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Digital Angle Finder

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#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
I have this one…

GemRed Digital Angle Finder Protractor

Been very happy with it. Have used it for all sorts of random things. Setting up a new miter saw, checking square on cuts, finding odd angles, etc.

Haven't had it professionally tested/calibrated. But, have no reason (yet) not to trust it.

Only downside is that, personally, I'm kind of getting sick and tired of buying from China.com. At least this one had somewhat of a normal manufacturer name.

Edit: Also have one of the above cube things. Both have their own unique applications. Mine isn't a Wixey, but a Klein Tools model. Use it all the time when doing bevels on my table and miter saws.
 
#5 ·
Test a digital angle finder as you would any square. Closed it should read 0.0°. Draw a line at 90°, flip it over & draw another line. Any difference is 2x the error.

- Madmark2
Yeah. It's not tuff to test. But, being digital, and not analog. Consistency and accuracy is always a concern. Especially with angles anywhere between 0 and 90. Upside is, if you're using it to transcribe a measured angle onto a piece, it is analog and the actual angular degree is kind of irrelevant.
 
#8 ·
I use my phone cuz I always have it. The little green men would covet a little digital angle finder. Guaranteed.

- Andybb
I tried a couple phone apps. At best, I found them accurate-ish. Could repeat the same measurement a handful of times, and the only consistency was that the measurements would be inconsistent.

Maybe I never tried the right app. Maybe it was a hardware issue. Maybe it was simply the Indian and not the arrow. I just decided to move on and may never know. Sure would have been convenient if it would have worked though.
 
#10 · (Edited by Moderator)
Wiley is probably the standard

I've had 2 Igaging digitals - bevel gauge and angle cube.

The bevel gauge quit working after a couple years, the angle cube took a fall and quit. I took it apart and the insides are held together with hot melt glue.

I had a General and tested for 90 it was so inaccurate I returned it.
 
#11 ·
+1 on Wixey or Igaging. I have a variety of digital measuring tools from both companies. They are durable, accurate, and the batteries life is decent. As a bonus, the large readout is also appreciated.
 
#12 ·
I also have an angle "cube" which is great for tool setup and one of the protractor styles shown by Wood_Scraps and tvrgeek (these appear to be a generic device rebranded by everyone).

The legs on the protractor style may be too long for some measurements in more confined spaces, but by using a bevel gauge to take the reading and then using the digital protractor to take a measurement from the bevel gauge works well.

My gripe with the onslaught of these cheaper digital units is everyone I have needs to have the battery removed after use. Even if the display goes blank after switching it off, the battery will still be draining and go dead after a few weeks in the drawer.
 
#13 ·
I also have an angle "cube" which is great for tool setup and one of the protractor styles shown by Wood_Scraps and tvrgeek (these appear to be a generic device rebranded by everyone).

The legs on the protractor style may be too long for some measurements in more confined spaces, but by using a bevel gauge to take the reading and then using the digital protractor to take a measurement from the bevel gauge works well.

My gripe with the onslaught of these cheaper digital units is everyone I have needs to have the battery removed after use. Even if the display goes blank after switching it off, the battery will still be draining and go dead after a few weeks in the drawer.

- splintergroup
Good point about the size. Hasn't been an issue (yet) for me. But could definitely see it being a problem in some applications.

As far as the battery, my GemRed version is still going on the original battery that came with it. Maybe around 6 months old? It does have a feature where you do a "long" press on the power switch to shut it off completely. So maybe that's why I haven't run into crazy battery drain issues.
 
#18 ·
It does have a feature where you do a "long" press on the power switch to shut it off completely. So maybe that's why I haven't run into crazy battery drain issues.

- Wood_Scraps

Interesting. I ll have to try that since I assumed the on/off just toggled the power. Maybe it s press=on, short press=sleep, long press=off

- splintergroup
Hope that works for yours. Mine is basically the sequence of options you've listed.

Pretty sure that if I just do a short press, it'll automatically "wake" when picking it up and starting to adjust the angle. Alternatively, after I've done the "long" press, I actually have to press the button to turn it back on.
 
