Oshlun Professional Grade Saw Blades

Was looking for a replacement blade about a year ago when my original Makita beam was blade started getting dull. Found the Oshlun blade on Amazon and resisted buying it at first due to the low price. I just ordered my second one after using the first one 6 days a week for 10 months. We cut large Western Red Cedar, cypress, fir and spruce beams all day long with this blade (both rips and cross cuts). This blade has never warped under heating (and we really heat this thing up some days). Good blade at any price.

I'm an industrial electrician that uses M12 for my everyday tools. I bought an M12 Fuel Circular Saw 2530-20 specifically because I wanted to try to cut metal with it. The Milwaukee blade is half the price of the saw, so I wanted to try something less expensive.

This thing cuts like butter! Cable Tray, Strut, DIN rail, 3/8 mild steel plate, you name it. I'm VERY happy. I've done quite a few cuts and it doesn't seem to be slowing down, but I picked up a standby blade for when I finally bite off more than I can chew.

Wear a FACE SHIELD with this thing, she throws shrapnel like no other. I was only wearing safety glasses and a piece of metal bounced off my cheek, hit the glasses and then hit my eyeball. Had to go to the optometrist and everything, I had a burn and needed to take eyedrops for a week, luckily my vision came back.

I had never cut aluminum. After some research I decided for safety reasons it was best to purchase a product designed for the job. Right tool for the job. I cut channelled aluminum 2" X 8" (Bleacher Seat or Plank). I saved the first cut so I could compare to my last cut. I made 90 cuts. The blade held up very well for my purpose. You have to cut slightly slower than you would cut wood, Although, as I neared the final cut, it seemed in my mind that the cutting ability of the blade was getting oh so slightly slower, but that is to be expected. There was no noticeable difference in quality of the 90th cut from the 1st cut. I think the blade will cut plenty more with no problem. There were no lost teeth or blade damage. Probable because aluminum is the product cut here, it leaves a large amount of debris. Probably no more than wood really, but because it is metal, it must seem like more because it won't lay flat on the ground after the cuts. You will want to wear eye, ear and leg protection. I am pleased with this product

Since there aren't many reviews on this blade I figured I'd give it a rating. I bought this to attach to a husqvarna 165rx clearing saw. Having previously used another carbide tipped blade (husqvarna Christmas tree attachment) and after wearing that blade out I was in search of another as rebuilding the blade alone would cost 1.5x the cost of this blade. Sharpen style blades just don't cut it so I figured I'd give this blade a try for what it costs.

I am throughly happy with this blade purchase as it mets my expectations with flying colors. I am mostly using this blade for pasture brush control (hedge, cedar, and locust). Cuts trees like a hot knife easily cutting down a 6" tree, can cut bigger with a back cut but trees get fairly tall with that diameter and could potentially fall towards you without a way to stop it due to having to hold saw. I have not hit any rocks or wire with it yet so I can't tell you how it would hold up to that but I feel like it would. If I happen to hit a rock or wire I'll report back with details if teeth fall off. Eventually I know the blade will get dull, hopefully I will cut enough trees coupled with not having to sharpen it to justify the cost and order another.

There is one thing that I am disappointed with is the blade is manufactured in China. I didn't rate it negatively for this because I feel that if it was a USA made blade it would probably be in the $80 -$100 range.

I would highly recommend this blade for a similar situation as mine. If by rare chance you have a clearing saw with a Christmas tree attachment (used for husqvarna clearing saws and allows use of 12" blade, normally only accepts 10" without attachment) that you want a blade for.

I BOUGHT THIS PRODUCT ABOUT A MONTH AGO AFTER SEARCHING THE WEB FOR AN 8 INCH CALIPER; THAT WAS GOOD QUALITY, ACCURATE, AND EASY TO READ. THIS ONE HAS FIT THE BILL SO FAR. I HAVE USED IT TO ALIGN MY TABLE SAW, ROUTER TABLE FENCE, BANDSAW FENCE, MITER SAW ETC. IT IS GREAT. [...] IS EASY TO READ, EASY TO LOCK AND ADJUST, AND THE MATERIALS USED TO MAKE THIS PRODUCT SEEM TO BE EXTREMELY STURDY. NO RUST SO FAR, AND I AM TRULY PLEASED. YOU COULD PAY MORE, BUT FOR 99% OF ALL USES I CAN THINK OF; YOU WOULD BE SPENDING MONEY NEEDLESSLY. IN MY OPINION; THIS ONE IS A WINNER.

