Occasionally we have customers who are bewildered that we use Chicago screws to adjust our Crucible Type 2 Dividers and Sliding Bevel. Why don’t we use a thumbscrew or wing nut or some other device that doesn’t require a screwdriver?
The answer is simple, but not what they want to hear: Because nothing works as well as a slotted screw and a screwdriver.
During the development of these tools we tried a variety of thumbscrews and other devices to lock the tools in place. Nothing even came close to using a simple Chicago screw and a driver. With a small twist of the screw, you can lock the setting in so it is almost unmovable.
I say “almost” because I tried an experiment where I locked the screw and then threw the tool across the workshop like a baseball. About half the time the tool held its setting. The other half it moved a bit. So, I don’t recommend throwing tools across the shop.
This week I found a few more thumbscrews worth trying in the tools. I am always looking to improve things. The screw thread is a 10-32, and the threaded section needs to be about 3/8” long.
Here are three thumbscrews worth discussing (a few others were total fails).
The Knurled Head Tumbscrew (above), looked promising because it also offered a slot for a screwdriver. Unfortunately, the head has such a low profile that you cannot tighten it by hand enough to lock the blade. You have to use a screwdriver to get a good lock.
The Raised Knurled-head Thumbscrew was easier to grip, but it still didn’t lock the blade. Plus, there was no way to further tighten the thumbscrew with a screwdriver.
Finally, the Hex-head Thumbscrew looked cool. But you can’t grip it with your fingers. The only way to tighten it is with a box wrench (which worked really well).
If you resist our tools because they require a screwdriver, consider this: Many early bevels, marking gauges and mortise gauges were locked with a screwdriver. Plus, when I use these tools (and I use them every day), I get immense satisfaction locking them down all the way. It reduces any anxiety I have about the tool moving by accident.
This anxiety, I might add, was caused by other tools going out of adjustment and ruining a piece of work.
— Christopher Schwarz
I think the real issue here is not having to use a screwdriver to lock the bevel, but spending 10 minutes looking for the screwdriver that suddenly entered a different dimension even though you set it down 15 seconds ago.
“never put anything in a temporary place.” –Peter Ross
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It sounds as though you need a Bag of Infinite Carry, Jason. In real terms that’s a shop apron pocket. Or a purse, but not in the shop.
If you don’t like an apron, you can turn it around and have an open top fanny pack.
Ah… the 1980’s again.
The Hand Tool Hero by Compass Rose Toolworks is great for this. Fits in your pocket/apron/hook so it’s always where you need it.
https://www.compassrosetools.com/store/p/hand-tool-hero
My original reaction to the screw and the price of this thing was not positive. But I’ve used it a lot, and nothing else comes close. If the idea is to buy the best tool you can and buy it once, this is what to buy. You came up with a terrific design.
I’m reminded of screws I saw somewhere sized on the assumption that the users were just going use a coin from their pocket change rather than go looking for a screwdriver.
Given that these days there are people who don’t carry cash at all, that would probably no longer be a good bet.
We stick with the screw, because recombining DNA with every generation produces more variation, and a better chance of producing something that will thrive in a changing environment.
No doubt a screw that requires a tool can be set nice and tight so you don’t lose a setting is the way to go. And if you want to play with the setting, you can set it looser like most others!
I thin you would find the Raised Knurled-head thumbscrew to work better if the head was the same diameter as the radius of the end of the handle. It would be much easier to grip and you could clamp it harder because of the larger diameter. That’s how mine is and it works great.
That was the first one the machinist tried. It didn’t lock the mechanism fully. Maybe yours is different than the one we bought.
Also, on a sliding bevel, a screw has zero profile, and having two flat sides is (in my opinion, having been sorely tempted to throw a couple of old Stanley bevels across the workshop) crucially important. It doesn’t matter for chairmaking, but if you want to lay the thing flat on the wood, you want the option of using both sides.
I can’t speak for the bevel gauge, but love the screw mechanism for the dividers. Most of the time, I keep them just loose enough to make adjustments with a bit of finger strength. It works really well because of the finger indents on the sides. No fussing with knobs and I’ve never had an issue with them knocking out of place. If I have a critical measurement and a mess of a workbench, then I’ll use a screwdriver to be safe.
Not a big fan of having to use “other” tools to make a tool work. While I prefer a bevel gauge to hang onto its setting, I do “need” to lay the sucker on its other side from time to time. Not being able to might invite being tossed across the shop. I use the old lever lock type and haven’t had any issues with them. I just make note of the angle implied and check it ever so often.
A coffin screwdriver is a good tool. Short and compact and can be used on plane irons also.
The Crucible bevel gauge is perfect. I love the fact that it uses a screwdriver. It’s no different from using another tool to adjust/remove a chipbreaker, so I’m not sure why it’s such an issue for some people.
LOVE my bevel Gauge. The design is slick and it doesn’t feel lack cheap epoxy-covered veneer in some models. However…HOWEVER…I remember when these first were released that a 7 inch arm was to come out that could be attached to it. 4 years later and I am Still waiting on it. So Mr Schwarz….when is it coming out!? I needed a longer arm on it recently when I was laying out the lines for my miter jack and got stuck using a ruler with it and praying my marking knife was on par.
I’ve had a couple marking gauges that were set with a wedge. Definitely an acquired skill.
This is by far the best sliding bevel I have ever used. It locks up tight. It has a nice weight and feel. It doesn’t get in the way of the drill. It is very well made. I didn’t want a screw, but it is a non-issue. I have an English bevel with a screw that is fiddly. Not this one. I love this bevel.
Just for the hell of it, how does the resistance of the Crucible locking mechanism compare to Vesper’s offerings?
I have both a Crucible and a couple of Vesper sliding bevels, and in my experience they all lock to complete satisfaction. Not that I have tested them to destruction (that would be the day!) or even compared them in some sort of (pseudo-)scientific manner; just to say that to date I have been completely happy with how either of them locks. My tuppence’orth, as it were.
I’d say, though, that the Crucible sliding bevel has maybe a slight edge on the Vesper, when it come to locking solid. Not because the mechanism is necessarily better, but simply because of the extra torque that the screwdriver provides compared to bare finger force.
I am also very impressed when it comes to the Crucible model with how well it has solved the potential problem of having the locking action at the axis of rotation. On cheaper axis-locking sliding bevels, I’ve found this to be a major source of inaccuracy: when you turn the knob to lock the bevel, the force is partially transferred to the blade, which moves, so that you lose your setting even before it is locked in. Not so with the Crucible: the blade just stays put.
The Vesper bevel on the other hand doesn’t have that problem in the first place, as it is tail-locking.
If you want to go metric there are many knurled fasteners with screw slots – in all sizes. Might be one Hell of a snipe hunt to find the perfect one though…
The raised, knurled, stainless head thumbscrews are what I use (frome ACE). I sent an email to Megan with a pic. To really tighten just use a small apron/pocket sized channel lock. Quick, simple. Or, use the pliers on your Leatherman, which everyone should be carrying anyway.
Brad
Regards the screw for the sliding bevel, I have a Stanley (plastic bodied) sliding bevel which has a wing type feature to lock it, it sometimes gets in the way of using the tool so has to be nipped down further to not interfere with the locating of the tool. Don’t ask me why I bought this tool, it was in my very early years of tool buying.