The new Iris drawing compass features added grip and honed tolerances for ease of use.
One of the most beautiful mechanisms to have stood the test of time is here, in the palm of your hand. Enjoy using Iris to draw and measure single, concentric, or even shaded circles with its unique moving aperture. Iris is made with utmost care and consideration, featuring a solid brass body and carefully selected corrosion-resistant stainless spring steel leaves.
Find your Iris here today to explore new realms of creativity.
Shipping worldwide! Orders usually dispatched in 1-2 working days.
What does the scale measure?
The Iris has a metric scale to measure a circle's diameter. It will measure any circle between 3-70mm in diameter.
What is Iris made of?
Iris is made of solid machined brass and carefully selected stainless spring steel. The packaging is made of card and is 100% recyclable.
How resistant is Iris?
Iris is designed to last a lifetime and the brass will patina with time and use. The leaves are stainless steel and are resistant to corrosion.
Iris is made of stainless steel and polished Brass. Brass will naturally patina when used but this can be easily be cleaned off if you prefer the polished look.
To clean the rings of Iris we recommend being very careful because it can interfere with the tightly machined tolerances if done incorrectly.
Start by taking some Brasso wadding (or other brass cleaning agent), this can be purchased at most hardware stores, supermarkets, and online. Take a small piece of the webbing and in small circular motions wipe the brass ring. Try to not let any of the cleaning agent into the splits and joints of the Iris because this can attract dirt and grime. The wadding will change colour becoming black as it picks up oils and residues from the brass.
Once you have cleaned the brass take a soft cloth or tissue and slightly moisten it with some water and washing up liquid/soap. Then wipe off the residue from the Brasso in a similar motion and care to the Brasso webbing. Finally taking another soft cloth/tissue and dry any moisture on the top of the Iris.
By now your Iris should be back to its polished self and may have even removed some micro scratches.
Kate L.
I chose this as an anniversary gift for my boyfriend and it absolutely blew him away! It is made beautifully and looks wonderful on any desk.
Olivia H.
Beautiful piece of design and manufacture.
Dana C.
We bought another Iris for our son. He was thrilled to have gotten it for his birthday and plans to show it off in his office!
Deb J.
I love the way this works! It isn’t as easy to turn when you first receive, but after use, it gets much better. Beautiful design and love the stand and box it comes in.
Nicholas O.
I love my new products! Craftsmanship is excellent!
Dean C.
I have been a professional interior architect for the last 35 years and have had a lot of circular stencils , this has been revolutionary to me but not to the 40 CAD designers I employ . ! Love it one circle many diameters .
Louis T.
Veru nicely made but i wish it was a little smoother to twist. Maybe a little lubrication before it is assembled .
Andy B.
Nice quality
Rachel B.
Stunning quality: it really is beautiful.
Arrived quickly and well-packaged.
DAVID F.
It is a present for my son. I will send you pictures later.
Chuck K.
Beautifully packaged, exquisitely crafted. Took me a moment or two to figure out how to open and close the compass but otherwise this is a little piece of engineering perfection!!
Robin B.
A stunningly beautiful tactile drawing tool, fantastic!!
Marie G.
Absolutely beautiful plus being so functional!
Thank you!
Brian W.
Love it! I bought the Iris which is functional but I would equate remote as a piece of mechanical art work. So beautiful and functions smoothly.
Rohit J.
This circle template justifies its cost by being really smooth and compact. It has great finish and makes for a great showpiece when setup with the wooden stand that comes with the template.
James M.
Super well engineered ! Beautiful craftsmanship and so elegant ! The best compass I’ve ever seen
David C.
This is a wonderfully crafted device. I purchased 2, one for myself and one for a friend. Its elegant design and practical utility make this something that will become a cherished addition to a craft toolbox and heirloom.
David b.
As a world class builder this tool is just damn lovely!
Thank you!
Arthur J.
Absolutely one of the finest and well made products that I have purchased! The circle is perfect at all diameters. I’m just trying to think of more applications!!!!! Thanks. Thanks.
H Keith D.
Will be using very soon. Very well made, easy to adjust - a work of art as a tool.
Tamara M.
The Iris itself is masterfully created and beautiful! It exceeded my expectations. I did have delayed shipping but when I enquired the company immediately handled my concerns and I could not have been more pleased. Well done Makers Cabinet!!! An excellent product combined with excellent customer service, I would highly recommend this product and company.
Paula M.
Beautifully made. It sits on my desk and looks like a piece of art......and does function as it is meant to.
Shaun K.
The Iris compass is really nice! Sometimes I think it would be nice if there were more size options available, as I still go back to a traditional compass for larger diameter circles. Love the measurements but would also like to see metric and imperial included.
