Digital Inclinometer - a Pointless Product?

[@christiano.4808]

It has been mentioned already, this is very useful for setting up tools, like a table saw. It's usually referred to as a bevel box in this use case and for this purpose they usually have a magnet in the bottom, so that they stick to the saw blade. Only the angle measurement is required and you can't really use your phone or tablet for this. I was about to say that I'm not aware of other uses, but I'm sure there are some, and I've already read about some interesting ones I haven't thought about before :)

[@sixoremenos]

Very useful for sharpening knives, too, using tools like the Ruixin Pro.

[@SomeMorganSomewhere]

Yup, a know a few mechanics who do a lot of engine conversions who use them for doing things like setting/checking driveline angles and such

[@pauldriscoll5010]

They are useful setting up machining operations. Especially where older standards such as the commonly used morse taper is given in in/ft.

[@jawjuk]

For a short while, I made bicycle frames; one of these was INCREDIBLY useful, especially being magnetic, and the frame tubes being steel.

[@michaelkaliski7651]

Incredibly useful device for checking roof pitch, drainage gutter fall, tool setting and anywhere you might use a spirit level. The advantage here is you have a direct readout rather than having to scribble down measurements and do a quick calculation. You wouldn’t want to rely on this device alone, especially as building work gets expensive if done wrong, but a great time saver and ideal for double checking measurements. It will pay for itself in a day.

[@theinfernalcraftsman]

They are very useful and have been for decades. Far more accurate than a phone and useful because it's square. Beall was the popular early one a few decades ago but was pricey. Wixey came out with an affordable one but it used an actual weight and a potentiometer but had hardware design issues. Used in wood working metal working and all kids of other stuff. The inches per foot is for sloping drains. Used to set the angle of table saw blades since they are usually magnetic and setting bandsaw table angles. Lots of other uses as well that a tablet isn't going to do.

[@chrisw1462]

Slope of roofs as well.

[@mikeselectricstuff]

Many years ago I was looking for an inclinometer to measure the position of the London Eye for a lighting installation, to dynamically re-map the lighting for a static image as the wheel rotated. I took apart an older version of this and found it used a mechanical moving-weight type sensor - MEMs accelerometers were already widely available then so thought it was odd. I ended up using the highest-res accelerometer I could find, think it was about 13 bits, which worked fine.

[@dandelamatta8705]

In the US, the inches per foot would be used for slopes such as drainage (gutter, toilet waste, and so on), or even roof pitches

[@thesquarerootofnegativei6225]

Regarding the C to V converter: The MEMS accelerometer elements are capacitive internally. They are essentially a mass, a spring, a series of fins connected to that mass, and a stationary series of fins. The capacitance varies in accordance to the measured acceleration in that axis as the sets of fins are moved closer together (or farther apart). So the converter is just converting that internally to something the rest of the chip can deal with more easily.

[@burkiwa]

Assuming it has a magnet on the side, I've seen woodworkers and metalworkers use them to set the precise angle of their tools. Such as table saw (stick on the blade), bandsaws (stick on the table to adjust), etc.

[@planespeaking]

These are very useful for setting slopes or blade angles on tools. They're generally magnetic. You can put them on a normal level or straight edge to set a pitch for a roofline or patio etc.

[@planespeaking]

I use mine a lot.

[@KrisCochrane]

Your audio sounds a little muffled in this video Julian.

[@arcadeuk]

The clinometer apps on phones are great, but there are several places your phone won't fit that these will. These are great for setting up pinball machines!

[@nickdsnik]

I have made a digital sextant with one. Am going to play with celestial navigation. Pretty good for £10.

[@dogwalker666]

I was wondering if it would be accurate enough, good idea.

[@nickdsnik]

@@dogwalker666 It is certainly accurate enough to do worked examples and play with the theory and methods. My first "noon sight" got me within 8 miles. Now I am going to work on using sight reduction tables with morning and afternoon sightings. Then on to the stars.

[@dogwalker666]

@@nickdsnik cool eight miles for a home made sextant and an amateur is extreamly good, I am thinking about getting on myself now.

[@TheEmbeddedHobbyist]

you could be on a slippery slope with this one. But it should have magnets in the base so you can tell if you have placed it on wood, by the fact it will fall off.