I bought this for my Evolution R210 CMS saw. I only use this saw for cutting metal. Used this blade to make some cuts in mild steel. It cuts the steel like butter with very few sparks. It's much better the Eolutions original blade. I can recommend this blade for sure. Due to shipping and import taxes this blade is twice it's original price but still cheaper then an Evolution Steel blade (blue series).

I was hesitant to buy this blade since there were no reviews to vouch for its quality.I am a professional trim carpenter and needed a blade that could last and cut cleanly.I decided to take a chance rather than spend three times more $ on the festool brand or one of the other alternatives out there.I have been extremely impressed with this blade and have found the blade indistinguishable from the festool in use and in long life between sharpenings.I am buying a couple more since I like to have several blades on hand at all times.

I've bought these in the past and they perform well at a fraction of Fein's price. That said, they're not metal cutting like the Feins but they do a good job on wood.

I bought this blade for my Stihl TS 420 block saw. Although I'm sure the manufacturer would call it ill advised to say the least, I've shoved this blade into wood with embedded steel plates and bands, rocks, dirt, you name it. If your segmented concrete blade or disc shouldn't be used to cut it, then this is the answer. If you have a demo saw/block saw, this blade is the necessary third for a complete collection, for with all three there is virtually nothing you can not cut. Be forewarned, this blade is not for the meek. It is not like a chainsaw. It makes a chain and bar seem like kid stuff. Sawzall for pre-school girls. This will grab ahold of and rip apart virtually anything it comes in contact with, and isn't so forgiving like the discs and segmented concrete blades. With that said, it is way easier to use than you might expect. Look closely and you will see the carbide tips are set at a slightly negative angle, so it doesn't rip the saw out of your hands as easily as you might expect. DEFINITELY have the full blade guard properly installed and angled to protect from the shrapnel, and be wearing proper leg, hand and eye protection because this thing removes serious chunks of whatever is unfortunate enough to come in contact with it. I've put alot of miles on mine already, and it is fine. I can tell it isn't as fast as it was new, but for what i've done to it, it is impressive. I highly recommend this blade for commercial applications by qualified operators. You will not be disappointed. I would caution DIY folks to be sure you are competent to safely operate such an aggressive machine and blade combination, and that such an extreme setup is necessary. It is neat, and it is kinda fun, but definitely not a toy.

Prefect fit for the Omni dual saw. It seems in good quality. Rip thru wood and plastic like butter without any kickback like the regular sidewinder. However, it is a bit expensive for the replacement blades.

I recently purchased the Oshlun LG-M01 Miter and Portable Saw Laser Guide for my miter saw, and I must say that it has been a game-changer for my woodworking projects. This laser guide has significantly improved the accuracy and precision of my cuts, making my work much more efficient and professional-looking.

The installation of the laser guide was straightforward and hassle-free. It fit perfectly on my miter saw and the alignment was easy to adjust to ensure that the laser line was accurate with my saw blade. Once installed, the laser guide provided a clear, bright line that helped me visualize exactly where my cuts would land, resulting in precise and clean cuts every time.

I particularly appreciate the portability of this laser guide. It is compact and lightweight, making it easy to transport and use on different job sites or workstations. The durability of the guide is also impressive, as it has held up well to regular use and has not required any adjustments or maintenance since I installed it.

Overall, the Oshlun LG-M01 Miter and Portable Saw Laser Guide has exceeded my expectations and has become an essential tool in my woodworking arsenal. I highly recommend this laser guide to anyone looking to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of their miter or portable saw cuts. It is a small investment that yields significant improvements in the quality of your work.

This blade makes very very smooth cuts in hardwood, softwood, and plywood, using my Harbor Freight/Chicago Electric 10" compound sliding miter saw. This saw is a bit underpowered compared to most, at only 11A. There's just a very tiny bit of splintering on the bottom and back edges, but no chipping at all. The cuts are as smooth as if sanded, as smooth as S4S finished lumber. The blade definitely runs quieter than the blade which came with the saw. And, despite having 20 more teeth, it cuts through thick material better and faster than the stock blade did, especially 4x4s.

It was extremely difficult to find a reasonably priced blade with the negative hook appropriate to a sliding compound miter saw, and they are rare at any price. I really didn't want to spend over $50, being as this is only a $100 saw! I would have preferred to spend only $25-30, but negative hooks could not be found in that range. I also went with this blade because of the full width kerf, which supposedly helps prevent blade deflection, especially on a SCMS. Some say a thin kerf makes better use of a lower powered saw, but the thick doesn't seem to be a problem for my use. Most of the blades made for SCMS, ie negative hook, are thin kerf.

