Which Woodpecker Tool for a Gift?

[bigshaw929]

Depending on the work as everyone else said. I personally use my Paolini pocket rule daily. Make sure to get the stainless version.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rst]

I'm with Bigshaw, I love my Paolini stainless rules.  I bought the three piece set, liked them so much got for my son-in-laws.

 

[Birdhunter]

One tool that is extremely useful is the Starrett double square. Few people have them as they usually start with the combination square. I use the 6” double square more than my combination squares.

 

[FestitaMakool]

One tool that is extremely useful is the Starrett double square. Few people have them as they usually start with the combination square. I use the 6” double square more than my combination squares.

Was about to say the same. Being fairly new to Starrett squares, although very familiar with quality classic squares I’ve found the double squares to dominate which ones I reach for.
A regular WP alu square cannot be tuned. A Starrett or steel square can, and I have done it. What puts me off WP squares (Not that they are readily available here either) is the thick blades wich cast shadows and makes parallax errors very easy to do. As a square, and not for using a scale the thicker blade and body CAN be an advantage though.

The 6" Starrett square Packard shows was the one I tuned, and later gifted to my cousin who’s a female carpenter who missed a square that could tackle tight corners, and she loves it thanks to its adjustability. (And weighty feel [wink])

 

[Cypren]

What puts me off WP squares (Not that they are readily available here either) is the thick blades wich cast shadows and makes parallax errors very easy to do.

This had me scratching my head at first until I realized you must have been referring to the aluminum squares. This is one of several reasons why I would only point people at the stainless steel WP squares (which have 1/16" thick blades) and not the cheaper aluminum squares, which are 1/4" thick. The aluminum squares are great for people who just need a square -- they might be the most consistently accurate tools on the market in their price range -- but the stainless steel squares are much more versatile due to the thinner blade, multiple measurement scales, and the internal notches in the blade that let you make precise scribe lines at 1/16" or 1mm increments (depending on which version of the square you have).

For comparison, a standard 12"/300mm combination square blade (Starrett included) is 3/32" thick -- 50% thicker than the WP square. Presumably this is required in order to have enough depth for the trench that holds the retaining pin.

Honestly, my biggest disappointment with WP is that they don't make more of their tools in metric. Their recent "indexable" combination squares look fantastic -- they're a solid update to the classic Starrett design that combines it with some of the best features of their fixed steel squares -- but they're only available in imperial, and when I reached out to them a few months ago, they said they had no plans to make a metric version.  [crying]

 

[jeffinsgf]

Honestly, my biggest disappointment with WP is that they don't make more of their tools in metric. Their recent "indexable" combination squares look fantastic -- they're a solid update to the classic Starrett design that combines it with some of the best features of their fixed steel squares -- but they're only available in imperial, and when I reached out to them a few months ago, they said they had no plans to make a metric version.  [crying]

I won't make any promises of "if" or "when", but I've seen the prototypes of the metric indexable squares.

 

[m8]

Thanks everyone for all of the help.  I decided to order him a 12" in-Dexable Combination Square.  I didn't even think about them till you brought them up to me because I don't have any of my own due to only coming in imperial.  All of my Woodpecker Tools are in metric and I actually just recently ordered a couple of the Stainless Steel Squares in metric.  Thanks again.

 

[FestitaMakool]

Honestly, my biggest disappointment with WP is that they don't make more of their tools in metric. Their recent "indexable" combination squares look fantastic -- they're a solid update to the classic Starrett design that combines it with some of the best features of their fixed steel squares -- but they're only available in imperial, and when I reached out to them a few months ago, they said they had no plans to make a metric version.  [crying]

I won't make any promises of "if" or "when", but I've seen the prototypes of the metric indexable squares.

Think I’ve read something about this in here recently too. Those indexable squares are one of very few I found really interesting. They have a set of features that are well thought out, main being the fold out support tab that won’t be in the way unless needed. In Europe there aren’t many who sell WP, but if these were made in metric I think they’d sell. In terms of quality and price, they must be as good as Starrett in the long run to compete.

And even for you over there, I really don’t understand why WP and other big name brands have so little choice in metric. I think they miss out, really. I’d guess there would be quite a number of you buying both imperial and metric.. Being metric for my self, I still want a good selection of my measuring tools to have imperial as well, and it is easy to find here too.

 

[Rick Herrick]

I have the WP Delve triangle.  I really wish they would offer it in metric as well.

 

[hdv]

Here's another one who has often thought "Why oh why don't they sell these in metric"?  By the way, that goes not only for WP. Although they certainly have a number of tools I'd really like to have if they were available in metric. I would definitely have bought the Posi-Lock T Square if it was in metric, for example.

 

[Cypren]

And even for you over there, I really don’t understand why WP and other big name brands have so little choice in metric. I think they miss out, really. I’d guess there would be quite a number of you buying both imperial and metric.

Size of market, I assume. Woodpeckers make pricey stuff, and the US probably has more woodworkers than every other well-off country combined. (The combination of high population, extremely high disposable income and the relative cheapness of housing space and lumber is basically unique and makes it a popular hobby in a way I don’t think most other countries can support.)

Very few people here use metric measurements: American Festool owners aren’t a representative sample because the brand itself acts as a filter for people who prefer or are at least indifferent to using metric in some areas.