Bahco combination squares?

[No skills]

Hello folks.

I'm after a couple of combination squares, don't need them to be top hole but hopefully better than the Stanley and other tat I've seen of late. The Bahco's look ok but seem to be surprisingly cheap, perhaps too cheap? 6" and 16" are the sizes I want.

I don't have the money for new moore and wright's or starrett etc and don't have the time to hunt a cheap s/h bargin so what do you think of the bahco's??

Cheers

 

[DTR]

I have the 6" square, I'm quite happy with it.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Well Bahco stuff generally is quite serviceable.
When I was looking a few years ago, I ended up with Axi's own brand one. Cast iron stock, properly etched divisions. I'm perfectly happy with it. OK it is not M&W, but certainly in a different league to the Stanley I had before.
IIRC the Axi was about £30. I think I made the right choice, given my budget.
S

 

[Harbo]

I bought one on the bay a couple of years back - works well.

Rod

 

[jhwbigley]

I have both 6" and 12" ones, they are excellent.

JH

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

Die cast zinc stocks, blooming awful IMO. Can't see how these are any different to the yellow Stanley ones (sometimes black!) with the zinc stocks.

The best feature in a combo square, is the rule to be in the graduations that you use, not dual markings. The ability for the rule to scan right across its width is so convenient it is untrue, dual graduations are a PITA. It appears you favour imperial, so a second hand cast iron stocked one in inches only will be well worth seeking out. Metric only ones can be had easier new.

Mike

 

[jhwbigley]

Hello,

Die cast zinc stocks, blooming awful IMO. Can't see how these are any different to the yellow Stanley ones (sometimes black!) with the zinc stocks.

Mike

Nothing like the yellow/black stanley ones (which are complete poo).

Heavier, better machining, clearer graduations and just general better!

 

[No skills]

Thanks to you all, will prolly order the Bahco's. If they turn out to be wildly different in the quality mentioned here I'll post up my findings.

FWIW the last few yellow stanleys I have looked at in shops seemed pretty poor quality. And no I prefer metric

Thanks again.

 

[Richard S]

I've got a couple of each of the 150mm and the 450mm and find them excellent, one of the few true bargains still to be had.

 

[Jacob]

I got one too. They are good. The scribing pin screws in which means less likely to get lost than the one from my Rabone, which is long gone.
Imperial/metric no problem, the scales are on opposite sides so it doesn't hinder in any way. It's useful having both - bilingual - you often need to be able to speak both languages.

 

[No skills]

Cheers, I do work in both (generally what ever is closest on the tape ) but having spent a few years working with a Russian I tend towards metric - I also find it easier working with mm's for small measurements.