TOUGH MASTER Contour Gauge DIY 10 inch Precise Corner Angle, Tile, Laminate Shaping Measurement, Multi-Gauge Tool Ruler Yellow/Black Adjustable Counter Gauge

Currently revamping a converted garage room that has been used for storage and exercising only to-date, one of the tasks is to fit new flooring and this is where the TOUGH MASTER Contour Gauge comes into its own.Arrived in a branded box 285 x 135 x 22mm containing just the gauge itself and a very small Allen Key which has no fitting place on the gauge for storing it safely, such a shame as it would very easily be lost. The rather large gauge itself is made of an ABS type of plastic and feels durable, it is coloured in yellow and black with a logo on the measuring strip which depicts inches and centimetres. It works by you pushing the gauge against the shape you want to mimic and using the locking key to tighten it so that it retains the shape whilst you mark it out onto the item you are profiling.In use I found it very easy to get decent results, the resistance is good so it doesn’t feel sloppy, and the locking arm does a very good job of ensuring that shape stays in place. It has been a godsend in laying the laminate and I will admit without it I would likely have made a hash of the task, as it is I am very pleased. At the time of the review this is selling for £12.99 and I think it is a bargain that might just save you a lot of trouble and money by helping to get the job done right and accurately – just a bit of a shame about the Allen Key for which it loses a point.

This is a very large contour gauge and works well but isn't the smoothest one I have used.It comes with an Allen key to loosen and tighten the tolerances but I found it was either too loose and the arms wobbled about or too tight and had to be pressed quite hard to move.Once I got the tightness into the best position I could I was able to use it without much hassle and the metal locking arm is very secure meaning you don't lose your shape which is very good as a lot of these are plastic and feel like they are going to snap.

Although there are numerous amounts of these contour guides on the market, this particular model by Tough Master has a locking mechanism allowing you to secure the shape you have just formed and carry it to another location for further processing without losing the template. My personal experience with this type of tool is that it is this locking mechanism that makes all the difference. The unit has an overall length of some 10 inches and has been manufactured in tough ABS plastic so that, although it is pliable enough to take the form of whatever shape you intend to copy, the tines remain rigid enough to allow you to work with that shape without accidently altering it.These are a joy to work with given that not only can you lock it into its formed shape by applying the brake on the side of the tool, but by the use of the Allen keys you can also tighten or loosen the tines, making this a very accurate duplicator once you have it tuned to your liking.There are many DIY tasks for which this tool becomes indispensable such as laying laminate flooring round tricky mouldings, shaping vinyl for a bathroom floor and all the intricacies those tasks involve is made that much easier by using this contour guide. Tasks such as cutting round pedestals, toilet bowls, door posts and skirting boards, are just a few.On a personal level, I’ve used the contour to get an accurate mould of a power drill carcase so that I could fix the tool into a permanent position for a project I’ve been doing. Once you’ve got the shape formed and the gauge locked, it’s easy to transfer the shape of the power tool to the wood for cutting.In summary, for the average DIY’er, the contour gauge is one of those tools that you’ll not use on a regular basis but when it does come into play, it’s indispensable. If you want to make good accurate cuts of whatever shapes, odd or otherwise, which confront you in your work or projects, whether that be joinery, DIY, carpet and vinyl cutting, home decorating, tile cutting or craft work of any kind, then I would recommend this contour gauge.

You receive a well made gauge, this is my second one of these, the first wasn’t good, I’d hoped they’d improved.This is much better than the first one I had, which wasn’t good as the contours fell out as soon as I moved it, these are good and secure.The idea is you place this against a shape and the outline of the shape is produced by the gauge, you can then draw this shape on the bit that need cutting, I used it for a tiling job I had, great for shaping around a pipe.A great item to have in the tool box, very useful, I’m about to start the decking in the garden and am sure this will prove to be a useful tool.

The gauge is easy to use and has a usable profile area of almost 10 inches/ 25cm. The Allen key is very small but eoeprjs well. It could easily be lost so it's a shame there isn’t a place to keep it within the gauge itself, or a little ring attached to it so it could be fixed to a key ring, etc.Overall, a sturdy, strong versatile gauge that is good value.

TOUGH MASTER Contour Gauge.This is a well made adjustable profile marking gauge from Tough Master. The gauge is made from durable ABS plastic. The gauge is marked in both inches and centimetres. I really like how once you have taken your profile, you can then then lock the teeth. This ensures your profile doesn’t get altered before you have marked your work piece. Also it's ideal if you have to mark the same profile multiple times. Another bonus of this particular gauge is if the teeth of the gauge become too loose over time, you can retighten them with the included allen key.The profile gauge makes easy work of marking out unusual shaped profiles. I was laying a new laminate floor recently, and the gauge was a great help. Overall a very useful tool, that won’t break the bank. The price at time of writing is £12.99.