Tobias H.
Brilliant present for a crafter. they were in awe of How smooth and how well Made it was. It also arrived a lot quicker than expected. I wanted it for January so ordered it in December, it arrived in December. (Like the next week) Grand
Adam G.
I love it. I've shown it to everyone in work. Amazing bit of kit
Emma P.
We are so pleased with the iris. It is beautifully designed and made and a pleasure to handle and use.
Anthony H.
A present for my brother, he adores it and so do it, amazing bit of kit :)
Frank K.
It is the most beautiful tool I own.
I just keep it near so I can play with it.
Nicolas G.
While the product itself is pretty much flawless and feels amaaazing once it's finally in your hand, from the smart packaging to the superb wooden stand, I must advice post-Brexit some caution to my fellow EU lovers of ridiculously overengineered desk toys: Since January 2021, getting this beauty delivered takes close to one month (!) and costs (at least in Belgium, just across the Channel) almost 50 eur extra.
The great people at Makers Cabinet are obviously not to blame for any of this is, but it hurts nevertheless. So buyer beware, and happy concentric circles drawing to you all.
Jong-seok K.
good stuff
Dana C.
I bought my husband the Hovel for Christmas and he loved it! I then purchased the Iris for his birthday shortly after. He absolutely loves your products and is looking forward to the next product you have available!
Frederick I.
I must confess that I did purchase this as something of a curiosity more than from any particular need.
It arrived to the U.S. form the UK very quickly and the packaging is more than adequate to survive such a long trek.
The actual item itself is beautifully made - a true pleasure to behold. Nice to see that exquisite objects such as these can still be made.
It is remarkably simple and practical. I know my son who is currently studying high school mathematics loves using it rather than a run of the mill compass.
Love that there is no centre hole - just a nice clean circle
Simply a marvel !
Ritesh S.
Rarely is a tool so pleasurable that one uses it even though one doesn’t need too.. just doodling but loving it.
Raffi N.
I loved it, perfection in every sense. I use it for cutting paper gaskets for vintage cars
Gail V.
Beautiful tool--a piece of art in itself! Oh...and it works well, too!
Zubin S.
Absolutely incredible in every way! The build quality and ease of use are perfect. Amazing product.
Jason Z.
Very fine quality almost watch like precision!
James W.
I love the tool. Wasn’t made clear that it was made in China. The impression is that it is a UK made device. Somewhat misleading.
Also, would be nice to have a inch version.
Overall it is a great tool.
Susan F.
This is an incredible work of art. It is beautiful to look at and to hold. I bought it for my husband for Christmas (along with the pencil sharpener!) as he is a fine woodworker with about every tool known to man. He loves everything about this Iris except it is very hard to turn the dial to change the diameter of the opening. When he lays it down on drawing paper there is not enough "tooth" to grab hold and turn. Any suggestions?
Leo S.
It’s a really beautiful hand made piece that makes a perfect gift
Helen A.
It is beautifully made. I simply love it!
Kim S.
The Iris product is absolutely fabulous! Extremely well made and high quality metal and brass. I bought this for Christmas for my twenty-something son and he loves it!
Jacinda P.
My father was elated to receive the iris for Christmas. Even though he thinks it's "almost too pretty to use", he's been playing around with it and his woodworking patterns to see all the different ways he could use it! It
may be the only Christmas gift he's ever been truly delighted with!
Robert B.
My goodness what a piece of art. The design has an elegant beauty but is not fragile. It serves just as well making art as being art.
Thankfully it comes with a display stand so others can enjoy it as much as I do.
Ronald J.
I'm honestly not sure if I really need any circles. This thing is such a beautiful piece of craftsmanship that I got one for myself and for my two sons, both of whom are artisans of one kind or another. I wish Maker's Cabinet great continued success.
David P.
I'm into photography as well as drawing if I could of uploaded another picture I would of sent one I drew
Rags E.
Beautiful to look at, beautiful to use!
Lisa O.
Made my husband unreasonably happy. Thank you!
Poop D.
Way cool
Roland G.
Gorgeous and thoughtfully designed item. Do you need it? No. Should you get it anyway? Yes.
Karla M.
The ingenuity alone on this device is truly remarkable !
I am especially appreciating the durability and quality of the material it is made of. I’m using it on my small woodworking projects and also in my craft/photography projects.
I am anticipating my son’s expression Christmas morning since I purchased him one as well.
He is in his third and last year of an MFA program of theatre set design and construction. I know it will be incredibly useful.
Bravo to your teams artistic prowess!
D.J.T. T.
