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Thread: Steel Straight Edge

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Shell Lake, Wisconsin
    Posts
    99

    Steel Straight Edge

    Looking for a source for a 4' steel straight edge. Spendy aren't they.
    I used to just take it from day to day, and now I just take it till noon.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Ithaca, New York
    Posts
    53

    Straightedges

    Mark,

    Look for a store that sells wallpaper tools to professionals, and ask for a paperhanger's straightedge. They are very good and don't cost an arm and a leg. I have used one for about 20 years.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Bachler
    Looking for a source for a 4' steel straight edge. Spendy aren't they.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Posts
    15,332
    Starrett makes very nice ones and they are expensive. I have a 3' one from them...has served me well.
    Wood: a fickle medium....

    Did you know SMC is user supported? Please help.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,685
    You have to pick your straight edge based on what you will be demanding from it. For tool setup and maintenance, no question, you need a higher qualitiy one than you might settle for for layout work. The Starrett that Chris mentions falls into the former catagory and should be very suitable for checking your machines.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  5. #5
    I have a 4' Starret straight edge. They're usually around $200 sometimes less if you look hard. Great device for machine setup though.

  6. #6
    I invested, cause they aren't cheap either, in a Stabila level. They are guaranteed for life...and machined flat. At least flat enough for setting up machines for woodworking AND using them for what levels are made for. If you need more...Starrett is the way to go.
    Glenn Clabo
    Michigan

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    San Jose, Middle California
    Posts
    636
    Quote Originally Posted by Glenn Clabo
    I invested, cause they aren't cheap either, in a Stabila level. They are guaranteed for life...and machined flat. At least flat enough for setting up machines for woodworking AND using them for what levels are made for. If you need more...Starrett is the way to go.
    Called "everywhere" in the Bay Area looking for one - finally got my 3' Starrett ($124) from www.mscdirect.com. Three days from the time I place the order.

    Try http://www.mscdirect.com/IWCatSectio...=84&View.x.y=8
    Michael in San Jose
    Non confundar in aeternam

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Cockeysville, Md
    Posts
    1,805
    While your at the MSC site, do a search for Pre-Hardened Ground Flat Stock. A 36" x 3" x 1/4" piece is $77. Lots of other sizes also.

    Brian

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Hale View Post
    While your at the MSC site, do a search for Pre-Hardened Ground Flat Stock. A 36" x 3" x 1/4" piece is $77. Lots of other sizes also.

    Brian
    That is a nice balance between easiest, best, & cheapest as solutions go - so long as you bear in mind that the grinders use magnetic chucks that will pull the stock down against a bow or warp in the steel. When the mag is released the stock will spring back. So trusting them it should be entered into with just a pinch of salt until you figure out whether that occurred to your steel bar. Even if it did, it is correctable using a mild steel bar and some lapping compound
    Last edited by Cliff Rohrabacher; 11-18-2007 at 2:47 PM.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Plymouth County, Massachusetts
    Posts
    2,933
    Quote Originally Posted by Cliff Rohrabacher View Post
    That is probably the easiest best & cheapest solution I have heard of.
    Be careful of the specs. before you buy stock like that. It is possible to have it ground to within say .001 for the whole length, but that doesn't guarantee straightness. There is a world of difference between ground parallel and ground straight. There is a different methods for grinding parallel and grinding straight. One is more involved, hence the price difference.

    Gary

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Cincinnati Ohio
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    4,731
    I've never needed such an expensive straight edge in my 20 years of woodworking. I just use a standard steel yard stick from Sears.
    Anytime I think I may need an expensive tool I think back to my uncle and how he could do woodworking like no other. All he owned was a hand saw, hammer and a folding ruler. I would give anything to be a woodworker like that.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,685
    Dave, the one thing that some folks want a very accurate straight edge for isn't to do anything with wood, per se...it's to do machine setup and maintenance, particularly with regard to table alignment on tools like the jointer.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Cincinnati Ohio
    Posts
    4,731
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    Dave, the one thing that some folks want a very accurate straight edge for isn't to do anything with wood, per se...it's to do machine setup and maintenance, particularly with regard to table alignment on tools like the jointer.
    Jim!

    My point was the old time woodworkers did not need one because they did not use or depend on a power tool like a jointer. Just good old woodworking wisdom.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Posts
    15,332
    I don't know if anyone noticed that is is an OLD thread being brought up from 2004! Since then, I've acquired the 50" aluminum straight-edge from Veritas/Lee Valley. It is great for setting up jointer knives as I like to adjust the table such that the knives just barely nick the straight-edge. You will not want to do that with a steel straight-edge!!

    I think straight-edges are great--once you have one you'll find all kinds of great uses for it.
    Wood: a fickle medium....

    Did you know SMC is user supported? Please help.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Lehnert View Post
    All he owned was a hand saw, hammer and a folding ruler. I would give anything to be a woodworker like that.
    Give me all your best power tools and then I'll give you a hand saw, hammer, and a folding ruler

    sorry couldn't resist

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