Are Woodpeckers' Tools Worth The High Prices?
I bought 5 “fake” tools that are very similar to the Woodpeckers brand, because I wanted to know if they would measure up – get it? Measure up? Let’s find out!
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#1 – Paolini Pocket Rule
Woodpeckers Paolini Pocket Rule Set - https://amzn.to/3KKtzCQ
Fake Pocket Rule Set - https://amzn.to/3sbkRHj
Fake Pocket Rule (blue color) - https://amzn.to/45uSnqs
One of my favorite Woodpeckers tools is the Paolini pocket rule. I’ve had the Paolini pocket rule 6” for a long time. I bought the similar fake set, and it’s labeled as a “Woodworking Ruler,” and they are strikingly similar. For starters, the dupes come in a nice foam packaging to protect them. The slide rule on the Amazon version is quite different. Woodpeckers are made in the U.S.A., and the Amazon version is made in China. If that matters to you, then obviously the pick will be the made in the U.S.A. version.
On the Paolini pocket rule, you have inches along one edge and millimeters on the other. The same is true on the other side. On the Amazon version, one side has inches only, and the other side has both inches and millimeters. The hardware on the Woodpeckers version is a little nicer in my opinion than the Amazon version. It’s a little shinier and just looks better. Also, the anodized aluminum is a little heavier on the Amazon version than on the Woodpeckers version.
The ruler itself is a little thicker on the Amazon version, which adds to that weight. The Woodpeckers blade is exactly 1/8” thick (0.125), so you could actually use that blade thickness for setting up things. The Amazon version is slightly over that at 0.155”.
One thing I’ve always liked about the Paolini pocket rule is that you can stand the ruler on its edge just by removing the slide and putting into the slot near the end of the blade. That works great if you want to use the end scale, which is in inches on one side and millimeters on the other. The Amazon version does virtually the same thing, again with inches on one side and millimeters on the other.
Another thing I’ve always appreciated about Woodpeckers is their attention to accuracy. Using the Amazon rule as a hard edge, I lined up all three sizes of the Woodpeckers rulers, and the measurements on all three all line up perfectly. 6” is 6” on all three. Using a Paolini pocket rule as the hard edge to line up the Amazon rulers, they are virtually the same all the way through 6”. On the larger rule, however, once you get out to 8” it starts to deviate by just a fraction of a fraction of a millimeter. It’s a minor deviation, but there it is.
One of the main uses for this type of rule is that by tightening the screws on the slide, you should be able to use the rule as a square. In making a mark with both rules to check for squareness, both are perfectly square.
After comparing on these two, I think the Amazon version is a very good value for what you’re getting if you want some pocket rules like this. That’s coming from a Woodpeckers fan. Would I buy these if I’m in the market for some pocket rules? I’m probably still going to go with the Woodpeckers. They’re made in the U.S.A., I use that 1/8” blade to set things up sometimes, and they have a hole in one end to make it easier to hang them up if that matters to you. For the most part, if you’re on a budget and in the market for some really good pocket rules, check these out.
For the price difference between the two, the Paolini set of three cost me $159.99, while the Violet Fox lookalikes cost me $28.99. That is a giant difference in price and not a lot of difference in quality. When you’re looking at the U.S.A.-made versus China-made, you can figure that out on your own.
#2 – T-square – I love having a T-square in the shop. I’ve had a 24” one for a long time, but these things are crazy expensive for what they are. They have some really cool features, and I found one on Amazon for much less that’s very close to the Woodpeckers brand.
Woodpeckers T-Square - https://amzn.to/3OIUlg6
Fake T-Square - https://amzn.to/45xzAL7
When I got the Woodpeckers T-square, it came pre-assembled and ready to roll, perfectly square. With the Amazon version, some assembly is required, and I don’t like that. I’d much rather they assembled it at the factory, but I’m assuming they did this for shipping reasons. It only took less than a minute to put it together, though.
The first thing I noticed is that the blade is much thinner than the Woodpeckers, and the shoulder part is much shorter. They’re assembled basically the same way, and the Amazon one that you have to assemble will only go together in one way. If you try to reverse it, the connection won’t line up.
Both T-squares have the shoulders for lining up against your piece, and I really like that it’s included on the Amazon version. I use these all the time, especially when laying out sheet goods. Because of that shoulder, it rests right on top of your workpiece. Without, the T-square would have a tendency to tip to the left or right.
To check for accuracy, I lined up the Paolini pocket rule with them. On the Woodpeckers, with the 1” lined up perfectly, the inch markings match all the way to the 12” mark on the Paolini pocket rule. Doing the same thing with the Amazon, it’s dead-on accurate from 1” to 12”.
Checking squareness on both, I did notice the shoulder of the Amazon version sits just above the work surface, whereas the Woodpeckers is perfectly flush. That means the Amazon version keeps you from marking off the edge of your piece, but I still think the Woodpeckers is nicer. After making a mark with each, I found both are perfectly square.
T-squares are great little layout tools, and both of these have pencil holes down the length of the blade. If you wanted to layout, say, a 3½” parallel line, it’s super easy to do with either of these squares. Because of how wide the shoulder is, it glides along the edge super easy, and you get an accurate mark every time.
One thing I did notice is that the layout holes on the Amazon version are slightly bigger than the layout holes on the Woodpeckers. The opening on the top of the Woodpeckers layout holes is the same, but the Woodpeckers holes are tapered down so that your pencil can find center. That really matters if you’re looking for precision and accuracy, so you would go with the Woodpeckers version here. If that’s not what you’re looking for, and you just want a T-square, the Amazon version may meet your needs, and it’s not bad for the price. I paid $153.99 for the Woodpeckers version, and the Amazon lookalike sells for $59.97, but you do lose a few features that are present on the Woodpeckers. If budget is not a concern, the Woodpeckers model is the one I would go for, but the Amazon model is still super-square.
