Taytools 506005 5 Piece Set Solid Brass Set Up Bar Gauge Blocks 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 Inches, All 2-1/2 Inches Long

Good quality

Nice accurate setup blocks.

These are pretty nice. They are simple, decently made, accurate enough for the sorts of things you are going to use them for (or at least, what I use them for). Could be a little easier to read, but thats not a big deal. My one wish is if they came in a little nicer package. The container they come in is basically throw away, not nice enough to keep. Even a little plastic box would have been a nice touch. Still, good and useful, I'd recommend if you do work that requires them.

Overall Results The Uprimu was the clear winner on accuracy. It was consistently the most accurate across all bars except on the 1/8" bar where Taytools won by a single thousandth of an inch. While the etching on the Uprimus was not as deep as Taytools bars, it was still present and easy to read. I personally prefer a 3" or longer length since I expect to use these frequently with my 1-2-3 blocks which are, as the name implies, 3" on their longest side. I also believe it is just generally easier to work with a longer bar and the added size for storage feels negligible. The rankings below are subjective, but I ranked them as follows with the following priorities: accuracy, build quality, length, case quality. I would be willing to keep and use any of these except for the Peachtree product: I don't mind the lack of case or the more tarnished appearance, but I would not accept the 0.0029-0.0073" error on 3/5 bars. I ended up keeping the Uprimus and returning the rest, but you can't go wrong with any of the top three IMHO. I attached summary results and raw data in images. #1- Uprimu #2- Taytools #3- Nucucina #4- Peachtree Test Setup: -Home Depot Husky Brand 6" Digital Calipers -Taytools 2.5" Brass Setup bars -Nucucina 3" Black Aluminum Setup bars -Peachtree 4" Brass Setup bars (produced by Might-T-Track brand) -Uprimu 4" Blue Aluminum Setup bars Test Procedure -Measure every bar in set -Take measurements at each end and the middle -Take these measurements on both "sides" as bars can be "upright" or on their "side" -Re-zero caliper and re-measure any time a measurement seems off (out by ~20+ thousandths of an inch) -Average data for each bar and across all bars Case Notes Taytools had a plastic case which LOOKS like it will allow you to open individual bar slots, but actually forces you to open all at once and will likely break at some point, especially since the bars float loosely inside the plastic. The Uprimu and Nucucina were plastic cases with dual latches and fitted foam slots inside. The latches on the Nucucina may last longer due to their sliding design, but the Uprimu is not far behind in overall quality of case. The Peachtree bars came in a disposable plastic bag and no case. Ancillary Notes -I consider etched markings better than stamped as they will not wear off with simple use and rubbing. -Taytools bars had the best etching and general overall fit and finish, including eased edges and corners where the others were all squared off. -Peachtree bars had the worst fit and finish as they were both scuffed and tarnished upon receipt, though this was only cosmetic. -Aluminum bars are noticably lighter than brass. This is a matter of preference for most bars, though the 1/8" and 3/16" may or may not be subject to bending/breakage if you really abuse them. I was not able to flex them with a reasonable amount of force, but I could likely bend them if I used more strength.

These are very durable. Easy to use

All five of the gauge blocks I received were within .001" is both directions of their target size, plenty good for my wood shop. Also nicely polished. The case is pretty flimsy but completely adequate to keep them safe. Good purchase, worth the money.

So I am just starting to learn woodworking, and I find these very useful. Laying out mortises is a snap with these. They are nice and straight so I do not have to worry too much about lines being wonky. I can just easily line them up on one side of a board or the other, using a slightly offset board to hold it in place, then just zipping a line across. I am sure there are tricks and such I can use, but these are rather handy. Plus really handy for setting up the table saw blade height. I measured each of these using my digital caliper and it said the largest one was 1/100th of an inch off, the others were dead on.

This is my first set of measuring bars. As usual, I read many contradicting reviews. The negative ones mentioned poor identifying markings and inaccurate measurements. I’m a pretty handy DIYer but not a professional. I mainly do woodwork and occasionally work with simple metal projects. I bought this set mainly to help with my table saw set ups. This set came in a plastic storage box. This box, where is not extremely durable, I feel it’s adequate because I’m going to store it with my precision measuring instruments including my dial caliper. The markings on the bars were very easy to read. The 1/2 inch bar is marked: 1/2” x 2-1/2” and similarly for the other 4 bars. I then took out my dial caliper and after a YouTube review, measured the bars. The photo I included shows the actual measurements and the target measurements. The largest variance was 0.002 inch. I was extremely pleased with the actual accuracy. I mostly work with wood, so considering that wood will vary in dimensions due to humidity variances, this set’s accuracy well exceeds what I need. Now if you’re a machinist and need dead on accuracy, these might not be the set for you. Assess your personal requirements and buy accordingly.