If you don’t have anything get a set of calipers first but for a second or third an actual thickness gauge is cool.
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I’ve got a cheap plastic one, but that one looks sweet! 
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My wallet weeps as I start thinking about buying new tools. 
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If your wallet is only weeping instead of flat out sobbing them you might not be spending enough on tools yet. 
The thickness gauge falls more in the want rather than the need column, and now I want one LOL
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It does look cool, but what does a thickness gauge do that calipers don’t?
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Nothing really, but I can usually find mine easier than the calipers cause the bright red plastic stands out in the drawer.
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Fit in your pocket.
Be in a different place from your calipers.
Work when your caliper batteries need to be changed.
Be available when you can’t find the stupid calipers that were right here a second ago.
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I keep mine next to the gf and the calipers generally live on my workbench which, granted, is only ten feet away. Still nice to have, handy and very inexpensive — $10. Here’s the one I bought:
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Because they typically have a bit of tension on them, it’s slightly easier to get a consistent reading than with calipers where the tension is from how hard you press.
I prefer calipers, but I will sometimes use a thickness gauge to double-check my measurements; especially when I’m using one of my cheaper calipers.
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Me too. At $10 they’re at each of my CNC tools. Works fine up to half an inch, so for the Shopbot I still use the calipers more.
They’re great for steel - depending on type (cold rolled, hot rolled, stainless) the same gauge rating is different in thickness (& people complain about wood not being consistent batch to batch 
).
Quicker to use and more consistent readings as a bit less skill is required since the tension is pre-determined. I use it a lot at the GF to verify the thickness when I’m doing things I want friction fit & I need to adjust the fingers & slots.
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Okay, all this talk is making me want one. (Grumble grumble…bunch of enablers…grumble)
Just kidding about the grumbling—I’ve gotten a lot of really cool and useful stuff from all this enabling!
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Well dammit. Thanks a lot you guys. I always sort of wondered about that with calipers…the harder you squeeze, the thinner the material gets. I never liked that variance. Going to get on of these. Like cynd11, I’ve gotten several really neat tools because of all this enabling. 
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Not supposed to do that 
There is a proper way to use calipers - you need to make sure the jaws are square to the material not at an angle and gentle pressure but not squeezing. It takes a consistent touch to get it right. That’s not helpful for people who don’t have experience using them though - one of those things “by feel”.
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Nice addition to the arsenal Mark! 
Yep, after years of mechanical work, when a torque wrench isn’t a requisite, by being aware of the force and leverage used I can torque pretty dang evenly just by paying attention. It is a ‘touch’ one develops over time. Experience with any tool develops that.
Consistent force is key, so having a preset force is an advantage.
I rigged a diamond saw to cut stone slabs. I got the most consistent performance by having a hanging weight pull the saw as opposed to hand pushing it.
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I have to do it that way torquing down the nuts on the valve lifters on my bike. They’re a double nut set and the lower nut needs to be torqued - so it’s a “firm touch with my 8mm box wrench with my pinky extended”.
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Good discussion Above, all are right, they are one hit wonders, quick and convenient thickness.
I own three or four sets of calipers, these well stay in the lair just for checking non proofgrade.
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I know…I kinda knew that. 
But, sometimes I keep second guessing the numbers and it drives me nuts. Actually, my hands aren’t doing things, especially small-sized things, quite as well as they used to either, so using calipers has become a bit of a challenge. I did order one of these…it looks like it might be more user friendly for me.
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Definitely. I usually take several measurements when I use calipers and average the results.
The thickness gauge is way quicker. The 1/2" limit to mine isn’t an issue with the GF.
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