Heavy in the hand, great attention to detail and beautifully made. This is a quality product. It also looks great and in its stand, looks like a miniature stargate! Arrived on time.
Elias D.
Great product and easy to use.
Very quick for drawings
High quality
Owen W.
I think the iris is an amazing bit of cit that I think anyone who is into drawing should endeavour to have.
Ray S.
I wonderfull piece of gear. A pleasure to use and hold and just look at!! The only issue is the circles are not absolutely smooth with the circle being 'jittered' by the iris veins. This may not be a problem for many users but a circle is a circle. That minor issue a side I will enjoy this beautiful piece of engineering for the rest of my life.
Andrew G.
The Iris is a very attractive tool. It seems to be well made and engineered. The operation to change the diameter requires more torque than can be easily applied through the gripping surface of the tool. The action requires a practiced subtlety of touch and effort to be effective. I wonder if a lubricant may reduce the required torque. I have so far resisted trying that as it might have the opposite effect due to the large contact surface of all of the leaves.
Cindy F.
I purchased this for my son for his birthday and he was quite excited to receive it. I look forward to seeing what cool things he will make in the future with this beautiful Iris. Not only it an awesome tool, it is also quite beautiful!
Charles M.
It’s a present , yet to be given, however:
First it’s a wonderful mechanism, which enables precise drawing of circles - very satisfying left-brain experience.
Yet, it feels beautiful in the hand, moves graciously, and is a beautiful device, so speaks to the right-brain as well
Congratulations, a full balanced experience
Adam V.
Gave as gifts - seemed to be very well received.
Thanks,
Adam
kym m.
Got this as a present for my husband, who loves good tools, works with them, and has some from his grandfather still - because good tools last. This one is beautiful and I expect our grandchildren will want it some day.
Mr R.
It’s a beautiful and functional tool, look forward to the next product!
Jose B.
This Epic Compass has inspired me so much and I love its Quality. Circles are one of my favorite shapes. And I feel completely at full expression when I start to draw with this beautiful instrument to help my art grow. It has accelerated my spirit to be creative while still staying my true self. This is a remarkable invention and I highly recommend it to anybody that is into the arts of drawing.
Timothy K.
Very well made! I love the weight of the solid brass construction and the laser etched logo on the back of the iris leaves is a nice touch.
Dr. Ramón Argila d.
I have several other templates with graduated circles, this one is better. Not only is it beautifully made, the circles are superbly machined!
William O.
I was blown away at how well the Iris works This is an Item that I will use for a long time
Steven K.
As advertised and arrived promptly
Harriet K.
Beautifully made
Godwin J.
First, this is not something that you need. But if you appreciate the finer things in life that are well made, then I highly recommend this.
It is both a great showcase piece and functional. I love how much heft the brass brings. It is easy to use and the updated design provides the needed grip to change the diameter.
I would have liked a little less resistance when changing the diameter but that’s a minor gripe. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a nice piece to add to their brass collection.
Ace Costa S.
As a design consultant, everything from knowledge and reputation to reliability and presentation help clients determine who they’ll be partnering with to accomplish their wildest and lifelong outdoor living space dreams! This eye turning tool, that I use daily, together with its practicality and portability, makes for a great addition to anyone who seeks a high quality device, who doesn’t compromise in design or functionality! I highly recommend it!
Leslie M.
Beautiful craftsmanship
mary g.
I bought this drawing tool for my husband for Christmas. He's a master carpenter and loves tool gadgets. This is the ideal tool! The tool itself, is very well made, and I like the finger grip design on the top, when you open and close it. Makes it really nice. I also love that its made of brass and stainless steel, not aluminum aloe. I would highly recommend this tool from this company. They are really nice, fast shipment, have great products and are worth every penny!! This company has style and class!! Really awesome site!! Thank you so much. Sincerely, M G
janalyn P.
So elegant and precise. Beautifully crafted and well made. Highly recommend.
John K.
I stumbled across the Iris after I backed the Stria ruler on Kickstarter. Since COVID, I have moved my home office to my shed (my kids run the house) and I schedule “learning time” every day with my oldest son Tommy. If there were ever a silver lining to the dumpster fire that is 2020, it is the amount of time I get to spend with my family. Tommy and I spend an hour in the morning learning (number, letters, etc.) – but we do it in the context of making/doing things – and listening to good music at volume – super proud that he loves Led Zeppelin. We have 3D printed a few things, molded pewter, built rockets, etc. – and he has taken a great interest in aeronautics and space. In any event – he is 3 – and is still developing his vocabulary. Drawing/painting with him helps him better express himself to me. With that said, the Iris box sits at my workbench and has quickly become his “favorite tool” – (can't wait for my [his] ruler!). I guess the apple doesn’t fall from the tree – I love it too: form, function, elegance, and just generally cool gadgetry. You guys rock – please keep making more tools.
ming jian H.
