Customer Reviews

FastCap Accuscribe Scribing Tool

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Sloppy workmanship. I had to use a pocket knife to cut away the flashing from the molded plastic parts before it would properly fit the edge of the piece I was scribing. Design of the brass thumbnut/screw assemblies needs improvement. In order to get the pivots tight enough, I have to use a screwdriver to keep the screw from rotating as I tighten the thumbnut. If you leave the pivot tight, it is hard to adjust accurately. If you leave it loose, the setting can to easily change inadvertently. I might try using an internal lock washer under the head of the screw to hold it in place as I tighten the thumbnut. A captive nut used with a thumbscrew would have worked better. This is another example of cutting too many corners in manufacturing. I don't know of a better alternative so I will have to put up with it. It's made in China, so maybe that is part of the problem - like so many other products from China.

I have used this scriber for about 6 months now and have to admit to being disappointed by its performance. I was so looking forward to the flat edge allowing the scriber to run along the wall accurately and easily, but the tightening nut just won't tighten, and that causes so many problems I have finally taken it out of my bag and am going back to a compass. There is nothing more frustrating than running this thing along a wall and having the dimension change because the pencil slips a little.

If they could figure out how to make that blasted nut tighten, this would be an easy five stars, but as it stands I have given up on it.

Why didn't someone think of this sooner, it gave an perfect duplicate scribe of the wall I was installing a counter top against. Now all my workers want one.

This Product has been improved and the nuts will now hold it in place. If you have one that does not work contact FastCap [...] and they will replace it or take care of you in a way that will satisfy you. Their customer service is unbelievable! If there is a way they can improve it let them know, they'll listen!

Great Product. I have scribed a many of counter tops. It sounds easy to do. This tool removes the one major error that can happen if you are not careful when scribing. If a scribe is not held exactly perpendicular to the surface you are trying to match your results will be less than perfect. This tool provides a flat surface to place againt the surface you are trying to match. This keeps the scribe perpendicular. The removable compass point is handy. The built-in pencil sharpener saves a lot of time. The only thing that surprised me was the size of the unit. It is a lot larger than I expected. This adds to the ability to stay perpendicular to the suface. The size may interfere with scribing in tight places. There are so many uses for this tool. I bought 3. I will keep one in my toolbox, woodshop and garage.

This scribe is good for long, shallow-angle scribes like baseboard scribing to the floor and wall. It is not good for tight-radius scribing. For that, get the Veritas scribe which is more costly but best - or else make your own mouse-type scribe from a piece of wood with a pointed end and holes bored with a countersink to hold the pencil in. Works well.

This scribe is good for scribing the back sides of things. The pencil sharpner is nice too.

I've always used the 99 cent compasses for scribing and other layout work. But I have been upgraded. This tool is well worth the $13. The additional pivot arm allows to scribe 1/16" off material. The large flat back allows you to slide very evenly, and accurate. The brass lock nuts are much better for holding your setup.
Overall, very pleased

Cheap plastic, doesn't hold adjustments, clunky and awkward. I bought it initially for the broad, flat surface, thinking this ideal for wall and floor scribing, and because the brass parts made it appear to be better than it is. I found it almost unusable, tried to get used to it for a while and finally tossed it. 2 stars for minimum usability. I recommend the tried and true compass or dividers. If you want a high-quality set, try West Marine - they have quite a variety for charting purposes. Stay away from the cheap stamped steel school models, and don't buy a set without a lock. A very good set is the C.S. Osborne model carried by Woodcraft. It is heavy-duty and has a nice fine adjust mechanism. Pricey at about $65-$70, but will last a lifetime.

I never would expect such an inexpensive gizmo to be so versatile. This has many more applications than advertised. I wish this had been around 30 years ago instead of having to use scribers, compasses or spacer blocks. Kudos to the inventor.

Does it's job well and the price is right. I'm a finish carpenter and I've been using it for a month or so.

Pros: Flat bottom for accurate scribing to smooth surfaces, Retractable metal point for rough/irregular materials. Adjustment knobs are solid, no slop. Built-in pencil sharpener is very clever and incredibly handy.

Cons: Too big/clunky, won't fit into the utility knife-sized slots in most tool belts. The flat bottom is nice but it is so wide that it makes the tool needlessly bulky and inaccurate on semi-rough surfaces (like heavily-textured walls and ceilings). The triple adjustment knob setup is a little awkward, it's almost impossible to adjust it one-handed while holding moldings with the other.