Best Construction Protractors
Constructed from durable engineered plastic and economically priced, the 505P-7 eliminates calculations, reduces errors and provides greater accuracy for miter cuts. The Miter Cut Arrow and Inner Scale indicate the exact miter saw setting for an accurate miter joint every time. Direct read from the work to your miter saw with two easy to read scales.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It easily resolves to half of one degree, which is more fine than I have the need to measure a window casing."
"Made cutting trim effortless to fit around both inside and outside corners."
"Good for determining angle when walls arent really square."
"Absolutely... this is a 'must have' tool for any miter work."
"I've invested in quite a few measuring tools, so I can make sure I have accurate guidance when it comes to cutting :) Reading the dial originally was a bit tricky."
"Great tool!"
"A+++ highly recommend."
"This is the best angle finder around!"
DURABLE BODY WITH ETCHED MEASUREMENT. Stainless steel rulers ensure years of use. Durable stainless steel body provide years' using. Working more than 2000 hours with one piece of CR2032 coin battery(included).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My good protractor is a Sterrett cast iron job from a combination square set I bought for a couple hundred bucks. It's accuracy is decent (certainly within the 1/2 degree shop tolerance we have) and it is extremely easy to use. The digital readout is easy to read, which is a blessing for my poor worn out eyes. Unlike some other devices, you can't easily tape the battery compartment closed either. If someone would make pretty much exactly this, but with a little sturdier blades and a higher quality mechanism, I'd marry it. (Note: I work in a heavy industrial job shop, the majority of the time bending 3/8 to 1/2 plate. When you need to go down a length of 3/16 plate 20 feet long and check for angle consistency, this has been the best solution I've ever had."
"Immediately after receiving, I recommended it to a friend for 3D printing use - allows us to quickly check angles while designing new parts and checking the output products."
"Very useful in the shop when setting up the machines."
"This worked great for a metal project where I needed very exact angles for the pieces to line up properly."
"Nice piece of gear if you hate doing trigonometry all the time."
"Compared the reading on the angle finder itself to my miter saw and it was dead on."
"Used it for the first time setting the corners to build my welding bench."
"Had some weird non-standard obtuse angles I had to cut with my sliding miter saw that were almost impossible to determine without this (like 121.6 degrees), and this allowed me to determine the complementary angle and flip the pieces and make balls on accurate cuts."
Display always reads upright, no matter which way it is turned. Resolution: 0.05 degree Accuracy: 0.15 degree Measuring range: 0 degree~360 degree Work temperature: 0 degree ~ +50 degree Work humidity: <85%RH Length: 254mm(10") Power: 3V CR2032 Lithium battery(Included). Easy to measure all kinds of angle and draw lines.Easy calibration and Zero setting. Working more than 2000 hours with one piece of CR2032 coin battery(included).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My good protractor is a Sterrett cast iron job from a combination square set I bought for a couple hundred bucks. It's accuracy is decent (certainly within the 1/2 degree shop tolerance we have) and it is extremely easy to use. The digital readout is easy to read, which is a blessing for my poor worn out eyes. Unlike some other devices, you can't easily tape the battery compartment closed either. If someone would make pretty much exactly this, but with a little sturdier blades and a higher quality mechanism, I'd marry it. (Note: I work in a heavy industrial job shop, the majority of the time bending 3/8 to 1/2 plate. When you need to go down a length of 3/16 plate 20 feet long and check for angle consistency, this has been the best solution I've ever had."
"Immediately after receiving, I recommended it to a friend for 3D printing use - allows us to quickly check angles while designing new parts and checking the output products."
"Very useful in the shop when setting up the machines."
"This worked great for a metal project where I needed very exact angles for the pieces to line up properly."
"Nice piece of gear if you hate doing trigonometry all the time."
"Compared the reading on the angle finder itself to my miter saw and it was dead on."
"Used it for the first time setting the corners to build my welding bench."
"Had some weird non-standard obtuse angles I had to cut with my sliding miter saw that were almost impossible to determine without this (like 121.6 degrees), and this allowed me to determine the complementary angle and flip the pieces and make balls on accurate cuts."
Best Construction Rulers
Durable and Firm. Don't worry about handling your ruler delicately, made of premium quality aluminum alloy. HIGHLY VERSATILE: Amenitee® Multi-Angle Measuring Ruler slides and locks into any desired angles to save you time on repetitive measurements. No need to create a new template for each new job or remeasure the same angles over and over again- the measuring tool saves you both time and effort!
