Starrett designed the almost 4″ jaws and 3mm diameter tips of their new 5006BZ-14/350 electronic groove calipers to measure the width of internal and external grooves. The caliper will measure outside grooves from 0″ to 12.5″ and inside grooves from 1.654″ to 15″.

They manufacture the calipers from hardened stainless steel and the tips can be installed facing in or out or to measure either outside or inside grooves respectively. The calipers read with a resolution of .0005 of an inch or 0.01mm.

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Generally speaking, a machinist’s measuring tools receive the same level of protection and reverence as the Holy Grail. Every reader’s probably had his ears filled with endless tales of how the mechanisms of calipers and micrometers must be regularly oiled, protected from dust, and kept away from moisture. Not this set.

Mitutoyo’s model 500-752 is marketed as coolant-resistant, which is really something, considering that automotive coolant is a powerful oxidizer that quickly rusts any iron it touches. Not exactly stuff you want around your $150 (from Production Tool Supply) measuring instruments. Other features include inch/millimeter reading with 0.0005in/0.01mm resolution, auto-shutdown, and shatter-resistant (IP67 compatible) display. The waterproofing also makes the calipers dust-proof, and with a claimed three-year battery life, they’re not likely to suddenly crap out due to wear, abuse, or battery death.

A retailer called Reliable Paper is selling the set for $12 less than PTS, but they’re unrated according to Google’s product search.

500-752 [Mitutoyo]
Mitutoyo 500-752 [Production Tool Supply]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

While the name of M-Power’s Tri-Scribe may be from one of those we-like-hyphens-too-much marketing sessions, this seems to be a pretty clever little tool. I stumbled across it while browsing drafting implements and it’s an innovation I wish I’d had on hand in the past.

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The General No. 142 6-inch dial caliper does direct reading of .01″ (outer scale) and 1/64″ (inner scale) on its dial (plus mm readings on the bar scale, but — without getting into that whole metric thing — I don’t find this “feature” very convenient). It can do inside, outside, depth, and step measurements. Its fiberglass-reinforced plastic body makes it a good choice for damp/wet environments. You can pick one up for around $24.

There are many alternatives (TM has covered calipers a few times: in 2006 and 2007, for example) and some are less expensive (HF or the General 141), but I especially like this model for woodworking.

General Tools [Manufacturer's Site]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Here’s an interesting looking tool from Trend. The Multiscribe Pro has a rotating block that can be locked in at any angle with respect to the steel blade. The blade has markings in both 3/16″ and 1/4″ increments and comes to a point on one end. The block sports a pencil sharpener, a bubble vial, and two holes for sticking a pencil through, which is useful for scribing.

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Do it Best has the Stanley 10-788 for $10 online before the $5 mail-in rebate. A nice feature of the rebate — if you’re so inclined — is the ability to donate it directly to Habitat for Humanity. If you don’t want the utility knife, you can get $10 off the $20 online sale for a Stanley FatMax 1-1/4″×25′ tape, or $5 off the $10 online sale for a Stanley 16-oz. Fiberglass Rip Hammer, with the same option to donate the refund. The offer expires 10/3/09. Do it Best offers free shipping of online orders to a local store for “participating” locations.

Stanley 10-788 [Manufacturer's Site]
Do it Best [Website]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Roofers sometimes use a grid of lath under cedar shingles or slate tiles to allow airflow underneath the materials, especially in Nordic countries. It can be time-consuming to lay down because every grid is made to fit both the roof and the tile. To make the process faster and easier, Bahco created the LathKo template, which they claim cuts installation time up to 40%.

To use the lightweight aluminum tool, you adjust the stop to the desired grid spacing using the integrated scale. Then you adjust the jaws for the width of the lath and you’re ready to go. Simply grab a piece of lath in the jaws and butt the stop against the previous board.

The LathKo itself is priced reasonably at $33, but the only place we found selling it was ToolStop in the UK, where it’ll cost you $63 to ship it to the U.S. Anybody have another source for this tool?

LathKo [Bahco]
LathKo [ToolStop]

If you own a Checkpoint level with a Stubby or Magnum base or a 3D DMS Professional Level, their slope pins can give you exact slopes or grades with no painful calculations.

The neodymium magnets on the base of the mentioned levels hold the flat side of the slope pins precisely in the right position so you’ll get an accurate slope every time. For example, if you need a 3/8″ per foot rise, simply place the 3/8″ slope pin on either the (+) or (-) slope pin location marked on the base and position the horizontal bubble vial to read level.

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Who needs a tape measure? Just slap down a few rolls’ worth of Red Tape adhesive measuring tape on every surface in your shop and you won’t have to search for where you put the damn tape measure anymore.