[@fredflintstone1]

Woof!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@andymouse]

@@fredflintstone1 Squeak!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@andymouse]

Squeak !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@fredflintstone1]

@@andymouse Cheese!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ianh5300]

If you are setting out the angle of a roof or a poo pipe it's much better to drop a £10 tool than a expensive phone or tablet. It also stands up by itself and some phones have buttons sticking out that will alter the angle.

[@sirmiro2]

Fantastic tool in a mechanical workshop. Welders getting stuff exact. Millimeters per meter is perfect for plumbers and for drains. The phones will never sit flat enough to be suitable.

[@oreubens]

Correct on the plumbers and drains... I guess inch/foot would be used by UK and US plumbers ? % and grade (which is percentage*100) is used in road/rail works a lot.

[@robertlozyniak3661]

@@oreubens Isn't millimeters per meter just the same as percent, but with one extra digit (because per 1000 instead of per 100)?

[@oreubens]

@@robertlozyniak3661 sort of... its promille (per thousand) ‰ instead of percent (per hundred) %. Telling a plumber a pipe needs a 2.4% slope is going to make their head explode. 24mm per meter is understandable to them and they can measure it with a regular ruler.

[@ifell3]

My phone has buttons on the side, which I could calibrate it to zero, but these have magnets too which helps .

[@Solitaire1]

These can be used in aviation for timing a piston aircraft engine and also for adjusting degree of travel and neutral position of flight controls. There are times that a technician needs to level an aircraft on jacks in reference to a manufacturer designated structure such as seat rails or door frame so that adjustments and calibrations can be performed on other systems or avionics. The accuracy is great compared to old school weighted pendulum dials and such.

[@MatSmithLondon]

I’m sure aviation engineers will nip down to their local supermarket to pick one of these up.

[@Solitaire1]

@@MatSmithLondon Nah. They would just order a kit that includes one of these from Aircraft Spruce or other aviation parts supplier. The one I used had a few different tools that the inclinometer would snap into using magnets.

[@Grunttamer]

The benefit of these is that they are cheap and often magnetic. This means I can put in greasy dirty places where I wouldn't want my phone. These units can also do relative angle which is great for confirming sawblades are square with the table.

[@CptMishMashVonRandom]

Hey Julian. I got one of these in Lidl on a whim too and I love it. I used it for setting the fall on a "flat" roof. It's more than accurate enough and it takes a beating compared with using a tablet/phone. Tablets and phones often aren't flat on the side too, so that can be an issue (power, volume buttons etc). I also used it for adjusting a satellite dish, leveling socket boxes and for tuning my 3D printer. It was actually on special offer when I bought it for only €4 so I'm guessing it wasn't very popular. I'm delighted with it though. 👍

[@PhoenixRevealed]

Others here have stated that these tools are very useful for woodworking and machining, but I didn't see anybody really explain how they are used. Table saw angle scales are very inaccurate. As long as you have properly calibrated the 0° setting, an inclinometer like this can be used to vary accurately set other acute angles. Most of these inclinometers have a rare earth magnets on two sides to stick firmly to ferrous metals. On a table saw if you set the blade to 0° and raise it all the way up you can stick the meter to the side of it. Once attached to the blade you can zero the inclinometer then change the blade angle until the meter reads the angle you need. Much more accurate than trying to set it from the angle scale on the front of the saw.

[@BigPJB]

It’s useful I used on fitting out a barge. Set level to boat as boat not level to horizon so spit level couldn’t be used

[@LariFariYoutube]

This thing is perfect to adjust the tilt of a table saw blade... or the vice / table on a drill press... Very handy to have.. Especially for guys like me, who dont have a mobile phone or tablet..

[@pooterist]

Very cool. I have one of these and you missed a very important feature 0 the base of the unit has a pair of magnets to make it stick to an iron surface - such as a table saw blade. I know others have pointed this out, but it's something you can't do with a smart phone. For this application, it works brilliantly. Best wishes and all that.

[@markfiddament9383]

You need one with a clock, so you have the time and the inclination 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@johnromberg]

I find that if I need to get in an argument with builders having a dedicated tool, even if it is Parkside, provides a stronger position than using a phone.