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have had the "yellow plastic" version of this tool from Home Depot General Tools 836 Angle-izer Template Tool for years and use(d) it regularly as a carpenter. I wanted the Gold Version (I like really nice tools) of this tool but the black showed up in a Lighting Deal so bolted (see what I did there) to the computer and ordered it."
"I Just got mine in the mail today ..."
"I originally bought this tool for my husband but then had a great idea to use it for a mat (for a picture frame) that I was trying to cut It worked so well."
"This is one of those tools that you just can not figure out why it hasn't been made for longer, and why it took so long to try it out."
"This was a gift for my father, a real crafty dude."
"My girlfriend's sister, who is a PE and civil engineer, requested this for Christmas."
"Got this as a gift for my husband as he had mentioned a few projects where it would be useful to have this type of tool."
"Given as a Christmas gift."
Best Carpentry Squares
Incorporates features of framing square, tri square, mitre square, and protractor square.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"You get it shipped fast and right to your door so you don't have to park that big truck in a narrow parking space and fight the crown at the big box store."
"Durable and accurate square... An essential part of a homeowner / hobbyist toolkit."
"Does the job well, the measurements on the tool are a bit blotchy on mine, sloppy quality in that respect."
"The book is very nice and seems rugged enough (doesn't feel waterproof or anything). The square feels indestructible."
"I am just a DIYer, but it is nice to be able to learn a bit more of the easier and more accurate way of framing.The enlosed booklet provides significant detail on the methods needed to be able to correctly create the correct angles necessary for any roofing project."
"Classic tool, great price."
"I have 2 cheap ones that don't have the features this one has and I haven't used them since this one has arrived."
"Love this thing."
Best Straight Edges
This aluminum straight edge is an economical alternative to other much more expensive straight edges on the market.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Straighter than an arrow!"
"It does flex about 1/8 of an inch or more in the middle pretty easily when clamped to a piece of wood at each edge and applying pressure in the middle against the flat machined edge."
"Use this to set-up tool beds, find cups and bends in wood and mating two pieces of wood flat."
"Double checked it and found it to be a good thing to align my work surfaces with."
"Dead flat, sturdy, good price."
"Work great with making sure my table saws extensions are on same plane as saw top.."
Best Line Lasers
Kit includes: (1) Compact Self-Leveling Cross Line Laser, (1) Adjustable Mounting Clamp and (2) AA Batteries. Projects bright lines; ideal for tile alignment, wall studding, windows, doors, etc.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have two matching shelves on both sides of a credenza and I had to have the anchors (giant hook eyes) level across the whole wall, and this laser was PERFECT for that. I had done the first bookshelf before getting the matching one, and BEFORE getting this laser - and I ended up drilling and anchoring only for it to somehow still be uneven (because walls are never perfect) and ended up having to spackle all and do it over and over again. By the time I got the second shelf, I had this laser, and it took maybe 45 minutes altogether (I had to paint the anchors gold to match the chains - I'll add some pictures someday, I'm sure I'm not doing a great job describing it)."
"Nothing annoys me more than a review by someone who has just received their product and has not used it yet or has not used it long enough to give a well-tested review."
"You can turn on each laser line individually as well as switch between auto leveling or a manual "fixed" mode."
"Great product at a great price!"
"Three laser modes for a horizontal line, vertical and both at once."
"It will clamp to just about anything so on my project I needed a hight well above a standard camera tridod so I used a 8' ladder."
"This is a great little laser level."
"I've only had this a few weeks, but am in the middle of a major renovation project and have used it a ton."
Best Levels
Stanley 43-511 Heavy-duty aluminum frame ensures accuracy and durability. Pipe groove makes it a good choice for use on rounded surfaces. Pipe groove makes it a good choice for use on rounded surfaces. Non-marring feet can be used on finished surfaces without damage. Non-marring feet can be used on finished surfaces without damage.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The level was not as accurate as the full sized one is."
"Great, solid, level; it does its job."
"Use it everyday in the field and it's just awesome."
"Just what the man in my life wanted for Christmas."
"I bought this as a gift for my fiance."
"It's a nice addition to my tools and easier to find because of the color."
"Nice and compact but do wish the magnet was stronger, seems pretty weak and barely holds itself up."
"Would be a great level unfortunately this one only has two working levels not three as advertised."