I highly recommend this blade! I cut a fair amount of plywood, so the extra money seemed justified, and as I said, I could not find a negative hook blade for any less. I just wish I could get it for as little money as the Oshlun positive hook 10" blades! I'd happily settle for 60-tooth blade if it were $20 less.

With all those teeth is makes very smooth cuts. I'm working with red oak at the moment and this blade is doing exactly what I wanted it to do. The cross cuts are very good and I am very satisfied with the results. I've only had it for a couple weeks and so far it's not lost any teeth yet but I'll be keeping an eye on it.

This is my new favorite demo blade.

I spent a day with this blade. It cuts rough, but for demolition work that doesn't matter. It managed to cut through a few hundred deck screws, and rip up a few sheets of plywood that had been coated in 1/4" thick epoxy and fiberglass. This blade is a beast - after all that it's still perfectly sharp and hasn't taken any damage. Besides being so durable, it's really QUICK cutting.

Prior to using this, I had been doing demo work with a sawzall with demo blades. This thing lasts way longer and cuts much quicker. After putting this in an old circular saw, I barely touched the sawzall.

I was looking for a bade to cut aluminum for a FIRST robotics team working out of my basement. My initial search through a well known industrial supplier showed blades like this starting at $250. That was pretty much a non-starter. I found this one on Amazon and read the reviews and decided to give it a try. It cuts cleanly, quietly, and quickly. We have been cutting parts for several weeks now and the blade shows no signs of dulling. It also works great on PVC pipe and wood (we used that for training purposes. I have done a lot of shop work over the years and I can say this is an excellent blade. I highly recommend this to anyone who is planning to cut aluminum on conventional shop equipment. I used this blade on a table saw.

This blade was chosen for the lower price, the arbor hole size, and the non ferrous cutting attribute. I was skeptical about quality but willing to chance it. It turns out to be a perfect fit for the Kapex, runs without wobble and cuts oak crown molding cleanly. It hasn't been used to cut aluminum, but should have no trouble since previous carbide blades I've used did it without dulling much.

Much nicer cut on plywood than the factory blade. Kerf size seems to be exactly the same so the lasers do not need adjustment between this and the Festool blade. I just got it so time will tell about longevity but as far as I can see at this point, paying more than double for the Festool 80t doesn’t seem to be a wise choice.

Never using a stacked dado set before, I relied mostly on the reviews of the people here on Amazon (as I do for most of my purchases). Professional reviews from magazines or websites are nice, but I find that it's better to hear the feedback from actual Average Joe users. That said, it was a difficult decision choosing between the Oshlun and Freud sets, but after reading the reviews, I decided to spend a little less and go for the Oshlun set.

A big thing I keep reading in the reviews is how people feel the supplied box is just god awful and deduct a point or two for it. First off, I didn't spend $65 (6-inch set) for a cardboard box, I spent that much on the product inside. With that being said, and considering what people were saying about the box, I was really expecting something with a thickness less than a cereal box to be what held the dado set, but to my surprise, the box is actually very sturdy. It's also really nice that individual styrofoam cutouts were made to separate the saw blades so that they don't contact each other and chip the carbide tips. I plan on using the box as a long term storage piece for the time being until a time comes when I may need to build a wooden case for the set, but even then I'll use the original foam inserts for extra protection.

Aside from that, the blades cut a very smooth and flat bottom with very little chipout on the ends. The scoring was a little bit deeper than I had thought it would be initially, but it's not enough for me to worry about or deduct stars for. It hasn't done anything to lessen the quality of glue ups in my cuts, but if it had there's still 220 grit sandpaper to smooth it out in a few strokes.

Overall I am very pleased with this set. I've found it incredibly easy to change the setup and the included chart for sizes is really nice as well. I have no regrets about the purchase.

I have been using these blades for several years as an economical alternative to Festool branded blades and I believe they may in fact be the same blade! Performance wise there is no difference at all. Would 100% recommend them to all serious woodworkers and DIY as well.

We have a need to cut through 1/4 inch thick x 8 inch fiberglass. Previously we've used a band saw which is very tedious and difficult to keep to a straight line. We bought this blade to put in our chop saw. It's worked perfectly. We can slice cleanly through the fiberglass sheet in just a few seconds. Obviously it throws out a whole lot more dust than a band saw so protective masks and good ventilation are important.

