a tap on something?

Bob, They don't move under their own weight, but it doesn't take much more than that. I have to be oh so careful when I set them that they don't bump/touch anything until I can cinch it down with a pair of plyers, and even then I don't dare use a marking knife against the edge, just a pencil.

Originally Posted by derekcohen

I purchased a Shinwa, having seen Ishitani using it (well, it must work well enough if he uses it), and thinking that it is attractive looking as well as stainless steel. Frankly, I think it is hard work.

I don't disagree. I wouldn't want to be using it where I was frequently changing angles. But set and have it stay until the project or part is done, and I'm happy. It is interesting to see "how" people use them. I have seen several instances in professional shops (not YT makers) where they have several, all locked at an angle for a specific part, with sharpie marking on the body stating what it is set for.

I will edit my post to clarify my impression. Having re-read it I probably wasn't clear enough. I think the "will it move if dropped on the floor" is a good rating that most people will be able to relate to.

**macg** · 19th May 2020, 11:00 AM

Hi LanceC,

yes a bit long winded but, with a happy ending.

I am still using my 1975 vintage Silex sliding bevel
and picked up another one second hand for $5 at a swap meet.
both aussie made both work as they should.

Graham.

**Simplicity** · 19th May 2020, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by LanceC

Let's see what I can come up with... "His ran his fingers along the gentle contours of her body, up her neck and toward her barely open mouth. A sharp intake of breath, as a small droplet of blood formed on the tip of his thumb where she had playfully bitten him. She smiled wryly, confident in her stature as his first love. She knew about the ever increasing amounts of time he was spending with his new plaything, a much younger low angle jack. She also knew however that he would never discard her, a humble #4, for she was a classic."

Bob, They don't move under their own weight, but it doesn't take much more than that. I have to be oh so careful when I set them that they don't bump/touch anything until I can cinch it down with a pair of plyers, and even then I don't dare use a marking knife against the edge, just a pencil.

I don't disagree. I wouldn't want to be using it where I was frequently changing angles. But set and have it stay until the project or part is done, and I'm happy. It is interesting to see "how" people use them. I have seen several instances in professional shops (not YT makers) where they have several, all locked at an angle for a specific part, with sharpie marking on the body stating what it is set for.

I will edit my post to clarify my impression. Having re-read it I probably wasn't clear enough. I think the "will it move if dropped on the floor" is a good rating that most people will be able to relate to.

Is this degrading into 50 shades of a bevel gauge,
Or do some just need to step outside for a little bit.

Cheers Matt.

**GraemeCook** · 19th May 2020, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by LanceC

...because you can buy sliding bevel gauges that do lock in place. But the likes of Vesper’s units, which admittedly are beautiful tools with a solid reputation, start at $250..... that’s a lot of money.

Finding the Toyota Camry of Sliding Bevel Gauges-ringed-gidgee_sb-set-e1518075488115-1-jpg

You have confused me, Lance.

Chris Vesper's Sliding Bevels work out a lot cheaper than what you have spent on all those that don't work.

What is the problem?

**bueller** · 19th May 2020, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

[/URL]You have confused me, Lance.

Chris Vesper's Sliding Bevels work out a lot cheaper than what you have spent on all those that don't work.

What is the problem?

I don't think you did the maths here mate. Even if all 4 squares are included in the price you'd still struggle to hit $100.

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