2 Milton pencils vs Jaco vs Milwaukee Inflator Test

JeffKeryk

JeffKeryk

Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
19,188
Location
Los Gatos, CA
All this bad rapping about pencil gauge got me conjuring up a comparison contest!
The participants:
  • my old Milton pencil gauge
  • my newer Milton
  • my new Jaco gauge
  • Milwaukee 12V Inflator
Yesterday I aired up the TSX tires in Petaluma to 35 psi using an Amazon whatever cheapo inflator; it was cold in the upper 50's. No other gauge used. Drove home 90 miles.
This morning I read the right front tire...
Jaco 33.4 PSI
New Milton 33+ PSI - just over the line
Old Milton 32.5 PSI
Milwaukee 32.5 PSI

Set inflator to 35 PSI and filled the tire. Battery getting a little tired...

Jaco 34.9 PSI
New Milton 34.5
Old Milton 35
Milwaukee 34.9
1702523458370.png


They all work. No more bad rapping my old skool Milton pencil gauges. I used to work at the Mobil Station and had one in my sleeve pocket.
 
I think pencil gauges got a bad rap from the 99c models that sat on every auto parts store counter. I know I had 2 or 3 of them that were thrown in the glove box of every car I owned. They were not very accurate but close enough when you stopped in a gas station for air.
 
I still rely for on the Milton S986 for my personal and work fleets. Have one in all the toolboxes and trucks. Never thought to check the accuracy of them. I tell any new guys that borrow one to treat them like a torque wrench. Don't drop it or do anything but check pressure with it.
 
By and large, all of the Milton pencil types I've had over the years have been very accurate. I still have one in each glovebox. Like @Creekside said, treat em nice and they will do the same.
 
JeffKeryk said:
All this bad rapping about pencil gauge got me conjuring up a comparison contest!
The participants:
  • my old Milton pencil gauge
  • my newer Milton
  • my new Jaco gauge
  • Milwaukee 12V Inflator
Yesterday I aired up the TSX tires in Petaluma to 35 psi using an Amazon whatever cheapo inflator; it was cold in the upper 50's. No other gauge used. Drove home 90 miles.
This morning I read the right front tire...
Jaco 33.4 PSI
New Milton 33+ PSI - just over the line
Old Milton 32.5 PSI
Milwaukee 32.5 PSI

Set inflator to 35 PSI and filled the tire. Battery getting a little tired...

Jaco 34.9 PSI
New Milton 34.5
Old Milton 35
Milwaukee 34.9
View attachment 192893

They all work. No more bad rapping my old skool Milton pencil gauges. I used to work at the Mobil Station and had one in my sleeve pocket.
Click to expand...
Pretty much the same results I mentioned recently.
 
JeffKeryk said:
All this bad rapping about pencil gauge got me conjuring up a comparison contest!
The participants:
  • my old Milton pencil gauge
  • my newer Milton
  • my new Jaco gauge
  • Milwaukee 12V Inflator
Yesterday I aired up the TSX tires in Petaluma to 35 psi using an Amazon whatever cheapo inflator; it was cold in the upper 50's. No other gauge used. Drove home 90 miles.
This morning I read the right front tire...
Jaco 33.4 PSI
New Milton 33+ PSI - just over the line
Old Milton 32.5 PSI
Milwaukee 32.5 PSI

Set inflator to 35 PSI and filled the tire. Battery getting a little tired...

Jaco 34.9 PSI
New Milton 34.5
Old Milton 35
Milwaukee 34.9
View attachment 192893

They all work. No more bad rapping my old skool Milton pencil gauges. I used to work at the Mobil Station and had one in my sleeve pocket.
Click to expand...
I had one of those jackets too with the sleeve pocket when I worked at the Shell station during my high school years. I remember patrons always asking to borrow it. I would kindly let them use it but also say this phrase when handing it to them "please make sure I get it back". In 3 plus years, I only had one walk off. I am sur that would be a different situation today.
 
I've always felt the inflators get warm and warm the air in the line, and seem to end at a questionable reading. But it's just a few pounds and you can compensate by setting it to shut off a couple pounds higher.

I topped off the tires in my non-profit's 3/4t water hauler yesterday, and man the M18 inflator is miles ahead of the M12 as far as speed.

I think some of your test results could be impacted by overall working pressure (Load Range E at 80 psi) and duration of fill. The longer an inflator runs, the hotter it gets. The M12s will nearly sacrifice themselves to pump up a truck tire - BTDT

Would also be interesting to see if a pencil gauge that appears accurate at ~30 is equally accurate around 80. I think we need a PF-esque test to begin to form some conclusions (I'm not volunteering!)
 
D60 said:
I've always felt the inflators get warm and warm the air in the line, and seem to end at a questionable reading. But it's just a few pounds and you can compensate by setting it to shut off a couple pounds higher.

I topped off the tires in my non-profit's 3/4t water hauler yesterday, and man the M18 inflator is miles ahead of the M12 as far as speed.

I think some of your test results could be impacted by overall working pressure (Load Range E at 80 psi) and duration of fill. The longer an inflator runs, the hotter it gets. The M12s will nearly sacrifice themselves to pump up a truck tire - BTDT

Would also be interesting to see if a pencil gauge that appears accurate at ~30 is equally accurate around 80. I think we need a PF-esque test to begin to form some conclusions (I'm not volunteering!)
Click to expand...
Good point.
I also have a high pressure pencil gauge that I never use. Like any other type of gauge, use one that fits the desired target range.
 
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