Pocket Ruler - what do you like?

[francist]

Framing squares can be like that too — one set of graduations on the blade is in 12ths…

 

[Downunder Bob]

Way back when I was an apprentice, I had two 6" pocket rules, both were Moore & Write (English). One had incnes on both sides in various combinations of 16th's 32nd's 64th's and 128th's. The other, again in inches on one side with 10th's and hundredth's, the other side was metric with 10nth mm on one edge and hundredth's on the other edge, very fine engraving indeed. Even back in the early 1960's while we were still very much in the imperial world we had to be able to work in metric, as the factory I was at we were the importing agent for two European cars.

Australia began converting to full metric in 1966, first with our money, then weights and measures. it was done in a very progressive way, such that most people had very little difficulty with it except a few of the very elderly. It was mde very simple by at first price tags were printed with the price in the old system of pounds, shillings and pence in large numbers and the new price in Dollars and cents in small numbers then over time the sizes changed over, and eventually they stopped putting the old price on at all. It workd very well.

Then around 1971 we started introducing metric measurements so feet and inches gave way to meters and mm. Then pints and gallons etc gave way to to Liters. it was made easy by the fact, that for some years before changeover date all new measuring devices were calibrated in both systems, so by the time change over came we were pretty much ready for it. I must say that it was the best thing we ever did, life is so much easier in every way.

 

[Provincial]

I have always carried Starrett 6" flexible rules with 32/64 graduations on one side and 10th/100th on the other side. No problem telling what graduation I was using. I've picked up Metric scales, and don't much like the 1/20th MM graduation, but I work around it.

Starrett 425 pocket slide calipers in 6" around the shop and 4" in my pants pocket everyday. I feel lost without one on me.

 

[extropic]

Best 6" rule, IMO.

Details

www.starrett.com

If I need better resolution, I use a caliper or better.

 

[Mauzinette]

My go to pocket rule is the 6” General Tools 305ME with both metric and SAE graduations on the same side. This is a useful feature when working with older bicycles. I also have the Facom DELA.1051.150 with 1/2mm graduations on one side, which is nice for the more precise stuff

 

[sign216]

The wood craftsmen like "hooked rules." Making it easy to quickly mark the distance off an edge. I'm surprised no one's mentioned those.

 

[Winegrower]

How about something of thicker metal, with engraved scales?
How about inches with two scales; decimal and fractional.
And on the flip side it'll have the Godless Metric scale.
And...what else should I looking for....?

I have rules with approximately all these features, in 3", 6" 12" and 18" lengths. All these scales have their use.

 

[Mauzinette]

The wood craftsmen like "hooked rules." Making it easy to quickly mark the distance off an edge. I'm surprised no one's mentioned those.

A hooked rule can come in handy at times, but the hooks can also get in the way while performing certain tasks. I only carry a single pocket rule with me and I want it to be as versatile as possible, i.e. without hooks.

 

[sign216]

A hooked rule can come in handy at times, but the hooks can also get in the way while performing certain tasks. I only carry a single pocket rule with me and I want it to be as versatile as possible, i.e. without hooks.

Mauzinette,
I decided to get a 12" hook ruler, as a stationary one where I work wood. I can see It would be handy there.

Joe

 

[Mauzinette]

Mauzinette,
I decided to get a 12" hook ruler, as a stationary one where I work wood. I can see It would be handy there.

Joe

My experience is that the right amount of measuring tools (or any tools) to have in a workshop is n+1