The Bevel Boss is a template designed to set a bevel gauge to a precise angle, up to 50° off 90°. It’s well made and does its job exceedingly well, far better than with a speed square. The increments (to quarter degrees) are etched into a plate of stainless steel, 0.040 in. thick. If I were a chair maker or a boatbuilder, I’d probably use the Boss quite a bit, but it will come in handy on those special, angular occasions.

Inch scales (to sixteenths) are on the back and on one end. Out of curiosity, I aligned them with my trusty Starrett scale. To my surprise, the increments did not line up exactly: A few were off by just under 1/128 in. The discrepancy is finer than I’ll ever need, but I’d prefer to be the only one adding error to my work.

The angle gradations could be off by as much, but I didn’t notice. For the first time ever, I set my bevel gauge to exactly 45°, giving me as accurate a layout line for a miter cut as my Starrett adjustable square. For octagonal work, the Bevel Boss is the ticket, though a little pricey.