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It is, indeed, a great tool with a highly-accurate scale that exhibits none of the inaccuracies that others mentioned here years ago. the pivot action is tight enough that the protractor will easily hold its position. I read several old reviews here of the 505A-12 - and its smaller 7" sibling - and became nervous about the suggested lack of accuracy due to poor decal placement. One of the qualities that I like most - in addition to the accuracy, of course - is the very smooth yet snug action of the pivot, i.e. You can use it in tight places where you can't read the scale until the protractor is removed from the measurement location; it's not going to move.Wish I'd had this gizmo 40 years ago. So I contacted Starrett to verify if - as their web site claimed - the scales are now laser engraved and don't still employ simple decals. They assured me that the laser engraving was an enhancement implemented a few years back, and expressed frustration that Amazon reviews never expire due to age and this has lead to much confusion about their products.Based upon this information, I bought a 505A from Amazon.
The numbers all align perfectly. Just wanted to say that the picture shown with the red face is NOT the one that I received. The one I got has a black face and it says it is laser engraved for accuracy.
It could be made thinner, as is, it is 1/2 inch thick and weights over 1 lb. It's just the way the dial label was made and doubt Starrett will change it.NOTE: An easy way to remember -- always point the "BLACK Zero" "0" into the corner of the wall, irregardless whether taking an inside or outside measurement.I gave it a 2 Star because Starrett could have saved me a lot of aggravation if it had instructions for that. [visa versa at a perfect 90 degrees the Red Miter Arrow is off by 1/8 of an inch. (Est. Wall measurement 45 (red) to Zero (Black) and the Miter arrow points to 45 (red).Don't ask me why. I've been wanting a Starrett 505A yet never purchased it until last week, because I read and heard so many complaints about its inaccuracy going back to 2004.
(At a 45 degree Miter cut reading), the Zero to 90 reading is off, that will be the reading of the wall angle.The net being 1/8 inch per foot inaccuracy. Also, that piece of aluminum is expensive enough that they could have added a scribe or a label Ruler to one of the arms. I also understand Starrett was made aware of the problem 4 or 5 years ago and therefore I made a presumption that the inaccuracy was fixed over the period 4 to 5 years. I tested this a good 10 times, each with the same readings. 1 1/2 lbs) I can see the potential to make this tool do more than just find an angle, that carpenter can carry in his pouch to do more and weigh less. I think I've stumbled on the problem.and hope it will help someone.Depending on whether you open the levers with the Starretts Label to the right or left makes a huge difference.If you swing the Label Arm to the right (clear aluminum to the left) the reading on mine is.
To the contrary when you swing the Label Arm to the Left & Plain Alum to the right -- I get a near perfect 45 degrees.
The free shipping took nine days to get here when it used to take three to four. After this I ordered my next item from another site and even though they offered two day shipping for a fee, the free shipping took only three days. The protractor itself worked fine. They didn't even ship it for five days. Good bye Amazon. Accurate and durable. My biggest complaint was the scam amazon used to try to get you to sign up for some "club" in order give you faster shipping.
Since then I have put in some baseboard model in an odd shaped room the tool helped tremendously with making accurate cuts to create tight joints. I put the tool along the wall to determine the angle I need to cut to make a level shelf against a slated wall. I recently used it to put up a built in bookshelf on a kick wall in a finished attic. I would consider buying the smaller version too. I used the tool to determine the cuts. I am a DIYer and have been looking for an inexpensive tool that will help with determining various angles for installing modeling and building various projects that are not always at 90 or 45 degree.
This is worth every penny. I was able to determine all the cuts using this tool and never once had to calculate an angle I used to the tool for everything. I couldn't justify to myself to buy a digital version that for a reliable one typically starts at well over 100$. It worked perfectly. Which I recently did. I came across the Starrett and know what it is a good name brand so figure I would give it a try.
The wall is at an angle so needed to determine the slope of the wall in order to build a level bookshelf.
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