Very good designed @
Eilene B.
I bought the original Iris but had to get the updated one for the new grip! It’s much nicer & easier to work.
Daniel S.
I can feel the craftsmanship when I turn the Iris. The tool is not only useful but visually stunning!
Paul U.
It is beautifully designed and beautifully machined. There is nothing like it, and it can be used to draw things that are very difficult otherwise.
Cheryl T.
Love the things I get from Maker’s Cabinet. The quality is A+ and looks like it will do what I need it to do with no problems.
Kurt S.
Great craftsmanship. Like a piece of artwork.
Lorenzo B.
Good stuff as always
Luis D.
Awesome product, love the amazing design and buildquality!!
Angie K.
It is a piece of art in it's own right. A wonderful gift for any artist.
Gary L.
very beautiful circle
Linda N.
Can't believe how beautiful it is, how simple to use and how clever you all are to make it.
Michael R.
After inadvertantly purchasing a fake version of the iris, I was put on the right track by the guys.
What a difference !, it's like comparing cheese and chalk.
I now have the genuine iris, and am looking forward to many happy years of usage.
Thankyou to everybody at Makers Cabinet for their help and friendly service.
Michael Reid ( Australia ).
david g.
Super high quality product and useful for any designer or artist. High quality materials -- truly a lifetime tool.
Sandra W.
Beautiful instrument made to exacting standards and with quality materials. Does precisely what it’s intended to do. So glad I found you because through friends because there are several knock-offs they are not made this well.
Devon S.
Extraordinary craftsmanship and attention to detail. This thing is not only functional but technically amazing. Im constantly hearing compliments on it. Love it.
Steve R.
The Iris surprised me. Beautiful and simple. It's almost as if this was taken from an ancient camera. Perfect circles and an elegant look.
Geoffrey D.
Though I do drawings and wood shop work every day the Iris is more of an inspiring piece of sculpture than a tool for me. However, I've only had it for a few days so we'll see.
Ann Y.
Arrived a little late. Delayed shipping due to US postal issues. Beautifully packaged and made. The movement is a little stiff but I'm sure that will loosen with use. Would definitely purchase again as a gift for a geeky friend, but this one is mine.
Edward Draper D.
Not only does it work perfectly, but also it is wonderful object to own and hold. It is so well made
dana b.
Excellent tool
Steve Z.
Beautifully made with a good solid feel and finished to a very high standard. Very useful for quick round-hole marking and a fantastic addition to my workshop. I love it!
Ron Tocknell T.
Ever since the invention of the compass there has been an issue with the compass point. Some surfaces you don't want to marr... and some (such as glass) you can't stick a point in. That problem was partly solved by circle templates... sheets and sheets of plastic with circles of various sizes. They're okay but, apart from the need to have an almost infinite supply, each template is a fixed diameter so the circle you get is often a compromise between the exact diameter you want and the nearest to it you have. You can, of course, use a compass to draw out a circle you want on a sacrificial piece of sheet material, cut that out as neatly as you can and use that as a template. But now you don't have to. Finally, several thousand years after the invention of the traditional compass, Makers Cabinet has invented an infinitely adjustable template that can be set to the exact diameter you require and can be used on any surface.
Okay, it isn't cheap. But a lot of engineering goes into making this possible and the high price is more than justified by the build quality, the finish and the sheer beauty of this remarkable device. The precision engineering and attention to detail is second to none.
Yep, it's left me £90 poorer... and a device that solves over 4,000 years of compromises richer.
Shelley S.
Bought it for our daughter who is an industrial designer. The smile on her face when she opened it was priceless. “Beaming”. She says she’s going to be drawing a lot of circles now. A+ for packaging and A++ for quality of product. Beautifully engineered piece
Connor K.
Stunning colour and feel. Great weight and good grip on the base! fantastic tuning to diameter too. Absolutely love it. Looks fantastic standing up on my desk and have made many friends jealous.
Negatives (really nitpicking):
-The numbers have a slight "shadow" on the outside where I assume the cutting tool had marked, this is very very faint.
-When iris stands on base, it is a little rocky and tends to lean forwards with the weight of the brass on the front.
Overall, love it. Recommend it to anyone who does lots of drawings or even just wants a cool tool to show off!
Meg A.
Gorgeous product, unique in design and elegant in construction. Feels like it will stand up to being used everyday for work as a drafter, and leaves none of those annoying punch marks like a traditional drawing compass. Keep making beautiful things, guys!