Looking for a source for a 4' steel straight edge. Spendy aren't they.
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.
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.
Originally Posted by Mark Bachler
Starrett makes very nice ones and they are expensive. I have a 3' one from them...has served me well.
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.
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The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
I have a 4' Starret straight edge. They're usually around $200 sometimes less if you look hard. Great device for machine setup though.
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 ClaboMichigan
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.Originally Posted by Glenn Clabo
Try http://www.mscdirect.com/IWCatSectio...=84&View.x.y=8
Michael in San Jose
Non confundar in aeternam
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.
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
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.
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.
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The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
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.