General Tools Contour Gauge 837 - 6" Angle Finder Tool for Home Improvement - Gadgets for Men

I bought this as a surprise gift for my husband, who is basically impossible to shop for because he already has everything. This ended up being such a handy little tool. It’s great for home projects, but I’ve also seen people use it for things like tracing the exact shape of chipped veneer for furniture repairs, which is so smart. It feels like one of those tools you don’t realize you need until you have it. Definitely a great gift for someone who likes DIY projects or fixing things around the house.

Yes, this is a niche tool that you may or may not use in your lifetime. But if you are renovating an older home, this tool comes in handy when trying to decipher the profile of an existing moulding in order to determine what to buy at the local lumber yard, or if you are a woodworker, what tooling would be required to replicate the moudling. This particular contour gauge is well-made, with the pins tight enough in the body to not readily fall out but loose enough to quickly and reliably take a measurement. The only trick with this type of gauge is to store them properly in a sturdy case when not in use since they are relatively fragile and kids like to play with them.

I Purchased this gauge to copy the contour on guitar necks. It does a good job and as much better than the cheap plastic models. The one fault I have is that when they design this, they should have made one end of these wires in such a way that it could not be pulled through . The first time I use this I had several of the wires fall out. The good news is I was able to put them back in and restore the device to its normal condition. I will have to be more careful with it in the future. But whoever designed this should’ve figured to keep those wires from just pulling out.

This is a perfect contour gauge! It measures minute details! it doesn’t have to have a lock because there’s enough tension in the device to hold the measure.

It does a pretty good job at taking an imprint expecially if you help the pins a bit. I havent had a lot of experience with these tools so Im not sure these are the normal problems these things have. I got this one over the plastic thicker ones in hopes the tiny pins would bring more accuracy but at least in this one its all revited together very tightly so a lot of the pins stick together leaving gaps or ledges where there were none when taking the inprint if you dont carefully help seperate and push or pull the pins to help it. Also the pins have no stop on the ends of them so you have to be careful not to accidentally pull pins through because you can pull them straight through and out of the device (Im not sure if they are easy to put back in). As I mentioned before this thing is revited together so there is no taking apart by screws to fix or adjust. Another thing I didnt think about when buying but realised after leaving this thing for awhile, that any moisture will cause the pins to start to rust. A quick sand and a little oil will probably fix this and maybe make the pins a little smoother but I havent tried that yet. All in all its not a bad tool, it does its job well, expecially for its price.

This contour gauge is everything I hoped it would be. It creates a near-perfect replica of the shape you need. We recently remodeled several rooms and this tool did a GREAT job of getting the duplicate outline we needed to cut tile "just right." The metal rods are tight but not too tight. In my opinion, that's good, because they hold their shape better when you're tracing your outline. The key to success for me seemed to be to work it slowly. You'll see videos promoting similar products in which the user is pressing it quickly onto the shape needed. I found it worked beautifully if I took it just a tad slower. Side note: Because these metal rods can get bent if the tool is tossed about or thrown in a tool bucket, I strongly recommend storing it safely. (Ours now has its own place in my tool drawers.) Bottom line, the pricepoint is excellent, and so is the tool. Definitely five stars.

You can get a “good one or bad one” with anything. Well, I got a bad one. I took it out of the package without really looking at it. The pins were all over the place. After I tightly slid the pins together, I was missing 1” of pins! So this should be advertised as a 5” Contour Guide, not 6” Lol If the pins are stacked tightly, they stay in place. If there is any space between the pins, they literally will fall out when you tilt it vertically. There are a lot of reviews about the pins falling out. This states there are 35 pins per inch. The reason they may be falling out is the lack of pins per inch. I counted these and if the pins stacked tightly together, mine has 32 pins per inch. According to the product description, there should be 35 pins per inch. Not enough pins will result in them falling out. It’s a quality control issue. They could have at least shipped mine with all the pins!

This is very good. No problems. I mean none. I am so happy. I used this to copy a chess piece for setmaking. The tines are small enough to capture as much detail as I want. I first make a piece by hand. Then I copy my original design with a contour tool. Then I trace the shape onto paper. Then I copy that onto a cheap steel tool like a bucket scoop or brick chisel. Then I grind the shape out to make a wood turner. Then I turn the wood. Its a little more complicated then that but this method ensures every piece in the set is dimensioned exactly without irregularities from being "handmade". I love this tool for its everything. The pins do not stick. They do not fall out. They do not lose the shape, there is no need for a locking upgrade. The pins do not bend unless you are bending them on purpose. Plastic would be worse. Very easy to adjust for the intricate grooves found in small wooden items.

I recently purchased the General Tools 837 Contour Gauge Duplicator, 6", and it has completely transformed my woodworking projects. This tool is an absolute game-changer for anyone who needs to replicate complex shapes accurately. First off, the build quality is top-notch. The durable plastic frame feels robust and dependable. The stainless steel pins are sharp and precise, ensuring a perfect contour every time. The 6-inch size is versatile enough to handle a wide range of applications. Using the General Tools 837 is a breeze. You simply press it against the surface you want to duplicate, and the pins conform to the shape, creating an exact replica. Whether you're working on trim, molding, or any other intricate design, this tool will save you hours of tedious measuring and trial-and-error. What I love most about this tool is its accuracy. It captures even the subtlest details of irregular shapes, allowing for precise cutting and fitting. This level of precision has significantly reduced waste material and improved the overall quality of my projects. In terms of value for money, the General Tools 837 Contour Gauge Duplicator is worth every penny. It's a versatile, time-saving tool that's a must-have for anyone serious about woodworking or DIY projects. It has quickly become an indispensable part of my toolkit. I highly recommend the General Tools 837 Contour Gauge Duplicator to fellow woodworkers and craftsmen. It's a small investment that will pay off in the form of precise, professional-looking results. Say goodbye to guesswork and hello to precision with this fantastic tool!

Génial pour notre vieille maison

Bom produto. Recomendo.

good

I needed a fine duplicator for model making as the usual builder's ones are too clumsy. The steel needles give a very accurate profile line.