Purchased this blade to cut some aluminum deck railing. Was afraid that I was going to have to cut with a hacksaw. My buddy recommended an aluminum cutting blade (which I had never heard of) for my compound miter saw. I also bought blade lube/wax as recommended. I was leary about cutting expensive railing this way. This blade cut like butter with smooth, precise cuts. It made the job easy, almost pleasurable. Glad that I used it.

We have a need to cut through 1/4 inch thick x 8 inch fiberglass. Previously we've used a band saw which is very tedious and difficult to keep to a straight line. We bought this blade to put in our chop saw. It's worked perfectly. We can slice cleanly through the fiberglass sheet in just a few seconds. Obviously it throws out a whole lot more dust than a band saw so protective masks and good ventilation are important.

I have found this dado blade to be excellent. The price was great, ease of use and setting up is far superior to the HF dado blade I returned after one of the shims jammed on the arbor of my Delta uni-saw and damaged the arbor threads on the 2nd use. That cost me $150.00 to for the purchase of a replacement arbor! Many customers complain that the storage box it comes with is not suitable. It is just a cardboard box. When mine arrived the box was broken on three sides. However the dado blades are very well packaged in foam and arrived with no damage. I simply made my own storage box from 1/2" plywood and utilized the foam packaging to safely store the dado blade.

I need to cut aluminum frequently but also hate changing blades on my miter saw because it takes 35 minutes to remove all the safety gizmos before spending 10 seconds changing the blade. Using the wrong blade on a 10" saw can be VERY dangerous, and some blades made for metal pretty much burn their way through wood. With this blade, I get great cuts on aluminum, as expected. I can also cut most other materials just as clean as with other blades, just slightly slower. I'd much rather cut a piece of wood in two seconds instead of one second rather than changing blades twice.

Metal blades can be very specific, even if they look basically the same. Don't use this for steel. I have one of their steel blades, and it's also good. Similarly, if you need to cut stainless steel, buy a blade for that. It might seem like a lot of trouble and money to have so many blades, but they exist for a reason. If you're not a pro, a good blade will likely last a lifetime, or at least until you buy that CO2 laser you've always wanted.

We had purchased one of the Rage Saws, which are absolutely terrific in every way. However the replacement blades are expensive from Rage, and not easy to purchase locally. This Oshlun 10" Blade was deliberately designed to be compatible with the Rage Saws. Having a 1" Bore and Carbide Teeth, ground to provide a standard "triple chip type of cut", it is a perfect replacement for the Rage Steel Cutting Blade.

The blade cuts as well as any other quality brand blade, and at a far less cost.

Finally, a dial caliper for the masses of woodworkers out there who care for accuracy and quality. This dial caliper is not only accurate to 1/64th of an inch, but it is also a joy to use for its simplicity and very legible dial. I highly recommend its use in any woodshop. Bravo, a fine piece of machinery. I give it five nails out of five.

Pros - Cuts anything, Clean cuts, Less Mess than abrasive blade, Durable, Seems to cut faster than abrasive blade, Does not get aluminum stuck between teeth like my aluminum cutting blade (tougher relative of wood blade)
Cons - Expensive but worth the cost for me, Heats metal to Red just like abrasive blade (at high RPM 3,900), Loud - you need hearing protection with any chop saw
I have not been careful with this blade and after 3 years not a single issue. I have cut a lot of 1" stainless bar, 1/4" stainless plate, and many easier materials like aluminum and cuts are clean. I put this blade in a Bosch 3814 14-Inch Abrasive Cut-Off Machine (15 Amps, 3,900 RPM) and I only wish I had a low RPM dry-cut saw to put it on. I really like this blade! Would buy again.

Inherited a radial arm saw. Read the manual and watched the on line vids and got the hell scared out of me and almost put it to the curb as being far too dangerous to use. Turns out, there are specific blades for these saws which minimize the grab of the blade on the wood but are NOT the same blades for for your chop or table saw, even though at first glance they look the same. I initially balked at paying 4-5 times the price of one of those blades for this "right" one, but factored in how versatile the saw could be and the cost of a trip to the local emergency room should the saw sling back on me....and bought one. Smartest decision ive made all month. With the addition of a bushing on the arbor, the blade fit my radial arm saw great and the cuts are smooth. The negative camber design (what sets them apart from other, regular saw blades used on other saws) is what keeps the blade from being too aggressive- essentually keeping it from biting off more than it can chew, and skating up and over the board, or suddenly yanking the board (and potentionally parts of my body) through when ripping. Used this on plywood, mdf, ash and cedar so far, does what it should, I have my fingers and the blade is still sharp.