[@tweed532DaveH]

Bought a similar unit many times that price years ago to check rotor pitch angles on my model R/C helicopters, then used many times on guttering, waste pipe falls etc.. 👍☺

[@hommerdalor6301]

None of my phones had perfect surfaces, there’s always a camera, or volume button, so yes it can be usefull, but I still prefer the bubble level for real work. When I built my house, the architecht noted the slope off the concrete floor outside the house as minimum 3 mm per meter, so the rain can flow away.

[@lestronicsuk5662]

Satellite installations it Could be useful I suppose, was it magnetic at all?

[@EcoHamletsUK]

Phones don't have magnets for attaching them to a circular saw blade to adjust the cutting angle! They're an essential device in a workshop for levelling and angle setting, and tablets, and many phones, are far too big to be usable, and too expensive to risk damaging.

[@werner.x]

mm per meter is much more needed than degrees at building sites - it all comes down to lenght dimensions anyhow, so best to just use them. (Although they say, mm is no construction measure - this precision get's important, when it comes to waste water pipes.) No, this thing is not pointless at all. You certainly don't want to wear out or even risk destruction of your expensive tablet in a dirty working environment. And your rugged phone has to do quite a lot of other stuff anyhow and if it is only taking calls or feeding your earplugs with music. Having phones laying around, where dirt is, is never a good match anyhow. For instance - i worked through quite a number of phones doing metal work. Whatever you try to avoid it - whenever you use your phone in this business, the speaker and mic will collect iron dust inevitably due to having magnets. Add dampness on your way home and your speaker is encrusted with rust the next day. So - whenever you can get specialized tools for your job - go, get it. Save your phone for other things.

[@Emmacat663]

These are really useful for pipe installation where you need a grade

[@JonGretarB]

Use it every time I use a table saw. I assume it has a magnet right?

[@stevefox3763]

I have a digital pitch gauge for setting the blade pitch on RC helicopters, the gauge comes off the blade clip for use on other things and I've used it a couple of times for getting angles when designing something to 3d print.

[@samcgill]

It's the portability and magnet that make this tool super useful compared with a phone.

[@frenchcreekvalley]

I also have a similar one in my wood shop. Mostly use it for setting the table saw blade, But I did use it recently for verifying the exact angle of a stair rail to duplicate it on the other side of the stairway. Mine is magnetic on a couple of sides so it sticks to the saw blade, by the way. It is also a lot smaller than a smart phone and I didn't have to go to an app store to get software. (Yes, I do have "Smart Tools" on my phone. ) I also do a fair amount of metalworking so I'd rather not take a chance of beating up (or even overheating) my phone when I need that kind of "angle" info.

[@allthegearnoidea6752]

A very useful tool I use one for setting up work on my milling machine. I want a tool that will survive a workshop unlike a phone or tablet

[@kuhrd]

Those units are extremely useful in just about every traditional trade. I use the 2 I have almost daily. The 2 units that I own are both under the Klein Tools brand and they even include a digital bubble level when placed on their back.

[@DieWuerst]

Absolutly usefull, i use a simular product all the time, wood, Metal cutting, just Table refrens and go to work.

[@NickNorton]

3:48 Safety Information: Don't give it to children. Risk of injury. Danger of explosion. Danger to life..... That's the silly things you get. Living with compensation culture. 5:46 "My entire house, is slightly on the tilt" Fortunately, your house was most likely aligned by someone with an accurate Bubble.

[@MarksGoneWicked]

I'm actually planning on getting one soon to help with a garden railroad in g scale.

[@Boffin55]

mm per m would be very handy for setting things like slope of drain pipes.

[@AJB2K3]

Oh cool a UART/Seriel connection point to access the data/chip

[@gabest4]

I'm sure there is only a little floating air bubble between a led and a receiver inside that mems chip.

[@werner.x]

That's a good one 😂. A lot better than a poor misused flea, working it's ass off in this pitchblack narrow case.

[@pdrg]

Would the pick and place for the MEMS be perfect for the Absolute value? Perhaps the programming header is for calibration of absolute zero?

[@ianmorris8534]

Was about to suggest the same!

[@davemonger3190]

Very useful for setting the desired angle on fixed angle knife sharpening rigs.

[@barrybpl]

Using it as a little spirit level seems like a much better idea than using my phone or tablet that could easily be damaged.

[@RalphWLundvall]

For table saw use, rock the angle of the blade back and forth into and out of the desired angle. That should get the angle dialed in.

