📏 Fowler 52 563 772 Graduation Indicator Measuring Tool Review

Fantastic value for money, tested twice on the surface of the plate with gauge blocks, accurate and repeatable. It's as silky smooth as my jeweled Brown&Sharpe stock, of course not. But for less than half the price, it's a great understudy for less-than-ideal situations.

Wow. It doesn't work at all. It cannot read the same measurement again. For example, if I place a gauge block underneath it on the surface of a Class AA panel, I get readings that vary between 0.005 and 0.0015. Without moving the indicator, it reads the same calibrated objects in the same positions with different numbers. It immediately refuses to store zeros, and the stress of measuring a 0.001 height difference makes the needle jump. It doesn't even make a good paperweight.

I am writing this review as someone who owns and uses Fowler microphones and generally appreciates a good inexpensive instrument. However, for some things quality is more important than saving a few euros. For example a parachute. You want this kid to work and be sure that he will work. Do not buy this indicator. It may work fine for a while, and yes it comes in a nice little kit, but it will soon fail. It will either perform poorly or stop working altogether (like mine). And a gauge is a tool…