My pencil compass is way too flimsy. What do you have that holds a good position and is a decent cost?
My pencil compass is way too flimsy. What do you have that holds a good position and is a decent cost?
Veni Vidi Vendi Vente! I came, I saw, I bought a large coffee!
I use a drafting compass available at any office supply, around $10.00. Center wheel positive adjustment makes them accurate. They use a lead instead of a pencil.
I just upgraded mine. Got one on eBay & one on Amazon 8 & 12 inch.
smooth working stainless high quality very reasonable. I think one came
from Grizly. Free shipping. Good luck!
If you want a set that will last several lifetimes, look for Dietzgen... I have my father's college set and continue to use it.
But a $10-15 model from the local art supply store will likely suffice in most cases. Cast aluminum and plastic, usually, but durable enough for daily use.
Hi-Tec Designs, LLC -- Owner (and self-proclaimed LED guru )
Trotec 80W Speedy 300 laser w/everything
CAMaster Stinger CNC (25" x 36" x 5")
USCutter 24" LaserPoint Vinyl Cutter
Jet JWBS-18QT-3 18", 3HP bandsaw
Robust Beauty 25"x52" wood lathe w/everything
Jet BD-920W 9"x20" metal lathe
Delta 18-900L 18" drill press
Flame Polisher (ooooh, FIRE!)
Freeware: InkScape, Paint.NET, DoubleCAD XT
Paidware: Wacom Intuos4 (Large), CorelDRAW X5
I still have my Dietzgen drafting set from college (1960) as well as my "like new" K&E slide rule. Don't know if i could use the K&E, but my handheld calculator works just as well.
I have a set of trammel points that I use. No max size of circles but ther is a limitation on the smaller side.
http://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-H5876-...trammel+points
I also use a drafting set. It has two compasses a small one that works well for up to about a 3" radius and a larger one that also has an extension arm that give me a much larger radius. You quite often can find drafting sets at larger flea markets.
Lee Schierer
USNA '71
Go Navy!
My advice, comments and suggestions are free, but it costs money to run the site. If you found something of value here please give a little something back by becoming a contributor! Please Contribute
Hi Brian, here's the one I have
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...19&cat=1,42936
Regards, Rod.
I use a Groz 8" that I think I got from Rockler maybe 10 years ago. I know it's not the best, but it is steel and works for me. I just checked the price on it - $29. I'm pretty sure I didn't pay anywhere near that then.
Brian
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher
I used to use my drafting compass from Engineering school but that's really a fine tool. I recently bought this Fastcap one and I like it a lot. Very rigid and it works great. $13.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I made a temporary one that works so well I hung it on the wall. It's a wood bar with a nail for a pivot. A 1"C clamp holds the pencil firmly as set.
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t - you’re right."
- Henry Ford
You can pickup drafting instruments on eBay very cheap. Nobody uses those for drafting any more.
Mike
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
I just put a bid for Dietzgen set.
Veni Vidi Vendi Vente! I came, I saw, I bought a large coffee!
My nice German compass set wasn't big enough for a lot of the curves I needed to draw so I picked up one of these for $8.
image_12724.jpg
http://www.harborfreight.com/12-inch...der-96440.html
Very sturdy and locks securely even though it is cheap.
Last edited by Mike Schuch; 04-09-2015 at 12:20 PM.
I use this one. Holds tight, and really well made
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...=1,42936,42937
for anything really, really big, I use this
http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...=1,42936,42939
both are great tools, very well made.
Paul