Straight edge question

[Jerome Hanby]

I'm going to add a straight edge to my arsenal. A big majority of its use will be setting up and aligning equipment, table saw wings, jointer tables, etc... Is 36" (that ball park anyway) long enough to take care of me or am I going to constantly be kicking myself because I didn't get a longer one? I'm looking at the 36" model from Woodpeckers fro a couple of very good reasons, one it's red!, another I can order it from Tom and he has definitely earned any business I can throw his way.

I'm also looking at ordering a t-square and like the Woodpecker versions for the same reasons <g>. I'm tempted to go with the 32" model, I've been building cabinets that are about 24" deep and that would get me all the way across them, but is that going to be too long to use comfortably the rest of the time? Maybe that "rest of the time" thinking is a fallacy, and the rest of the time I'd use a combo-square. But, I've got that flexible Incra t-square like gizmo in the 18" model and it seems like it's alway long enough to be awkward or not long enough to get where I need to go, I've often though about getting the short version of it.

Thanks in advance for the opinions!

[James White]

I have a 36" one from Lee Valley. I find that I sometimes I wish it where a bit longer. But other times when I am glad that it is not. However I really wish that I had spent the extra on the steal version. I take good care of my strait edge. Keep it in a sleeve. But after just a few years of use. It has small dings on it's edges that I have no idea how they got there. I have had to deburr these dings as to not have them hold the strait edge up off the surface that I was trying to check. In my opinion aluminum is just not durable enough for a "user".

James

[Van Huskey]

I am a fan of a roughly 4' version for some functions, mainly the jointer, for most other uses a 36" is fine or actually better. Aluminum is OK but you have to be careful with it. I have a 50" aluminum one I use rarely and a 24" steel one I use quite a bit.

I find T squares longer then 24" to be awkward most of the time but if you anticipate using a longer one a lot it may be worth it. If money were no object I would still like to have a shorter one for use most of the time.

[Mort Stevens]

I have a series of levels, 10", 24", 36", 48", 72" (might be another size in there too... maybe 60"?) I don't know the brand, but I've had them forever and they provide me with sufficient accuracy for everything I have ever built or set up... and they also function as a level! The way I see it, unless you're working with metal and must maintain a 0.003" accuracy over a couple of feet, I see no reason why you need a fancy purpose straight edge. Just my 2-cents!

FYI years ago I had access to a grinding machining and made an air-bearing surface out of two pieces of steel stock... as I was playing, er, I mean demonstrating the air bearing qualities one piece slid off the desk and onto a wood floor... they never slid the same way again, even after lapping the surfaces they never slid with that same wet ice on wet ice that they once did.

I would hate to have a precision straight edge for everyday shop use only to fall on the floor a couple of times to be totally trashed.

[Jerome Hanby]

Money is always an object with me. I try to think through what my time is worth to me, so I may be able to justify buying a couple of t-squares. Looking at LV, there isn't a huge price difference between the Steel and Aluminum straight edges, but the longest steel one is 36"...

[Jim Barrett]

Take a look here:
http://www.tools4flooring.com/straight-edges.html

Jim

[glenn bradley]

I also went with the Lee Valley 36" steel version. Long enough for most everything without being too long for a lot of things. A longer one would be nice for my jointer but, I aligned it once during assembly and checked it when I rotated the inserts; still good. For me it would be nice to have a longer one but, not only a longer one.

[Brian Tymchak]

I have 2, one 24" steel (from Woodcraft) and one 48" aluminum (borg generic brand). The 48" aluminum straight-edge is part of a 96" saw guide. Seems like one short and one long does about everything I need. Although occasionally I use a 12" steel ruler too in tight spots. I use the 48" aluminum edge to set infeed-outfeed roller stands for jointer, table saw, planer when I run longer pieces. The 24" comes in handy for tasks like checking TDC and leveling knives on the jointer, and just a million other things it seems. I wish the 24" was a little thicker to better stand on edge on its own. I didn't think of that when I bought it. The 48" has a formed edge wide enough to stand up on it's own.

[Jerome Hanby]

I've got "straight" edges, a 72" rule from the borg and the rails on my portable panel saw, I just don't know how straight they really are. I've got an old jointer and Unisaw that I'm tuning up, An old Shopsmith that could stand a through cleaning and tuneup, my Craftsman contractor saw that could probably stand some tweaking, and a few shop made projects on my to-do list including a drum sander and an 8" jointer. I'm thinking having a decent reference tool would make my life easier. I've read through some information for making your own straight edge using the three piece method. It looks interesting and right in line with what I like to do, but I'd want a real "straight edge" to verify my work <g>.

I wonder how good a reference those phenolic straight edges would be? They seem to be aimed at the glass cutting world and they seem less expensive compared to the anodized aluminum and steel tools...

[Bill White]

Jerome, I hadn't thought about the phenolic jobbies. Good idea. Go to the local glass guy and check 'em out. Let us know what you find out.
Bill

[Tom Walz]

Mr Hanby,

Thank you for the mention.

Pick one and we will send it to you, no obligation.

Phenolic is an excellent material but I would be a bit more concerned about edge deformation than with steel. This is simply because of the basic material properties.

I guess it would depend on how accurate you want it. In the saw world 0.001" is pretty important on a straight edge. When you lay a straight edge across a saw blade you want to find bumps or depresssions well under 0.001".

Whether this level of accuracy is important over a four foot table is a matter of opinion.

Not sure if I ever mentioned this but the Number One Rule in tool design and sales is that "A good tool is exactly what the customer says it is." Of course we think of our customers as being extremely attractive and incredibly intelligent as well as being beloved by animals and small children.

Tom Walz
Carbide Processors

[Jerome Hanby]

Tom, that's incredibly generous. I've already talked myself into the 36" straight edge so I guess that's the one I pick. Payday is this Friday and I'll be getting my tool allowance <g>, so be expecting an order for the large and small t-squares. You may not be the best guy on SMC, but you'll never prove that by me!

I'll PM you my pertinent info.

Thanks again!

Mr Hanby,

Thank you for the mention.

Pick one and we will send it to you, no obligation.

Phenolic is an excellent material but I would be a bit more concerned about edge deformation than with steel. This is simply because of the basic material properties.

I guess it would depend on how accurate you want it. In the saw world 0.001" is pretty important on a straight edge. When you lay a straight edge across a saw blade you want to find bumps or depresssions well under 0.001".

Whether this level of accuracy is important over a four foot table is a matter of opinion.

Not sure if I ever mentioned this but the Number One Rule in tool design and sales is that "A good tool is exactly what the customer says it is." Of course we think of our customers as being extremely attractive and incredibly intelligent as well as being beloved by animals and small children.

Tom Walz
Carbide Processors

[Van Huskey]

Sorry for a thread jack but I want to point out to anyone reading this thread that is unaware of Tom and Carbide Processors http://www.carbideprocessors.com/ is they are a "Friend of the Creek" and are an all around excellent company. IMHO opinion they deserve all the business we can give them.

[Jerome Hanby]

Sorry for a thread jack but I want to point out to anyone reading this thread that is unaware of Tom and Carbide Processors http://www.carbideprocessors.com/ is they are a "Friend of the Creek" and are an all around excellent company. IMHO opinion they deserve all the business we can give them.

I'll second that. Tom is always generous with his knowledge and his merchandise!

[Jerrimy Snook]

I'll third that! We have been a customer of Tom's for several decades. Tom is generous with information, always trying to improve the products and services he offers and helping us to improve also. Thank you Tom, Emily, Renee and Leslie for all the info, humor, superior products, and hard work.

Jerrimy