I do love my 4” double square and bench squares from iGaging! Bought both in combo sets with the 6” equivalent of each - maybe cost $60-$80 per set and well worth it!
Excellent video. Those expensive tools are accurate and look great on a shelf, but as this video clearly shows, you don't need to break the bank to get accurate layout. I use both the pica pencils and the pentel mechanical pencils too; .7mm lead on the pentels, and llike you, one pica with the white lead for marking darker wood and one with regular lead. I do like my leads a step above #2 in hardness, so I use HB in my pentels and H in my pica. I have that true32 tape measure as well as the one that has both metric and imperial, both in the 16' lengths. Amazing tape measures. A few of my other most used marking/layout tools are the lee valley automatic center punch, veritas saddle square (I seriously love that thing) and, a bit over $20 depending on the size, but my most used layout tools, my shinwa satin chrome rigid rules. I had to import these from Japan from an ebay seller since the ones I bought are hard to find in the states. They're shinwa #s 13404 (150mm), 13463 (300mm) and 13412 (600mm). I do want the 1000mm variant (13498), but it's ~$105 shipped from Japan, so I'll hold off on that one until I really need it, if I ever do. What made these particular rules so desirable to me is that they're graduated in whole mm only; no half mm on one edge. Since switching to metric for my woodworking, I've not needed to use anything smaller than a mm with any project. This makes sense to me, as 1mm is 1/128" more than 1/32", and rarely do I even work with 32nds. So whole mm increments are absolutely perfect for my workflow. I also love that the graduations are in mm and not cm like some of the tape measures I have. That just makes things so much easier for me. Anyway, again, thanks for the video and see you on the next one!
Thanks for watching and leaving a comment! Those Shinwa rules look amazing and they look like a modest step-up from the Axminster one I have (I love the centering ability with the Axminster).
The problem with inexpensive measuring tools is consistency. My Irwin combination square was not square, but my Empire was (both checked with a Woodpeckers Mini Square). I threw my Irwin in the garbage ($13 down the drain). If I ordered duplicates of these tools I would have probably gotten opposite results because the lack of quality control on such inexpensive items. As such, I won't buy similar products online unless they're made by someone like Woodpeckers . That said, I can now go into hardware stores with my Woodpeckers Mini Square and check cheap tools for square before I buy them.
What are your favourite layout and marking tools under $20? Leave a comment below!
4" double square
I do love my 4” double square and bench squares from iGaging! Bought both in combo sets with the 6” equivalent of each - maybe cost $60-$80 per set and well worth it!
The most often used inexpensive tool I grab is my 12" combo square. I use it to check square, depth, 45 angle and as a metal ruler.
Excellent video. Those expensive tools are accurate and look great on a shelf, but as this video clearly shows, you don't need to break the bank to get accurate layout.
I use both the pica pencils and the pentel mechanical pencils too; .7mm lead on the pentels, and llike you, one pica with the white lead for marking darker wood and one with regular lead. I do like my leads a step above #2 in hardness, so I use HB in my pentels and H in my pica.
I have that true32 tape measure as well as the one that has both metric and imperial, both in the 16' lengths. Amazing tape measures.
A few of my other most used marking/layout tools are the lee valley automatic center punch, veritas saddle square (I seriously love that thing) and, a bit over $20 depending on the size, but my most used layout tools, my shinwa satin chrome rigid rules.
I had to import these from Japan from an ebay seller since the ones I bought are hard to find in the states. They're shinwa #s 13404 (150mm), 13463 (300mm) and 13412 (600mm). I do want the 1000mm variant (13498), but it's ~$105 shipped from Japan, so I'll hold off on that one until I really need it, if I ever do.
What made these particular rules so desirable to me is that they're graduated in whole mm only; no half mm on one edge. Since switching to metric for my woodworking, I've not needed to use anything smaller than a mm with any project. This makes sense to me, as 1mm is 1/128" more than 1/32", and rarely do I even work with 32nds. So whole mm increments are absolutely perfect for my workflow.
I also love that the graduations are in mm and not cm like some of the tape measures I have. That just makes things so much easier for me.
Anyway, again, thanks for the video and see you on the next one!
Thanks for watching and leaving a comment! Those Shinwa rules look amazing and they look like a modest step-up from the Axminster one I have (I love the centering ability with the Axminster).
The problem with inexpensive measuring tools is consistency. My Irwin combination square was not square, but my Empire was (both checked with a Woodpeckers Mini Square). I threw my Irwin in the garbage ($13 down the drain). If I ordered duplicates of these tools I would have probably gotten opposite results because the lack of quality control on such inexpensive items. As such, I won't buy similar products online unless they're made by someone like Woodpeckers . That said, I can now go into hardware stores with my Woodpeckers Mini Square and check cheap tools for square before I buy them.