Just curious what the collective is using / suggests for a tire pressure gauge?
For years I have been using the spring-type dial gauges that you find in auto-part-stores -- usually 1 1/2" diameter or 2" in diameter. These kinds have a needle that rockets up to the indicated air pressure when you push them against the tire valve stem. The needle usually also "klanks" audibly against the zero-stop as well when you release the pressure with the pressure-release button.
I recently figured out that my auto-parts store "Accugage" and "Victor" brand spring dial gauges were reading 2 psi too low and 4 psi too high, respectively. Both of them were a couple of shekels when I bought them maybe 15-20 years ago, and I threw them out.
I recently bought a 2.5" Longacre Bourdon-tube tire pressure gauge. It wasn't cheap at $50 .... but WOW THIS THING IS HIGH QUALITY. Just by using it, you can feel the quality everywhere. Everything feels solid and robust. Since it is a Bourdon-tube type gauge, there's no spring that CLANKS the needle against the zero-stop when you release the pressure ....... At 0, the needle settles between the "E" and "R" of "Z E R O" ...... indicating that someone took the time to calibrate this thing and make sure that it zeros out correctly.
When you take a reading, the needle does not rocket up to pressure instantly .... it has a damped mechanism whereby it take a second or so to "rise" up to the indicated pressure. And, when you release the pressure, the needle gently falls back down to the "Z E R O" position...... there is no physical stop for the needle to "klank" against. The gauge is nice and big, and it is easy to read in half psi increments. In fact, the best part about this gauge is that it is easy to get very repeatable measurements. The angled chuck thing is solid and makes it easy to press against the valve stem without having air leak out.
To be fair, my $50 Longacre and $5.51 spring-type Campbell Hausfeld read within 1/2 psi of each other, but the Longacre is able to take measurements that are more easily repeatable, and it is a pleasure to use. I should have bought one long ago. It is designed in the USA and made in Taiwan, my favorite Asian democracy where values of honesty, integrity, humility, and industriousness have not been corrupted like the socialist-selfish-messed-up-cultural-revolutions of its neighbor (China). I recommend this gauge.
Actually, I was considering the fluid-filled model too, but I figure since I live basically at sea-level and I will never be taking this gauge with me on the road to different elevations, that I need not spend the extra $10 for a fluid filled model.
I should mention that before I bought this one from Amazon, I bought two other spring-type ones from Amazon which were made in China and were both supposedly "ANSI B40.1 Grade B" certified. Neither of them were particularly accurate .... in fact one of them measured 8psi lower than everything else! Both were promptly returned.
For years I have been using the spring-type dial gauges that you find in auto-part-stores -- usually 1 1/2" diameter or 2" in diameter. These kinds have a needle that rockets up to the indicated air pressure when you push them against the tire valve stem. The needle usually also "klanks" audibly against the zero-stop as well when you release the pressure with the pressure-release button.
I recently figured out that my auto-parts store "Accugage" and "Victor" brand spring dial gauges were reading 2 psi too low and 4 psi too high, respectively. Both of them were a couple of shekels when I bought them maybe 15-20 years ago, and I threw them out.
I recently bought a 2.5" Longacre Bourdon-tube tire pressure gauge. It wasn't cheap at $50 .... but WOW THIS THING IS HIGH QUALITY. Just by using it, you can feel the quality everywhere. Everything feels solid and robust. Since it is a Bourdon-tube type gauge, there's no spring that CLANKS the needle against the zero-stop when you release the pressure ....... At 0, the needle settles between the "E" and "R" of "Z E R O" ...... indicating that someone took the time to calibrate this thing and make sure that it zeros out correctly.
When you take a reading, the needle does not rocket up to pressure instantly .... it has a damped mechanism whereby it take a second or so to "rise" up to the indicated pressure. And, when you release the pressure, the needle gently falls back down to the "Z E R O" position...... there is no physical stop for the needle to "klank" against. The gauge is nice and big, and it is easy to read in half psi increments. In fact, the best part about this gauge is that it is easy to get very repeatable measurements. The angled chuck thing is solid and makes it easy to press against the valve stem without having air leak out.
To be fair, my $50 Longacre and $5.51 spring-type Campbell Hausfeld read within 1/2 psi of each other, but the Longacre is able to take measurements that are more easily repeatable, and it is a pleasure to use. I should have bought one long ago. It is designed in the USA and made in Taiwan, my favorite Asian democracy where values of honesty, integrity, humility, and industriousness have not been corrupted like the socialist-selfish-messed-up-cultural-revolutions of its neighbor (China). I recommend this gauge.
Actually, I was considering the fluid-filled model too, but I figure since I live basically at sea-level and I will never be taking this gauge with me on the road to different elevations, that I need not spend the extra $10 for a fluid filled model.
I should mention that before I bought this one from Amazon, I bought two other spring-type ones from Amazon which were made in China and were both supposedly "ANSI B40.1 Grade B" certified. Neither of them were particularly accurate .... in fact one of them measured 8psi lower than everything else! Both were promptly returned.
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