#3 – Saddle T-square – One of the main things I like about the saddle T-square is that you can mark two sides of the board at the same time and have that line carry over. The pre-drilled holes in the saddle T let you lay out parallel lines just like with the regular T-square.
Woodpeckers Saddle T Square - https://amzn.to/3sl6PD0
Fake Saddle T-Square - https://amzn.to/3YCYsPi
The Made-in-China version of the saddle T looks so close to the Woodpeckers. This is honestly a direct rip-off in my opinion. There are some subtle differences, but even the way they printed their logo is very similar. One obvious difference is that the Woodpeckers’ saddle is slightly thicker, but that won’t matter when you’re marking and measuring. They’re shaped exactly alike, and side-to-side they look almost identical. The Amazon version is slightly wider, and the font is different on the markings. Also, the markings on the Amazon version are ever so slightly off while I know for a fact the Woodpeckers markings are accurate. It’s that same way on both sides.
One way the Woodpeckers really shines is if you’re working with ¾ stock. The Woodpeckers saddle is ¾” thick, so it covers the whole side. The Amazon saddle is not. If you need to make a mark across the side, the bottom of your line will tail off with the Amazon saddle T.
Just like on the regular T-square, the layout holes on the Woodpeckers are tapered down to center your pencil. The holes on the Amazon version are wider, just like on the regular T-square.
I bought the Woodpeckers saddle T for $79.99. The lookalike version on Amazon is $49.97. At only a $30 difference, I highly recommend just getting the Woodpeckers brand because those minor differences can make a big difference down the road.
#4 – Mini Square – A mini square is as handy as a shirt pocket. If you get one of these in your shop, you’ll always be looking in your shirt pocket for it. This thing is handy for checking square on small pieces like small boxes, drawers, ends of chisels, and tons of other things.
Woodpeckers Tiny Square - https://amzn.to/44dkpG6
Fake Tiny Square - https://amzn.to/3shWh81
Fake Tiny Square Option 2 - https://amzn.to/3qCc6Wu
The Woodpeckers mini square comes with an MDF holder, and the Amazon version comes just by itself in bubble wrap. Straight out of the package they look identical, and they’re both square to each other. I’m assuming they’re both square. They’re the same thickness, the same length, and even the slots in the bodies are the same. Even the chamfer around the slots look the same.
I paid $47.99 for the Woodpeckers model, and the Amazon lookalike runs $11.99. There’s almost no difference between them, so if you need a tiny square, the $11.99 lookalike is actually the one I recommend. U.S.A-made, China-made, that’s up to you.
#5 – Mini Carpenters Square (aka DelVe Square) – These are also as handy as a shirt pocket in the shop. This little square is one of my favorites, and one I reach for all the time.
Woodpeckers Small Carpenters Square (Delve Square) - https://amzn.to/3P0fXWH
Fake Small Carpenter Square - https://amzn.to/3KLV5Qn
DFM Small Carpenter Square - https://amzn.to/3YGBxTo
The Amazon version is not an exact knock-off, but it is very similar to another square that I have. I’ll get to that. They did paint it red, and it comes in a nice foam holder along with a pen, a pencil, and some extra lead for the pencil.
Now, in comparing the two squares there are some similarities and quite a few differences. The Amazon version has several holes along the edge, there are different layout hole patterns along the spine, and some different markings. The Amazon version is not an exact replica, but it is essentially the same square.
The DelVe square is one that is often duplicated but never quite replicated. It has some features that others just don’t have. First, there’s a hole on the base-side that is self-centering on ¾” stock like cabinet frames. You can use a self-centering drill bit, and it will drill exactly in the center of your frame.
I brought out my DFM small square because the Amazon square looks like they would be the exact same. They are not. The DFM square is extremely handy, and I love this thing. On the face, they look identical. When you look at them from the back, you’ll notice the blade on the DFM square is centered on the shoulder, but the Amazon square is offset. That offset makes it just like the DelVe square. That offset lets you mark a centerline on the side of a ¾” piece perfectly every time. The short side of the offset allows you to mark mortise and tenon lines on the side of ¾” stock.
Where the Amazon square differs from the DelVe, and is more like the DFM, is with the pre-drilled holes along the long edge. In those larger holes, you can just drop the included pin into one, and it will help hold your angle for you if you need to draw a line that’s not 90- or 45-degrees. That’s good for laying out octagons or hexagons, things like that.
The blade thickness is very similar between the Amazon and DelVe squares. They’re also exactly square to each other. The DelVe square sells for $94.99, while the Amazon lookalike sells for $34.99. The DFM square is only $44.43. For that reason, I would actually steer you towards the DFM square if you don’t need the offset blade for ¾” stock. If you do need that offset, it comes down to U.S.A-made versus China-made.
Final Thoughts – I’m obviously a Woodpeckers fan. One thing you can’t discount is their lifetime warranty on their tools guaranteeing them to be free from defects. If anything ever goes wrong or the item is defective, they’re going to fix it for you. I can’t say that about the ones you pick up on Amazon. That comes into play if your intention is to have these for a lifetime in your shop.
You can watch the full video review here - https://youtu.be/sAs3pvMMVSg
Greatest Free Gift I've Ever Received: http://story4.us/731Woodworks