[@gizmothewytchdoktor1049]

if accurate things like these are a godsend in regards to the time it takes to figure angles when doing fabrication/frame work.

[@RichardT2112]

I’m still trying to figure out what the manual contained? For that thickness, I’d expect an “Intro to Quantum Mechanics”

[@ErrorMessageNotFound]

If all you are trying to do is see if a painting or a desk is level you can probably get away with a phone, but if you work in an industry where you have to take these kinds of measurements often you need a dedicated device with published specifications and a known accuracy profile. If your job is to do an estimate for a foundation repair you aren't going to be slapping your phone down in a client's house to take measurements. Even if accuracy isn't that important in your use case, a dedicated device is probably a lot more convenient in any situation where you often have to take many readings. Or, at least that's what I think.

[@garyhart6421]

3 screws for the battery cover = Excessive. But what would you really use it for ?

[@ACombineSoldier]

Great electrician tool for bending large conduit with a hydraulic Bender.

[@borislum1998]

what about the magnetic base to hold the inclinometer onto a surface like a saw blade

[@sdgelectronics]

Can the absolute value ever be considered accurate? There's easily angular misalignment between the MEMS chip and the PCB, between the PCB and the casework and potential warpage or other defects in the caseworks.

[@mikeselectricstuff]

Easy to check - just rotate it 180 degrees.

[@DreStyle]

It's useful for alot, you don't need an angle guide and can read very quick

[@Remowylliams]

I'm curious why it would be an accelerometer and not a gyroscope. So I did what any technosage would do and googled. It seems there is something involving null bias with gyroscopes and it can make it seem like a static object is turning. (I blame the earth spinning.) So an accelerometer is used since if you're on solid ground, gravity is a constant and they use an integration of the axis values to give an inclination value. This provides the reason why the meter got upset when it was kipping on it's back instead of perpendicular. Cheers.

[@alaricsnellpym]

Are those pads on the top left actually for programming? The four at bottom right looked more programming-y to me. Top left looks like a serial port, perhaps - maybe a fancier version of the device uses the same board, with a connector soldered on, so you can plug it into some other device?

[@snik2pl]

Wonder if its accelerometer or weight on bearing and encoder like in caliper. Old ones were build like this

[@Ronl53]

I have seen them used in off road vehicles to show the incline or tilt of the vehicle.

[@JamesMossR33]

I wouldn't be without mine now but it has more features than that one as it has magnets on all sides and also two laser lines. Much easier to use and more accurate than my spirit-levels. What I miss is that it doesn't "make the noise!" when it gets back to zero :)

[@IanG-uf2fq]

Used extensively for setting cut angles on woodworking tools.

[@andersson.l.e]

It would be nice if you could make it beep when you have it in a 10mm/m slope. Then, you have a correct angle for sewage pipes.

[@JulianIlett]

Yes, audible feedback would be useful.

[@mikeselectricstuff]

rather expensive looking package for that sensor. the ones in phones are much smaller. MEMS stands for micromachioned electromechnaical systems

[@Un_Pour_Tous]

It has no ad's so useful.

[@hakology]

used in cars too ... some cars come with them by default some also have x and y sensors

[@Thevwmethod]

Unlike the tab they are small so good for roll cage building... i just used one to get an engine degree

[@chrislee7817]

Most tapers on machine tools are calculated in mm/m or inch/foot. More accurate when turning.

[@ZippletTech]

Are you experimenting with different microphones? You don't sound as crisp as you used to - your last crisp video was "Alkaline AA Alternatives". If possible you should go back to the setup you used that time as it sounded really good.

[@frankowalker4662]

How useful, I'm going to get one of these. I don't have a tablet or a smartphone. :)

[@JulianIlett]

Do you have a computer ;)

[@frankowalker4662]

@@JulianIlett I suppose you COULD call my P.C. a computer, at a push. I built it in 2015 from parts I salvaged from the local tip. LOL.

