It happens to everyone now and again: You need a wrench or socket, but you’re not sure exactly what size the bolt is. So you go back to your toolbox and grab a couple of different sizes. You get back to the fastener in question and find out you chose… poorly.
Situations like this could be prevented with a tool like the Size Catcher from Wilmar. Small enough to fit on your key chain so you have it with you at all times, this gauge from their Performance Tool line can measure the size of the nut or bolt so you only need make a single trip.
Wilmar brands the Size Catcher under their Performance Tool line. The dual-sided tool has fractional markings from 5/16″ to 1″ on one side and Metric markings from 8mm to 25mm on the other. Pricing starts at $5.
Given that I ragged on the Star Bit Identifier in a previous post, I feel a bit conflicted about this product. Although the Size Catcher is nowhere near as bulky, doesn’t the same argument about adding an extra step in the identification process apply to this tool? I suppose the main difference is that you could actually carry this in your pocket. I think somebody really needs to build this into a multitool.
Size Catcher [Wilmar] (search for size catcher)
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]