Cuts through metal like butter! I installed this blade on my Evolution Rage2 saw and it works flawlessly. Having recently upgraded to the Rage2 from an abrasive saw (NEVER again) the difference is amazing. No abrasive/metal dust everywhere, you get small metal shavings, but they are much easier to clean up and next to no sparks. The cut is smooth, clean, and accurate. No dross to clean up like with the abrasive saw.

Be mindful though that you rate of cut and amount of downward pressure must be carefully monitored. You should apply steady, LIGHT pressure, and let the blade do it's work. If you push too hard/fast you'll kill the blade. I expect this blade to last quite a while before needing to be resharpened ($20 at local shop). HIGHLY recommended!!!

I have two sets of calipers: this one and a digital electronic caliper by iGaging that reads in fractions, decimals, and metric. If I really need to dial in a measurement precisely, I use the iGaging. But 98% of the time the Oshlun is my go-to! It's the one I carry with me in my pocket, my tool bag, or even when I go to the store and need to measure a board or a bolt. It's so much easier to intuit the dimension of an object when I'm seeing a visual representation of where that dimension lies on the fractional "clock face." So many times when I use the other one - the digitial one - it will give me an answer of, say, 21/64ths and then I have to stop and spend two minutes doing math in my head and figuring out what that precise number means in practical terms. As a woodworker, I technically work to the nearest 32nd, but I THINK in terms of 16ths and 16ths "strong" or "weak". The Oshlun gives me that knowledge at a glance, without mental math and without hesitation. A machinist may need an instrument that can give them accuracy to the thousands of an inch, but for the work I do, the Oshlun Fractional Dial Caliper is the perfect tool for measuring when I need something more precise than my tape measure, alone. Highly recommended.

I came across this looking for a replacement laser for my 12” kobalt compound sliding miter saw. The laser has sucked on that saw since day 1 and finally took a poop. Bought this to just have some kind of guide to see where I’m cutting/ setting angles and what not. But wow i am super pleased. It is very accurate and marks right on the side of the blade. It is awesome and the best part is there’s no adjusting. The only bad thing, is the laser will only work on the left side of your blade. Or whatever side your blade Mount screw is on. I highly recommend the laser though! And even comes with a whole set of extra batteries. Straight up rip open the package and mount it, then begin cutting!

I was cutting 1:4 inch fiberglass panels and it performed very well cut as expected and was smooth. Checked after cutting and teeth was sharp

Can't say what the lifespan of this blade will be, but on our Grizzly 10" table saw this blade cut several 3/4" thick panels of extremely dense plastic being used for public restroom stall partitions. I don't know what type plastic this was, but the stuff is so heavy that it took two of my adult male construction crewmen to move 1 sheet. One man couldn't move one. VERY heavy and dense. This blade cut it like butter. I don't see how you can beat that for the very reasonable price of this blade.

As a complete novice woodworker, I watched YouTube videos of people doing amazing and easy finger joints with dado stacks. Most said for basic work you don't need to buy a really expensive set.

Well, maybe you don't, but do not go the cheapest set your local store has. Get these instead.

I bought a Skil brand dado stack for 40 bucks at a local store. I made about 5 attempts at notches. I adjusted them, I tried every blade they gave me. All the cuts were horribly uneven, had a lot of blowout in the back, and I was extremely disappointed with them. I uploaded pictures of the best ones.

I then decided to go with suggestions on these reviews and give these a shot, for not much more than my terrible Skil experience. I got them today, tossed them on, and made a cut (I'm just using a miter gauge and a clamp for the test cuts).

I was amazed. It was a lazy cut, I'm not using a sled like I normally would, I'm not even using a zero clearance throat plate. Just a miter gauge. And the cut was near perfect and uniform. I uploaded several pictures.

There is no blowout the back, and in fact I can't even tell which side I cut from just by looking at it.

While I'm sure these aren't as precision as a much much more expensive set, for the relatively cheap price these are very worth it. Get them and don't waste your time with skil.

This blade works very well. I use it all the time in my line of work. I cut mostly 3/8 all thread rod with it on my milwaukee 28v cordless saw. very handy when you need to shorten all thread rod when your up 20 feet off the floor and need to make a quick cut.

