I often use a 12" x 60" sheet of aluminum as a straight edge when doing layout. It works great as a cutting guide for drywall. The problem with sheet metal is it bows easily. Then, if it is not held perfectly vertical and it is bowed, the edge isn't straight any more. It could be improved by sandwiching it between two pieces of 1x4 to stiffen it though.Way overthinking this, just have a piece of .050+ aluminum sheetmetal sheared to 3-6" wide, it will be accurate to .010 or better, cost will be about $40.
Perhaps a section of Unistrut/superstrut channel would be good; the ten-foot length is available, it has beenChannel is an unbalanced shape. I would choose a balanced shape such as I-beam or rectangular tube.
I often use a 12" x 60" sheet of aluminum as a straight edge when doing layout. It works great as a cutting guide for drywall. The problem with sheet metal is it bows easily. Then, if it is not held perfectly vertical and it is bowed, the edge isn't straight any more. It could be improved by sandwiching it between two pieces of 1x4 to stiffen it though.
buy a piece of Starrett Ground flat stock from McMasterCarr....
Yeah that would do I suppose but who’d wanna handle that. 1/4x1”-6’ would be as flimsy as twizzler hanging from my mouth. You’d need at least 3” to be sturdy still would whip. My wife has a carpet binding biz and uses straight edges a lot. Hers are all 1/4” x3”from 4’-12’ all commercial bought. Precise enough for carpet but a pain to handle the large ones. As expected if not vertical with two hands on em they bow to either direction.Here is a 6' straight edge for $80 lol
McMaster-Carr
McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.www.mcmaster.com