#19 ·
I prefer a digital protractor (like fowler $, wixey, or something like iGaging). You might also go for a good bevel gauge that locks (like Shinwa), then use your digital protractor to measure the angle. Fowler accuracy is hard to beat (stabila and others are 3x price). When dealing with squares, setup blocks, scales/rules, calipers, spend a bit and you won't regret it. I've seen plenty people on videos use the wixey cube to square up a table saw blade and shake my head - use a square, silly! Short length (from something like a wixey block) is a less accurate angle.
 
#21 ·
Interesting. I ll have to try that since I assumed the on/off just toggled the power. Maybe it s press=on, short press=sleep, long press=off

- splintergroup

Hope that works for yours. Mine is basically the sequence of options you've listed.

Pretty sure that if I just do a short press, it'll automatically "wake" when picking it up and starting to adjust the angle. Alternatively, after I've done the "long" press, I actually have to press the button to turn it back on.

- Wood_Scraps
Since the electronics on all these are the same (based on appearance), that sounds like mine (pick it up and slightly bump the arms and it turns on).

I tend to ignore instructions that come with these items so maybe I'll dig them up and have a read 8^)
 
#23 ·
I have an older iGaging cube and what I believe is the first gen Wixey cube. I find the iGaging cube to be easier to use as it has magnets on multiple sides vs the Wixey. Also the iGaging cube seems to give more accurate and consistent readings. The newer Wixey units are probably better. The Wixey was a freebie with a table saw fence DRO I purchased.
 
#24 ·
Not being able to stand the anticipation, i dug out the "instructions" for my digital angle gauge.

It took a while to find it, a single playing card sized sheet of what feels like rice paper.

Aside from the usual specifications on accuracy and battery type, there were statements like:

"Made from finest material plastic for your joy and comfort with usage"
"Accuracy to see the best"

As to the button functions:

"Pressing on will on the power and show display"
"Pressing off will disable usage"
"Zero button will clear reading to position of arms"

Now my Chinglish is a bit rusty, but the basic operation is clear enough.
No mention of a long hold press for OFF, but that does seem to be the way it works.

Being a trust but verify kind of guy. i decided to do some probing.

When powered up, the current draw is 39.6 uA, about what I'd expect from a battery operated measuring device.

A quick press of the OFF button does blank (sleep) the display and the current drops to 38.2 uA. Not much of a drop and certainly explains why my battery would die after a few days in the drawer.

When i hold the OFF button down about 5 seconds, the power will drop to 5.6 uA, certainly an "off" state with minimum power draw.

Coolio!
 
#25 ·
I have an older iGaging cube and what I believe is the first gen Wixey cube. I find the iGaging cube to be easier to use as it has magnets on multiple sides vs the Wixey. Also the iGaging cube seems to give more accurate and consistent readings. The newer Wixey units are probably better. The Wixey was a freebie with a table saw fence DRO I purchased.

- gtrgeo
I mentioned that i have a tool setup angle "box", but i could not remember the brand.
I bought mine when i first saw mention of them in ads, i had to have one!

It is the Beall Tool Company "Tilt Box". I was impressed with the quality, nice foam lined storage box and the unit has cast metal case with an "o" ringed battery cover. Magnets on several sides keep it stuck to the tool/blade being measured as long as it is magnetic of course 8^)
 
#26 ·
Not being able to stand the anticipation, i dug out the "instructions" for my digital angle gauge.

It took a while to find it, a single playing card sized sheet of what feels like rice paper.

Aside from the usual specifications on accuracy and battery type, there were statements like:

"Made from finest material plastic for your joy and comfort with usage"
"Accuracy to see the best"

As to the button functions:

"Pressing on will on the power and show display"
"Pressing off will disable usage"
"Zero button will clear reading to position of arms"

Now my Chinglish is a bit rusty, but the basic operation is clear enough.
No mention of a long hold press for OFF, but that does seem to be the way it works.

Being a trust but verify kind of guy. i decided to do some probing.

When powered up, the current draw is 39.6 uA, about what I d expect from a battery operated measuring device.

A quick press of the OFF button does blank (sleep) the display and the current drops to 38.2 uA. Not much of a drop and certainly explains why my battery would die after a few days in the drawer.

When i hold the OFF button down about 5 seconds, the power will drop to 5.6 uA, certainly an "off" state with minimum power draw.

Coolio!

- splintergroup
Lol. Can't imagine how one would overlook that important detail with such thorough instructions.

Glad to hear my callout about the function will save folks from burning through batteries. Thanks for testing and sharing the data!
 
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