General Tools 523 Trammel Set - Professional Drawing & Measuring Tool for Woodworking, Metalworking & DIY Projects

They help in so many waysThey did the job for me.Bought to replace an ancient pair that one binding screw finally stripped out.Can fit pencils, pens and markers; round-bodied ones will attach easily. Can be used with a variety of 'bars' as well.If they outlast the pair they're replacing, $ well spent.Used to lay out cladding for pumpThe only limit to the size circle that can be made is the length of the beam you provide. My only criticism is that the point diameter is smaller than a pencil. I usually use it with a pencil and one point. I remove the nut that holds the point being careful not to remove the cap and the spring under it and then firmly push a wood pencil in it’s place. It might be better to sand the pencil so it fits more easily. When replacing the nut I turn it over so more threads will catch more firmly. The beam dimensions can vary. I use 3/4” x (3/4” - 1 1/2”) x whatever length you need. A 26” beam will allow a 4’ diameter circle.Good strong quality, sharp pointed ends, easily adjustable.I have used plenty of General Tools measuring and scribing tools over the years and they are not bad, but they do not compare to Starrett. The trammel points will do the job, but they are disappointing because a little more thought in engineering/manufacturing these could have made a real difference.Upon delivery, one of the trammels could not hold the scribe point tightly. After a bit of investigation, it appears the the spring inside took up too much space when fully compressed so the clamp couldnt tighten down fully. Removing the spring solved the problem. Not sure why the other trammel did not have same issue, but that just demonstrates inconsistent manufacturing.Also, the clamp can just barely open wide enough for a classic #2 wood pencil with a hexagon shape, but it wont hold a round pencil. If it was made just a little larger, one could use many other marking instruments such as a clutch pencil or a Sharpie.I bought a pair of these trammel points over 30 years ago and bought the new ones only after wearing the old ones out. I do a lot of work where I have to layout and cut large curved pieces for scenery construction. With these trammels, I am only limited by the length of board(s) I have or can string together to scribe a curve. (I've used them for curves up to 50' radius). The only down side is the holder for the pins will not accept a standard size pencil to draw a curve. I have to remove the clamp and tape a pencil or sharpie to the slot. The new trammels seem to be a bit heavier in the area where the set screw is threaded through the body which is where the old ones wore out. Thanks for the improvement, I'll probably pass these on to my son.I bought these to mark out all different size circles on wood. While they aren't the highest quality set I've ever seen I have absolutely no issues with them. They perform exactly as needed and the only negative thing I could say about them is it is a little snug getting a pencil into one of the trammels. It makes it a little tricky to adjust the pencil height to match the trammel on the other side but it's nothing that would stop me from recommending this product.The points are too thin for the holders. Once I locked the points in I could not unlock them. The points are offset not centred. Way overpriced .Returned, not product I thought.Absolute poor quality! Constructed mainly of plastic. Don't waste your time or $Great quality for doing sheet metal pattern development