know where to buy a good straightedge ?

[JDarvall]

Always wanted a good one. I mean a good one.

there's these....

Veritas® Straightedges : CARBA-TEC (http://www.carbatec.com.au/veritas-straightedges_c19173)

they'd probably do, but what I had in mind is a good straight edge for checking spring for glueups. which means ideally no flex whatsoever, so I can be sure what I'm seeing is actually what I need to know. which means something thick.

I'm worried those carpetec ones aren't thick enough.

thinking solid bar something like............1000 x 20 x 40mm ....and one edge beveled. not to a sharp edge.....beveled to maybe 1mm.

or are the veritas ones good enough ? I should have got the bloke to get one out for me last time I was there and tried bending it.

thanks
Jake

[ClintO]

The straightedges are only designed to give a straight edge in 2 dimensions, not 3.
You are going to end up with a massive edge if you get one machined out of bar, stress relieved and re machined. I would not guarantee the straightness of any bar stock

[JDarvall]

The straightedges are only designed to give a straight edge in 2 dimensions, not 3.
You are going to end up with a massive edge if you get one machined out of bar, stress relieved and re machined. I would not guarantee the straightness of any bar stock

3 dimention accuracy be ideal I think because there's no concern for keeping it square.

Do you think If I bought one from a engineering supplier it wouldn't be particularily better than the carpatec ones ?

[chrisb691]

In my opinion, an engineering straightedge is overkill and a waste of money. You are dealing with wood, so thinking in thousands of inches is pointless as the wood is going to shift everytime the weather changes. My 2c worth anyway.

[Poppa]

I've got the Veritas Aluminium 38" straight edge. It has very little flex in it. Enormously useful tool.

[JDarvall]

spose. just that for me springing the joint just right is very important....and uno how you can pick up a great deal against the light eying off that little gap...... just I've noticed with straight edges I've used in the past, using a corner edge you can easily open and close that gap easily just with hand pressure. kinda don't want that inconsistancy.

anyway , if anyone nose a source for thick bevel edged straightedges I'd appreciate it.

thanks
Jake

[mic-d]

Jake these (http://www.hntgordon.com.au/paulwilliamstraight.htm) are pretty stout. But can't you just judge a gap off its partner's edge if you want to do a sprung joint?

[Waldo]

I've got this one http://www.woodpeck.com/media/RS_WWR_SERX_WEB.pdf

on page 2, the 48" beast. Used it recently to get the wings of the c/saw just right. :2tsup: But like yourself, I wanted something solid to check for big glue-ups when making big things.

[Woodkid]

Workbenches (http://michealconnorwoodwork.com.au/workbenches/workbenches.html) may be of help

[Scissors]

I've only used the steel version, but the Veritas straight edges are plenty rigid when used as intended (on edge). Personally, I don't bother checking spring joints with a straight edge, I just put the two boards together and look for the right amount of light, then I double check the joint by laying the boards together and 'pinching' the ends of the panel glue up. If the boards spring apart at either end when the opposite end is pinched then you've got a convex join or snipe. :)

[JDarvall]

But can't you just judge a gap off its partner's edge if you want to do a sprung joint?

I know what you mean, but what I feel (or hope) to nail.......is knowing how many passes exactly it should take with the fenced plane setup I've got.....can check every pass with the straight edge. sounding anal I spose........just need something I knows always straight as reference all the time with me.

thanks for all the help. I should have got a proper one a long time ago.

[mic-d]

I know what you mean, but what I feel (or hope) to nail.......is knowing how many passes exactly it should take with the fenced plane setup I've got.....can check every pass with the straight edge. sounding anal I spose........just need something I knows always straight as reference all the time with me.

thanks for all the help. I should have got a proper one a long time ago.

I think I understand. You mean how many passes from a straight condition to get the degree of concave you want?