I had a project that needed a blade that was not only one that would fit my compound miter saw but also one that would be designed for cutting aluminum. I went on line and googled my need and was pleased to find the Oshlun blade offered at a reasonable price. I read a few of the reviews that were on line relating to others that had purchased their blades and was convinced that I should do that too. I placed an order for the 8" 60 tooth blade designed for cutting aluminum and was pleasantly surprised how quickly I received it. I have used the new blade for cutting aluminum rails & other parts of the outside railing system that I am working on & the blade cuts all the aluminum parts perfectly. I am very happy that I made the purchase that I did. With out the new Oshlun blade I could not do the job that I have done.

We've used these as alternative to the more expensive brands. These blades are an excellent value. Last as long as the name-brand blades. We buy in bulk and use these daily in our work.

I upgraded my stock blade on my Bosch Surgeon Axle Glide compound mitre. For trim work, this is fantastic. The cut is smooth and minimal tear out, even on the underside, where most tear out occurs. The finish surface of the cut is so smooth that sanding is almost not needed. One other thing: almost no deflection in the blade. This stiff blade really helps with keeping the cut straight on wide boards.

I installed this blade in my Milwaukee abrasive chop saw. I carefully looked at the blade speed and determined this would match up. This blade makes perfect, clean cuts in extruded aluminum (80/20 type material). The only drawback i see when using this in an abrasive saw is the time to get the blade up to speed and slow down after cuts. Be careful. Use plenty of blade lubricant as well.

I have found this dado set to be of very high quality and adaptable to many cutting widths. The cuts are smooth and the depths are even due to the relatively many carbide teeth. I was justified in the expense of the purchase compared with less expensive makes and models. I can sincerely recommend this dado set.

These Oshlun blades are great. I bought this one so I will always have one on hand when my Festool blade is being sharpened. The carbides on the Oshlun are larger than the Festool, while all the critical dimensions remain the same. It's the same kerf, rake, diameter and tooth count as the Festool blade and it won't mess with your zero clearance at all because of this. I have a number of these blades for my TS55 and my TS75. I dare say I like the Oshlun blades better due to the larger carbides.

We buy these every time we go through them which owning a construction business is at least 4 times a year.

Works great so far. Who needs a $300 Milwaukee metal cutting saw when I can just put a $30 blade on a ghetto saw? I should take this to work just for the lolz.

These blades do the job, last longer than most and are excellent value for the $$$

I bought this blade because of the you tube “project farm” review (Best review channel). Understand only rated for ~1500rpm but installed on chop saw at 3300rpm and cut Aluminum, Raw Hide (Dog), PVC, and wood. Too much risk to cut anything harder but no tooth chips yet. Please take care, where leather wielding apron, face/neck shield, heavy jeans… a carbide tooth coming off at that speed can ‘hurt’ 🙂

I bought the WEN track saw and was fairly impressed overall. The stock blade was horrible. I swapped it with this blade and man what a difference. I broke down a sheet of 3/4" birch and the cuts were very smooth with very little splintering. Very happy with this purchase.

Had mine about 3 years now. Use it all the time in my woodshop. Never had any problems with it. Works smooth, zeros in and keeps zero. I have noticed that occasionally the zero is off by a tiny, tiny bit, say half the width of the needle. I read in the company's description above that accuracy is +/- .001, so when I see it off zero, that tiny bit probably is .001. So mine is as accurate as described. The metal is nothing fancy, but it is smooth and machined well. Everything fits well and works. I am an avid woodworker. I use it for thickness planing, some joint work , measure the depth of a hole or groove, width of a groove, inside measurements, etc... The dial is easy to read and is in fractions, which I use. So no math involved. The fraction marks are in 64th's, you can also easily read between the marks to 128th's. If I cut a joint to 128th's of an inch you know it is a very good day in the shop indeed !!! Realistically if you are looking to buy one for very fine tolerances for fitting metal parts together or building machinery then you might want to go way up in price range. It's great for wood, the wood probably will move a 128th mark on a humid day anyway. I prefer a dial then a digital. I've read that a digital can round a measurement up if it falls between digits, that it uses energy when off, so batteries get used up. A dial lets you see the measurement when between digits or markings, so I know if just one more swipe of the plane will put it where I want it. I don't think you can buy more accuracy at this price range. For working wood I don't know why you would need expensive accuracy as the wood will move fine increments across it's grain overnight, just laying in your shop. Many woodworkers work down to a 32th of an inch in accuracy. So to be able to see a 128th is very close measuring for woodwork.