folding rules

What I would do

jim reed @ tallahassee

>First off, I would get a new measuring stick with bright big numbers. As my eyes *mature* over the years, they appreciate really big numbers and great contrast. I have many rules, but continue to buy those that are easy to read. If you are really dead set on rehabing the rule, and if it is really boxwood, then I would use a boxcutter as a scribe. Get your best marking device and scribe the marks using your boxcutter. Break up the project into just one foot a day so that you do your best work. After scribing, use a fine tipped sharpie marker to darken the marks. Good luck.

Re: folding rules

Bill Houghton, rainin' here this evenin'

>Run your fingernail over the rule just to make sure they're not impressed into the wood at all. Of my two 24" boxwood rules, the measurements on one (Stanley) are stamped in, those on the other no-name aren't (unless there was a company named "Made in USA" - interestingly, the no-name has a superior hinge and all-brass fittings, versus the Stanley's less impressive hinge with some steel fittings).

If they are impressed into the wood, you might be able to renew them by rubbing suitable paint into the depressions and rubbing it off the surface - though I have to comment that I've never been able to do this successfully. I think Jim's right: remake them yourself, if the project's worthwhile.

Re: folding rules

Edward in Vancouver

>Thanks gentlemen. No the numbers aren't imprinted, must be litho'd or silk-screened. It's not a zig-zag rule, but one that folds together, then folds in half, like a pocket knife, faintly marked "genuine boxwood" and with some pretty decent all-brass hinges, can't seem to find a mnfct'r's name though.

Never used one before, but the more I use, the more I like it, as it can sit still on a board without flexing or creeping.

Guess I'll do the box cutter thing, at least for the first 6" anyway. Hmm, wonder what colour to use, as the rule is light brown (once-upon-a-time white?) and the numbers faded brown. Blue?

Prototype

jim reed @ tallahassee

>The word of the week is prototype. Find a stick in the scrap pile and make a 1 foot ruler. Practice your scoring and marking. Use different colors. Use it in the shop. The right color will *seize the day* and make your choice easy. As for your rule, I have one of those boxwood things and they are really handy. I think this one is worth the rehab. Good luck.

Junk it

Todd Hughes

>I have a styrofoam cup with a crack in it how can I fix it?...

While I guess it is commendable to want to fix up an old tool good boxwood rules are a very, very common tool and nice ones can be picked up for $5-$10 or less very easly even in the old tool hell i live in. Just picked up a very nice Lufkin 36 1/2 caliper rule today for $4 and it ain't worth much more .

If the markings are this faint on the inside boy it must really be shot. I just don't understand taking the trouble and time to try to remark [!] one like this when you can get a nice one that doesn't need anything so easy. Since it doesn't sound like it has any sentamental attachment to you I'd toss it into the scrap bin for the next time you come across a molding plane that needs some boxing replaced since these junk rules work very well for that.....Todd

But if you don't live in that kind of tool hell,

Bill Houghton, the rain man cometh, Sebastopol, CA

>but rather more like mine, where I've found exactly one four-fold boxwood rule (the other was from my uncle), and you decide to refurbish it, make extra careful sure that you're marking from an accurate rule. Over the years, I've taken to testing any newly acquired rules against an 18" machinist's rule that I tested against other machinist's rules as standards (all also from my uncle - I've lost track of the number of times I've said, "Thank you, Uncle Charlie" as I work), and found that about half of the rules I've acquired are inaccurate enough to create a problem by the time they get to 10-12". I get rid of those, holding onto the accurate ones only.

Great idea

jim reed @ tallahassee

>I never thought of it that way, but old boxwood rules are outstanding donors for plane boxing. Now I just need to corner the market before the word gets out. Thanks for the tip.

Re: But if you don't live in that kind of tool hel

Peter Hyde

>Uhh? Why does it matter? If you are working alone then your rule is the only one you have to use. So it will measure accurately every time. If however you are using more than 1 rule on a job then it might make a difference. By the way the pyramid builders in Egypt all had their own measuring systems and the master builder kept a measuring stick from which all other sticks were duplicated, so this is not a new problem:-)

Peter....

Rob Brophy...lost in Niagara

>...I thought you apprenticed in England, not Egypt. Did'ja get to keep the stick? :-)

Rob...who will pay dearly for this at work tomorrow.

Well, yes and no, I think

Bill Houghton, the rain man cometh, Sebastopol, CA

>First, I do in fact use more than one rule in making projects, so difference could be an issue.