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TM has mentioned plastic calipers before — but I’ve had the General 141ME for at least a couple of years, and have found it especially handy lately while doing some volunteer work setting up a search-and-rescue (SAR) van. It’s only 4″ long, made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic, can measure up to 3″ inner or outer diameters with its caliper, and has both metric and English readings.

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The SmartMark Tape Measure Accessory from SMC magnifies and marks. This $5 magnifier from their Master Mind Tools line attaches to any standard 1″ tape and makes a pinpoint mark by pushing it down when you’re at the desired length.

There’s even a video — I guess for those unclear on the concept. The SmartMark is a little more complicated than a pencil, but, for some of us who are approaching old fartage and still haven’t gotten used to the damned bifocals, it just might help.

SMC [Manufacturer's Site]

The Brownells Top Dead Center Punch is an interesting tool. It’s a vee block that has a level visible on the top of the tool, with the vee below. There’s an adjustable stop that comes out from the front of the tool and a punch that rides in a hole perpendicular and centered on the vee. I bought one at a yard sale without knowing what exactly it was, so it took a bit of sleuthing.

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Frankly, I was going to post about the Alpha JackClamp a while ago, but when I went to their website to gather information, it was hacked, so I forgot about the clamp. As of late, I keep running into ads and reviews for the product and figured it was time to give it a fair shake.

The first thing you notice about the Alpha JackClamp it that it has this extra bar where other bar clamps just have a jaw pad. This extra bar gives the JackClamp some interesting abilities. As a bar clamp, it has a 13″ deep throat for clamping around obstructions. Flipping the handle around the extra bar gives the JackClamp a 33″ spreading span.

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Compared to the Milwaukee Cordless Detection Tool, your puny stud finder is only a toy. OK, we’re not sure about finding your keys, but it can detect rebar buried 6″ deep in concrete. It can also tell you the location and depth of wood, PEX, PVC, and metal behind gypsum, OSB, ceramic tile, and marble.

This pistol-grip cordless tool is yet another tool that uses Milwaukee’s M12 Lithium-ion battery. Gliding over surfaces on four wheels, it can differentiate between ferrous and non-ferrous metals and can even detect live wires. The white-on-black display with backlight will even show you the center and edges of studs.

If Google’s got it right you can pick up the Sub-Scanner starting at $200, but a more reasonable source like Ohio Power Tool has it listed for $310 without battery.

M12 Sub-Scanner [Milwaukee]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

You’ve seen magnetic levels before, but how about a level where you can turn the magnet on and off like a Magswitch™? Strong Hand Tools incorporates a switchable magnet in their Mag-Level with 50 lbs. of holding force. You get a level with a magnet strong enough to securely hold the tool, yet you don’t have to brace yourself with your foot to pry it off the surface.

Strong Hand Tools built three bubble vials into the Mag-Level: one each for level, plumb, and 45°. The magnet turns on and off with the flick of a switch. The 2 lb. level measures 16″ long by 1″ deep and is 4″ wide at the widest point.

Pricing for the Mag-Level starts at $30. I did see these at Harbor Freight a few weeks ago for $20, although their website doesn’t confirm the price.

Mag-Level [Strong Hand Tools]
Mag-Level [Northern Tool]

You carry a pen around religiously, but wouldn’t it be nice to have calipers always handy? If you owned a Messograf caliper pen from Cleo Skribent, you’d always have calipers.

Built into the retractable ballpoint pen is a 4″ Vernier caliper that measures in increments of both 0.1mm and 1/16″. The pen also functions as a metric screw thread scale and a tire tread depth scale.

Made in Germany from chrome-plated brass, the Messograf caliper pen retails for about $27 or so depending on the exchange rate, but you can find it as low as $20 before shipping.

Messograf [Cleo Skribent]
Messograf [Garrett Wade]
Messograf [Passion4Pens]

If your miter saw doesn’t have a digital readout, there’s no need upgrade to a newer saw. iGaging’s digital miter saw gauge fits in the blade slot and rests against the fence to let you set your angles to an accuracy of ±0.1°. Of course, it isn’t as convenient as a built-in gauge since you have to remove it before you can use the saw.

The digital display has a resolution of 0.05°, a range of ±50°, and a hold function. The body is made from solid aluminum and has an adjustable locking device to fit blade slots from 5/16″ to 7/8″.

A 2″ engineer square and a 3V battery are included with the gauge. Eagle America — the only place we could find it — regularly sells it for $50, but it’s on sale for $40 and $9 shipping if you use their cheapest option.

iGaging [Corporate Site]
Digital Miter Saw Gauge [Eagle America]