Calibrated Rule

[SquareFrames]

Hi Folks!,

This will get the old brain cells working!

Anyone know where I could get the following piece of equipment?

A 'Calibrated' (in mm's) Rule, 1200mm long, 19mm in width, with the calibration being set from right to left, i.e. 1200 on the left, 0 (Zero) on the right as you look at it?

The rule must be calibrated and not screen printed
Answers please to:

Desperate

Steven

[John]

Steven,

If you can't find exactly what you require, it might be possible to get a steel rule from Draper and then have an engineering workshop cut it down to the 19mm width for you.

[Joe]

Hi Steven

Try here http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=10245

Stumbled on this site a while ago - know nothing about them.

BTW Lion used to do a 1.5mm calibrated wooden block end


Joe

[artisan soldier]

Ah right to left ruler. I also want one for building my own simple glass cutter...very hard to find. What do you need yours for?

David

[SquareFrames]

Hi David,

Much as I like the Fletecher 3100 Wallcutter, the left hand scale on mine is 'out'. I know 1mm - 1.5mm ((accoring to some its the difference between and OHHHH and an AHHHH) is not a lot when just cutting straight line mounts, but trying to marry up straight lines and curves it does become critical.

I have been talking to Fletcher in USA over the past 2 weeks and had recieved a new one, this time a metal one rather than the factory fitted plastic. Guess what? It was worse than the original one. I have a fully calibrated engineers rule here, but its borrowed and again upside down for my use, and its only 500mm long. (If push come to shove, I could live with one upside down, I'd get the wife to stand on her head) The increments need to be impregnated into the rule, and not screen printed, like most, if not all other tapes and rules. And in answer to Joe's posting, a wooden one would be no good as it could twist eventually and would not have the increments impregnated.

I even thought of John's original posting about buying a steel rule from Draper, but could not see any on their site that had anyting other than screen printed increments.

My next step tomorrow is to contact some engineering firms and asking 'how much for' to see if it actually worth pursuing this, and I know by tomorrow afternoon Fletcher will be back on the telpehone with me, hopefully with a solution on their part. The reason for the discrepency in the scales is, that Fletcher do not make their own, they get them made by the likes of Draper, Stanley, etc. only the USA equivilent. I have suggested to them that it is about time they made them 'in house' and this would make a great machine, much better.

Steven

[artisan soldier]

Hi Steven

While reading your last post, I just had this idea. It's definitely not ideal, but maybe it's something worth considering?

Use a normal steel ruler cut down to 19mm if possible. Get a screen print of reversed numbers and attach over the top of the steel rule numbers.

This way you can have the accuracy of the steel rule, but the printed numbers (that don't need to be as accurate) facing the right way.



Aarrgh!!! I wish I could get these JPG's smaller.

Anyway, I don't completely know all of the implications of your requirements but maybe it will give you ideas. Then you can tell me the master plan!

David

[SquareFrames]

Hi David,

Thanks for the Jpeg, good going. Unfortunately its the screen printed increments that are causing the problem, they are just not accurate. What I need is 'impregnated increments', and the rule calibrated, like engineers use, the increments would be OK in 1mm increments, no need to go to 1/2 mm. I am waiting on 2 engineering companies getting back to me, I will let you know how I get on.

Steven

[SquareFrames]

Hi David,

As promised, I said I'd let you know how I got on with the engineering company reagrding the rules.

One of my ex framing school students, who is an engineer in the paper making industry, where everything is measured in 1000's of mm's has lent me his calibrtaed rule. Although its only 500mm in length, it helps when marking out and making sure ovals and straight lines marry up. It has also shown me how much the screen printed scale on a machine is actually out, especially in the American made machines. British machines dont seem to be as bad, but never the less are still slightly out, but being as I am using the Keencut for straight line cutting, I can take the time and mark out, and cut without the mat guide.

He has also taken the liberty of ordering me the following:
1X 500mm and 1 X 1000mm calibrtaed engineer's rules, and they just happen to fit into the slot provided by Fletcher for the scale, so I will fit them when they arrive this week. As for price, its imaterial, as he is giving them to me as a present for doing a job for him, so all worked out quite well.

Steven

[artisan soldier]

Hi Steven,

I'm glad you got it all sorted. Tell me how it cuts.

David

[SquareFrames]

Hi David,

The Fletcher 3100 wall cutter that I have, cuts great, even square, I have only one complaint, it just doesnt measure correctly, with damn cheap bought in screen printed, yellow measuring scales.

Steven

[SquareFrames]

Hi David,

Just thought I'd update you on the calibrated rule situtaion. I received a 'specially inspected rule' from Fletcher on Thursday. (Thats what it said on the invoice). Well, I inspected it with my newly aquired 1000mm engineers rule, and guess what? Its the best one Fletcher have sent me to date. Over the 1000mm, it is only about 1/2 a mm out around the 400mm mark, and again at the 700mm mark, so all in all its as good as its likely to get. Its fitted to the 3100, and working (measuring) well, so, so far so good.

I was given (as a pressie) from one of my students that went through the framing school, a 1000mm and a 500mm engineer's calibrated rules. Its just a pity that these both have rounded ends, otherwise they could have been butt jointed together and placed into the 3100 and acted as 'dead accurate' scales, but the problem is finding someone with the knowhow and at the right price to cut off the rounded ends, but such as life.

Like I said before, the original scale was good enough for measuring, it wasnt too far out, maybe 1mm - 1.5mm over all, not enough to warrant all my endeavours to find the right scale, but when it come to marrying up straight line mounts with curves, it needed to be accurate otherwise no matter how adept you were at cutting ovals, circles, on the oval cutter, but when it came to cutting arched topped and gothic arched topped mounts, it was like something a beginner would do. So all is well now in my workshop, apart from me being here at 7am on a wet Sunday morning fitting new benches.

Steven