Uses for an Inside Reading Folding Ruler

"MORE THAN Y'all Always WANTED TO KNOW Nigh SIX-FOOT FOLDING RULES!"

Most people today use a flexible metal tape for measurement, except for some onetime-timers. There are reasons for this likewise stubborn intransigence – although that surely plays a role. Get-go, about set up-in-their-means people like me doubtable metal things are more affected by temperature than wooden things, which is right. Steel thermally expands or contracts roughly three times as much equally the wood in a ruler. For example, a half-dozen human foot length of steel tape volition aggrandize or contract nigh nineteen/1000" with a xl caste F temp modify, and the change with wood is merely 6/yard". Since that is less than a 1/64" difference, in practical terms, it makes no difference. Maybe in rocket scientific discipline, just not in woodworking.

Another reason? Well, by golly, nosotros JUST DON'T LIKE those flimsy, fluttery, noisy darned things, that's what! Face it, we Do stick with the things we are used to and like. And, that isn't anything new either, I recall every bit a young person in the boat shop, the old guys dorsum then sneered at my shiny, new six foot folding rule, clinging stubbornly to their gnarly quondam 2 foot versions! And don't even dare bring a steel record into the store! Ah well, times change, and so does everything around usa.

And, but for the record, I have a two human foot folding rule too, because there are a few interesting things you can do with those you tin't do with annihilation else so conveniently, if at all. More about that perhaps afterward in another post.

I have seen many an old-timer picture show out their ii foot dominion in one motion, and accept the saw set up and in action before I got my six-footer out of my pocket. And, I'll bet y'all, man for human, I can practise the same thing these days against the young guy with his noxious steel tape clipped to his belt. And just effort shoving a bit of scrap out of the way on the other side of the bench with your wimpy tape! The fact is, we piece of work all-time with the things we like and are familiar with. To me, there is very little warmth and friendliness in a sterile piece of metallic compared to my friendly boxwood rule, with its nicks, patina, splatters, easy and familiar activeness, and even its smell – but and then, that's just me, and trust me, don't try that kind of comparison with your married woman, husband or significant other!

I've had a a couple of favorites at present for close on to forty years if non longer. I've broken several over the years of course – rulers, non wives! And, I go along a spare or two effectually, because if yous tin't measure out in a woodworking shop, you are shut down until you can. This brings me to my kickoff point. A yr ago I went off with my blood brother for a day to look at a boat for him. When he left, he drove off with 1 of my much-loved rulers in his car by blow – my fault. When I missed information technology, I called him – I said I loved it, didn't I? Past that time, he had flown 5000 miles away and could non send it back. I told him not to bother, I'd just get another one – although the 1 I lost was so well seasoned and like shooting fish in a barrel to use – I could flick information technology out and have it fully extended in most half a second, and I really hated to lose information technology. One matter most folding rulers is the more than you employ them the easier they operate, particularly if the joints are kept oiled periodically. Eventually though, they can get likewise 'easy' and become sloppy – merely just endeavor getting a steel tape to hold up for twoscore years!

Problem was, no local supplier had the ruler model I had and preferred – a 'Chief Mechanic' Inside Reading six human foot folding ruler fabricated of boxwood. Not the local hardware, non Lowe's, not Dwelling Depot, no ane! Afterwards a footling enquiry, I plant the manufacturer no longer makes this model in boxwood. In plastic aye, but non for me – I'll pass on plastic, thank you. Besides, I strongly suspect those are made offshore now.

Then I got lucky, I thought. Lufkin still makes a boxwood model which looked exactly the aforementioned as mine in the pictures online – their model #066F. I ordered one and information technology came 'Fabricated in the USA' right on the side. But it wasn't the aforementioned at all. Sure, inside reading, and all that, but it was different – thicker, beefy, heavier, klutzier. I practically hate it in fact, only kept it since it is the only spare I accept now. Meanwhile, my brother has inherited my old rule and since he seems to like information technology, I don't have the heart to ask for it dorsum. But, if I go visit him, I will take the new 1 and swap them out surreptitiously – he'll never notice the difference, will he?

Here is a picture show of the old Master Mechanic versus the new Lufkin.

At present to my second bespeak – why "Inside Reading"? Just in example you are non familiar with the difference in styles, inside reading means when you fold out part of your rule and lay it apartment on your stock with the unfolded joints up towards you, you lot look at the numbers naturally reading from left to right, from low to high numbers.
This is called 'English Measure'. The ruler lays dainty and flat against your piece of work, as you piece of work from left to right, which seems right to me. Meet beneath:

The more than common type – chosen 'American Measure' is reversed – the low numbers are on the outside, then you must utilize it from correct to left. If you lot try to use the rule from left to correct, the unfolded joints are underneath, and you can't lay the dominion flat on your piece of work – it either must hang off the edge of your work – which is not convenient if you are working inside a large piece of stock similar ply, or y'all are forced to read the numbers from high to low, or, you must unfold the total length of the ruler and flip information technology over for it to lay flat – then the numbers are upside down! For the life of me, I still can't effigy why that style is ascendant – and the only ane bachelor nigh places now. Take you noticed how hard information technology is to find really high quality hand tools now?

Y'all volition detect in the picture below at that place are small holes drilled around the one inch mark in my rules. That serves 2 purposes; 1 is to hold the end in place with a nail when I am marking off multiple smaller increments without fear of shifting, and the other is I can utilize my rule to swing an arc of up to a 71" radius on occasion:

The are things I exercise like about steel tapes, one being the fiddling thingy on the terminate to clip on the edge of something to concur the terminate – but those are the first things to go too. And of class yous tin accept steel tapes in almost any length is y'all don't mind the weight. Don't tell anybody, but I do take a couple lying around. Another thing to keep in mind near your favorite rulers – or tapes – if you love them, don't always, ever loan them or allow anyone use them, anytime, no time, ever, and almost especially children, who are fatigued to them like magnets!

The last time i of my grandchildren took a shine to my ruler, I went out and bought a make new ane just for him – American Measure of form since it was all I could find.

-- "Never let your dogma be run over by your karma!"

Uses for an Inside Reading Folding Ruler

Source: https://www.lumberjocks.com/GnarlyErik/blog/33341

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