Second, I've found that rules tend to accumulate their discrepancies - that is, the rule will be fine to the naked eye (or even the magnifier-assisted eye) at 1" because the discrepancy is on the order of a few thousandths, but by the time you get to 10", the discrepancies have added up. This makes me nervous in practice.

I agree that (what I think is) the underlying principle in your answer, that measurement systems are fundamentally arbitrary, is philosophically correct; but I think that practice calls for consistent measuring tools. And I think generations of mechanics are in agreement; there is no good explanation for the continued success of the L.S. Starrett company (and the past success of Brown and Sharpe, Lufkin, Mitutuoyo, and other fine names in the history of precision mensuration) otherwise.

Re: Great idea

Edward in Vancouver

>Well, the rule was given to me. I could toss it in a corner, I guess.

I live in a large city, so there is no junk here, but rather, ah, "antiques" or better yet "Collectables". I've seen rules go for $10.00, $20.00, one guy swears his (sealed up in a zip-lock baggie) is some high-demand collectable that will fetch $180 on e-way. Mind you, he's been saying that for almost a year now. So, I got mine at the best price, and it's my intention to use it.

My theory on old tools is the closer you are to a large city, the rarer and more expensive they become. I know if I drive out two or three hours out of the city my odds on finding decent stuff at decent prices increases. But, as my wife points out, woodworking and the tools that go with it, are "just a hobby". Time would be better spent with the family, earning money, or actually making something with the tools and lumber I've "sourced". So, after much thought,(while at work...) I figure I could justify an hour or so putting numbers on an otherwise decent rule rather than driving for hours, or waiting years to find a rule in better shape.

Not my experance

Todd Hughes

>I buy lots of tools and have been for many years and my experance has been the exact oppersite of yours. I for sure think that the best places to find tools are near to areas of large population and citys. Is just common sense since the more people there were in an area the more tools there will be. I live in a rural area and I don't think I have ever found a good tool in any of the yard sales around here, I actualy have to get up in the dark and drive over an hour or more toward large city areas if I hope to ever find anything.

...Not only of course were there lots less people out in the country to begin with but these country folks were less likely to use or have good tools...sure if you want shovels,hoes and maybe rusty augers the country side might be the place to look but don't think many good planes and chisels etc. got bought and used.Also in my experance Farmers and the such don't take care of old stuff to well tending to toss old tools in a barn [or behind the barn!] while city folks tend to keep thier old stuff at least protected inside a house.

I think most times when people have a hard time finding old tools it is because they don't know where to look,how to look, don't want to look for them and don't know what they are looking at ...... Todd

Re: Great idea

Ernie Miller

>I'm betting you are wrong on no tools in the city. that is where craftsmen lived. But as you say time and family do have there prioritys. you might want to keep an eye in the paper for an estate sale or two that are not to far away and have a look to see what they have. you might not find any tools but you may find some other object that you or your family would want for cheap. I can remember being told that there are no old tools in Denver a couple years ago in one afternoon I found 4-5 places that sold tools at a decent prices I came home with more than a dozen planes that I sold on eBay for a small proffit. They are there you just have to know where to look.

folding rules in general...

vlparisian in Houston

>I dislike folding rules in general because:

1 - I pinch my fingers with them

2 - they don't lay as flat as i would like

3 - my mother spanked me and my brother with the broken pieces of my father's folding rule. ( I forget now who broke it, but if you ask my brother he will say it was me. :>))

4 - when the joints get a little loose measuring the same thing more than once yields more than one result.

5 - did I mention I pinched my fingers...

Victor - getting back to work

Re: folding rules in general...

wilbur

>"my mother spanked me and my brother with the broken pieces of my father's folding rule. ( I forget now who broke it, but if you ask my brother he will say it was me. :>))"

My brother and I had a similar experience growing up. Of course, the reason the folding ruler was broken is that my folks broke it over our butts as we were getting the first round of spankings. :@)

Re: folding rules in general...

Glenn Madsen near San Francisco

>My mother used a wooden hanger. When I reached back and caught it with my hand, we both broke out laughing, and that was the last time she thought it needed.

Laughed about that for years!

My mom used a wooden spoon...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>One day I took it away from her and started chasing her around with it. She way yelling at me "wait till your father gets home"...

When he got home and mom spilled the beans, he just calmily said "guess he's too big for that anymore" we all had a good laugh after the fact.