JOREST Connectable Contour Gauge (10+5 Inch), Gifts Ideas for Men Dad Handyman Husband Him, Shape Profile Duplicator with Lock, Outline Angle Measuring Tool, Template tool, Tile Flooring, Scribe Edge

I had one years ago that didn't lock so I choose this one because it locks. I've not had this contour gauge long, but have used it a handful of times in my new home and works like a charm. Lock holds shape well. Nice, thick, sturdy material.

I've had the same old, old-school Craftsman template former for about 35 years, and never really thought about its numerous failings until I bumped into this one. I'm never going back. This one is soooo much better, and probably considerably cheaper than the inflation-adjusted price I paid back in the day. It's a delight when a careful rethinking of an old product, using a little careful consideration, new materials, and better production engineering can actually result in a truly transformed product. This is such a case. In the box you get: * Both a big and a small template gauge, which can be joined together to make an even bigger one, * A bag of spare tines in case you lose/break them, * A screwdriver to use when linking the two parts, * (Strangely) a carpenter's pencil, and * (Again, strangely) a little sewing type tape measure. There's quite a list of advantages to this new template former: * There's a lock, which really works. The old style had no lock at all, and transferring the measured form to a template always ran the risk of the form getting bumped and lost in the transfer process. * The presence of three sizes of gauge (small, large and small + large = jumbo) gives way better coverage of the shapes one might want to copy, whether you're working in a tight corner or not. * It's made of materials that won't rust. * The tines actually stay parallel, and don't keep sliding out of shape. You get a better reading on the workpiece. * Although the larger size of the tines makes it look like the reading you get is lower resolution than the old type with thin wire tines in the old one, the lack of a lock on the old type and the generally bad alignment of the tines after taking a measurement results in the new one giving a better reading. * The tines are beveled at the ends to make it easier to get a sharp reading. * You can easily push all of the tines all the way up or down to reset. This was hard to do reliably with the old style. I'm normally very stingy with my star ratings. I only give a product five stars if it's of great quality, a great price, and greatly exceeds my expectations. This one definitely earns my five stars. Definitely worth upgrading your old one, in my opinion.

I bought this contour gauge mainly because it can be extended to a full 15 inches by connecting the two included sections (5" and 10"). It performs as expected, with reliable locking mechanisms on both sections, and the friction level is adjustable for better control. The build quality feels solid, and it offers decent value for the price. However, one thing that really bothers me is the ruler markings. Instead of the standard fractions like 1/2 inch, 1/4 inch, 1/8 inch, and 1/16 inch, this gauge uses tenths of an inch. Each inch is divided into 20 marks, with the longest lines for full inches, followed by 0.5 inches, 0.1 inches, and the shortest marks representing 1/20th of an inch. This non-standard format makes quick measurements less intuitive and could easily lead to mistakes. That said, it’s still a useful tool for projects like siding, flooring, or even 3D printing templates. Just keep the measurement issue in mind. Overall, I’d recommend it, but only if you’re okay with the unusual scale. I simply just use the metric rule. --- Product: JOREST Connectable Contour Gauge (10+5 Inch), Gifts Ideas for Men Dad Handyman Husband Him, Shape Profile Duplicator with Lock, Outline Angle Measuring Tool, Template tool, Tile Flooring, Scribe Edge ASIN: B0969G39FL

Best tool purchased thus far! No more adding or subtracting! So easy to use. Just measure, secure, transfer and cut! Very accurate. Looks weird but extremely functional. Weight is just right and manageable. Reduction of work time by more than 50%! Time is money too so thank you! So far, what I paid for is worth it. The value in the long run is yet to be seen since I recently received.

Cool tool to create duplicate complex shapes for wood and metalworking, arts and crafts, sewing, or anything that creating a template is of benefit. I wish I had this tool 30 years ago when I was doing a lot of home renovations.

Great tools, simplified the job. Highly recommend.

If you are looking for a precise replica of the contour you are trying to follow, this isn't your tool. Its good for basic shapes, squares, circles etc, I bought it to follow a rock wall so I could scribe a mantle, but the splines are too thick to follow every detail. It will get you in the ball park, but there will be multiple attempts and adjustments on your part (not with the tool) before you get the work you are doing to fit just right. Probably great for tile or patio deck work. It's not the best for interior trim.

A gift for my grandson for Xmas. He works in contracting and LOVES it! He says easy to use and makes perfect cuts!