Customer Reviews for Starrett 505A-12 ProSite 12-Inch Dial Protractor

Starrett 505A-12 ProSite 12-Inch Dial Protractor

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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Starrett 505A-12 ProSite 12-Inch Dial Protractor

Customer Review: Could be better
Summary: 4 Stars

As other reviewers have noted, some of these are off by half or more of a degree. If we're talking about a tool that indicates whole degrees, and especially since it's from Starrett, well, it ought to be accurate to the degree line marking width. Better buy one in person where you can see if the tool measures 0 and 90 exactly when folded and opened (take a try-square with you).

Once you've found an accurate one (my experience is that more often they ARE accurate, but that's at my own local home improvement shop), there still remains one missing item. A lock. Where's the lock on this thing? It ought to have a lock. You take a measurement by stuffing the thing into a back corner of a cabinet or something, and while pulling it out, you bump it. The gauge goes off immeditely. So you stuff it back in, remeasure, and pull it back out. Then you walk to your sawto adjust the mitre, and in setting down the protractor, you bump it again. So it's back to the cabinet for a third measurement, etc.

It ought to have a lock to stop it from changing readings when accidentally bumped a little. Seems to me that a hole through the axis, tapped, and a brass thumbscrew would do the job and should have been included.

Other than that, I am real pleased with mine. The size is perfect, large enough to work with big lumber, small enough that you don't need two hands to hold and set it.

Did I mention it ought to have a lock? It should, you know. ;)

Customer Review: Disappointed
Summary: 1 Stars

It is disappointing that Starrett, the icon of precision, put it's name on such a poorly made unit.

The glue-on decals intended for angle measurement are both mis-aligned and mis-printed, making the tool unusable. If a pointer is aligned to a particular degree marking, the rest of the markings around the compass do not line up with their mates, and miss by as much as 1 degree. Note that 1 degree of measurement error will result in a 1/32" gap in 2" wide moulding.

Consumers who buy based on the Starrett reputation are deserving of more. It is interesting to note that while the device proudly displays a US Patent number, "Made in USA" is nowhere to be found.

I bought protractors made by both Bosch & Grizzly and will give this Starrett unit to my grandchild to use as a toy.

Customer Review: Excellent
Summary: 5 Stars

This angle finder works great, it has a tight feel so the angle can be measured and the angle finder moved to the saw without losing the measurement.

Customer Review: Excellent at determing angles and miter cuts
Summary: 5 Stars

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. I couldn't justify to myself to buy a digital version that for a reliable one typically starts at well over 100$. I came across the Starrett and know what it is a good name brand so figure I would give it a try. This is worth every penny. I recently used it to put up a built in bookshelf on a kick wall in a finished attic. The wall is at an angle so needed to determine the slope of the wall in order to build a level bookshelf. I used the tool to determine the cuts. It worked perfectly. 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 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!!! 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 would consider buying the smaller version too! Which I recently did.