Angle Finder..best Buy???

I need to buy a magnetic angle finder, to set pinion angle. I don't need top of the line, probably use it once or twice, but it must be accurate. Any good brands out there. I see them on line from $4.99 to $99.99. NO I don't want the $4.99 one.

 

I bought mine at Sears.....
15 years ago or more.....works great...
It was about 20 bucks I think.....then.....

I keep it in a plastic baggy, in a separate drawer in the Kennedy tool chest.......away from my Mac roll around...

The Kennedy has my 'precision type' tools....
Mics, indicators and the like.....

 

I will second the sears model. Good tip about putting it in a plastic bag. This will keep you from having to shave all the little metal fuzzies off of it that it collects while you are grinding and sanding.

 

i bought mine at sears too , maybe 15-20 years ago. i think it was around $10

 

Checked a $4.99 one against a $39.99 one and found no difference.

 

i had speedway throw in two on one of my orders......seem pretty good......$10 i think

 

A friend gave me one afew years ago. 'Bout $15. Works just as good as my cheap 'dollar whore' one. I agree to keep it and other precision tools away from the hammers, punches, etc.

 

Another Sears vote from me. Bought it about five years ago, works well for what I need.

 

I use the sears one my self .keep it on my tool box. works great after 20 yrs.

 

JD Squared sells a precision angle finder for about $50 way more accurate than the cheaper models however the cheap ones are probably more than accurate enough for what you're doing.

 

I bought Powerhouse's cheaper version, and I don't like it--the pointer's too big and the magnet is weak. They were out of stock on the better one, and I needed one.

 

I've got all kinds of angle finders that have been modified for special applications when i had my chassis fab shop. Now , about 95% of the time I use the two that are almost carbon copies of the Sears one.

Frank

 

I use the protractor off of my Starrett square. Very accurate but I need to use a separate magnet to hold it to stuff sometimes.

Good idea about keeping the "precision" tools in a separate tool box. Now I'll have to go find me one of those fancy wooden tool boxes with the felt-lined drawers for my "precision" tools. More money on tools instead of car parts.

Oh, by the way? By "precision" do you mean things like hammers, pickle forks, etc. All those heavy, steel ones used for "fine" fitting of parts? As in "If it doesn't fit the first time get a bigger hammer."? Just kidding. I'm in a weird mood this morning. The piano students come back this afternoon.

 

I use a clinometer made in 1944 for a Browning MG...just have to translate mils into degrees
I try hard not to have anything made since the Truman administration touch my cars...

 

I brought a ''Sears'' for a buddy in Poland They have CHANGED!!! It sticks and is junk!!!

Harbor freight sells on just like the Sears USTTA BE cheap and works good
These things are really simple you need a large scale and free movement
That's all it takes

Go to the store Get one in your hands and move it. If the action is free and you can read it...... COOL

 

Me too.
I use it for doing stuff that needs to be real accurate.
It sit's on a shelf across from the Washer & Drier though because technically the Starrett square belongs to Wife...

I also have one of the Sears "plumb bob" angle finders (for close to 20 years) and a $3-4 Harbor Freight copy that actually works better because the balance weight is heavier and stops swinging sooner and the magnet is stronger.
But it is harder to scrape the grinding debris off it.

Any of them are only as accurate as the trained monkey who lined up the printed degree hash marks with the needle. My Sears one is accurate if you read it to one side of the needle...
You can check them in the store on any convenient verticle pole or display rack. stick it on one side of the pole and read it them stick it on the opposite side and it should read the same.
If it reads like +1º on one side and -1º on the other, then the pole is leaning off that much, not the tool.
You could do the same by putting it on the floor and taking readings after turning it half a turn.
Ya know?

 

"I brought a ''Sears'' for a buddy in Poland They have CHANGED!!! It sticks and is junk!!!"

I've seen several Sears ones with warped scales that actually dragged on the pointer. Don't know if they deteriorate over time or come that way.

 

I have one of those too.....



I have owned my Kennedy box for almost 40 years. I worked in the machine shop business for a while and always bought Starrett whenever possible.
I looked at some Kennedy boxes the other day.....man..them things have gotten expensive...

Starrett made a angle finder........like the Sears one I have.....but I keep it put up..... STUPID......I know...
But it was $50 a long time ago....and I consider the cheapie Sears " expendable "



I want one of these......about $100 .........but Santa let me down.....maybe I was NOT a good boy....

 

Good tool boxes keep the trick tools from getting beat-up
I keep the measuring tools in this.
I have a seperate box for my Fab tools
These wooden boxes also keep the tools from getting rusty

Kennedy made big boxes for some time.I have a few. The finish is real nice. After 30 years they look a bunch better than my Snap ons and cost a fraction the price