[@Phantom-mk4kp]

I don't see why you think mm/m is a weird readout. If you are attempting to level something it tells exactly how much packing you need without doing trig

[@SomeMorganSomewhere]

Also some standards are directly in mm/m e.g. in Australia the fall on guttering should be between 0.5mm/m and 25mm/m

[@followthetrawler]

Probably useful for making sure shelves are level - bit difficult to do that with a phone given the buttons on the side incline it from horizontal. Not sure it has many more uses The audio is still quite low level Julian, I do think you would be better with a cheapish lapel mike

[@zaprodk]

That accelerometer looks VINTAGE as hell. Some of the very first accelerometers i got, ADXL203 to mention one is in this gigantic package.

[@Martin_Martin_Martin_1]

The new camera isn't anywhere near as good as the old one :(

[@Boraxo]

They're very useful with my pipe bending machine.

[@pfeerick]

Well, you certainly set the cat amongst the pigeons with the comments for this video! 😂 I was just going to point out this is much cheaper than your phone/tablet so more suited for in a workshop/on a roof/etc, as well as being single task/simpler to use. For a one off job, sure, phone is great, but for anything more, this is the tool to use. ;)

[@JulianIlett]

Didn't I just. I had no idea these things were so popular.

[@LoremIpsum1970]

Use them all the time, certainly wouldn't want to use either a smartphone or tablet tbh...and wouldn't want those in the workshop when a inclinometer is cheaper and 'disposable'

[@simontay4851]

Its absolutely NOT a pointless product. To even ask if it is, is an insult. I would definitely trust this more than a smartphone application. It is A LOT more accurate and smaller than a Android phone.

[@darkobul1]

Some can be more precise i forgot what was on mine precision fraction of a degree.

[@ravenbarsrepairs5594]

Definitely not pointless. Often used by woodworkers and mechanics to set angles on blades and components.

[@Vladimir-hq1ne]

I use similar inclinometer when setting up knife sharpener to regrind knives to different angle. And no, phone does not work.

[@RK-kn1ud]

It would have been a useless tool until I got involved in wood working.

[@McTroyd]

Lots of uses if one is regularly a fabricobbler. With all that space, though, I wish they went for a AA battery instead of a AAA battery. I feel like every AAA battery I've bought in the last year has leaked.

[@paranoiia8]

Please dont get me wrong, but when you put that app on tablet I though I will laugh my... end off. Like try to use tablet/phone in actual workshop... holly damn. Its like saying why you need tools in workshop when you can use 5 Pounds multitool pliers from Aliexpress :D That thing is one of most useful measuring tool you can use in any workshop that work with steel or wood. Even in machines have build in angle markings this thing can save you some problems as often older or used machines can get off by half degree, so its always good to double check things

[@barrieshepherd7694]

Sound is not too good and image is soft - although KZbin claims it's HD. Previous videos have been far better.

[@neddyladdy]

Useful for monitoring of earthen walls, as found in earth dams

[@jiversteve]

Not pointless, I used one similar to set up the steering and suspension on my kit car!

[@fredflintstone1]

What fun Lidl must love you 🙂

[@carbonstar9091]

I use mine all the time.

[@aaax9410]

Julian I reckon your new camera"s soundis a little thin , top end not so good , just sayin :)

[@nickpelov]

Yeah! Also hammers are pointless. You can hit with your phone... Well that wasn't a good one. Your phone has a flashlight, why would you want to buy a separate flashlight. Seriously, look in youtube for videos that make use of this device. You wouldn't want to put your phone in places like this. Also your phone doesn't have a magnet to stick to metal parts.

[@JulianIlett]

Good point :)

[@alankingvideo]

I measured the lean on telegraph poles every day, I used my phone.

[@paulmeynell8866]

Try sticking your iPad onto your chop saw blade 😂 it should be magnetic aiding quick setting of power tools

[@pow9606]

OK then, I'll try it. 🤣🤣

[@midinotes]

I am inclined to say it is very useful 😂

[@ianmorris8534]

I see what you did there :)

[@henrikostrov482]

thi number could be in a bottom of the chip aswell

[@kennethmintz1675]

Grades for model trains.

[@docolemnsx]

If you call this useless, you either have no idea what it's for, or the device failed the second day after you bought it. Mine is useless for the second reason.

[@ReverendFlatus]

I don't have a 'phone, so it wouldn't be pointless for me.

[@AJB2K3]

Its only good for setting the Bed and blade angles on Parkside desktop tools Its most deffinatly no good for 3d printer bed calibration.

[@cambridgemart2075]

MEMS = Micro Electro Mechanical System