[JDarvall]

I think I understand. You mean how many passes from a straight condition to get the degree of concave you want?

yep. its mainly for seat blanks bout 40-50mm thick. . using an old #8 I cleaned up with a wooden fence clamped on ....at present its about 2 short passes (starting/ending bout 50mm each end then bout 150mm each end) to hollow it, then one full complete pass....get good joints that way, but don't know entirely why half the time because my straightedge is often just the edge of the plane or a floppy ruler etc.

sometimes goes astray and when it does I can't check each individual piece properly. ...work it out eventually, but be faster with a straight edge I new was straight. :rolleyes:

[Moe in QLD]

i personally refuse to spend more on a straight edge than i would on a slab

[Ironwood]

What about these ones - Edge, Straight, Bevel one side, mm graduated - The Wood Works Book & Tool Co. (http://www.thewoodworks.com.au/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=10262&category_id=706&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=91&manufacturer_id)=

I dont have one of these so cant recomend it from experience. But it looks like it would be OK, stainless steel as well.

Mine is a 4' Starrett, its a very good straight edge, but it doesnt have a bevel edge and is about 10mm thick

[derekcohen]

Hi Jake

How are you?

Veritas/Lee Valley make two straight edge sets, one in aluminium and the other in steel. If you want to go this way, they are both look substantial (by reputation - I have only held them, not used them). Personally, I am not keen on aluminium for this purpose as it is too easily damaged.

For less money, what I did was to go for vintage engineer levels. This are cast iron, straight, big and heavy. Bullet-proof (lasted 100 years without damage). In addition, one side has a hollow for resting on a rounded edge.

I have two, one 18" and the other 24". They do double service as winding sticks. For the life of me, I cannot recall the maker's names. :doh: Mine were not expensive (as some can be) as there are damaged side vials. The important top ones are present, and that is all that matters.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Straightedge.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[ian]

yep. its mainly for seat blanks bout 40-50mm thick. . using an old #8 I cleaned up with a wooden fence clamped on ....at present its about 2 short passes (starting/ending bout 50mm each end then bout 150mm each end) to hollow it, then one full complete pass....get good joints that way, but don't know entirely why half the time because my straightedge is often just the edge of the plane or a floppy ruler etc.

sometimes goes astray and when it does I can't check each individual piece properly. ...work it out eventually, but be faster with a straight edge I new was straight. :rolleyes:Hi Jake
no it wouldn't
the edge of your #8 should be straight enough for the purpose, lay it on edge squat down and eye-ball the gap
with a straight edge it would be, move away and put the plane down, pick up straight edge -- or more properly take the straight edge down from the nail it hangs from -- waqlk back to bench, check gap, go back and hang the straight edge back on its nail, pick up the plane and take another pass or two
repeat

[JDarvall]

Hi Jake

How are you?

Veritas/Lee Valley make two straight edge sets, one in aluminium and the other in steel. If you want to go this way, they are both look substantial (by reputation - I have only held them, not used them). Personally, I am not keen on aluminium for this purpose as it is too easily damaged.

For less money, what I did was to go for vintage engineer levels. This are cast iron, straight, big and heavy. Bullet-proof (lasted 100 years without damage). In addition, one side has a hollow for resting on a rounded edge.

I have two, one 18" and the other 24". They do double service as winding sticks. For the life of me, I cannot recall the maker's names. :doh: Mine were not expensive (as some can be) as there are damaged side vials. The important top ones are present, and that is all that matters.



Hi Derek, good thanks, and yourself ?

I do like the look of those thick levels. I remember seeing one at a market a few years ago I nearly bought. probably should wait for one like that.

[JDarvall]

Hi Jake
no it wouldn't
the edge of your #8 should be straight enough for the purpose, lay it on edge squat down and eye-ball the gap
with a straight edge it would be, move away and put the plane down, pick up straight edge -- or more properly take the straight edge down from the nail it hangs from -- waqlk back to bench, check gap, go back and hang the straight edge back on its nail, pick up the plane and take another pass or two
repeat

yep thats what I do , and have been doing.......but I don't think the #8 edge is straight enough. its been lapped, dinged up who knows where its at ....and with such a little gap being so small it be nice to have a proper straight edge I'm thinking.

also the #8 length is sometimes just not long enough. The edge for me has to be longer than the wood being glued up.

I'm being anal I spose because the process I'm liking is a glueup with just one clamp in the middle, and a single spline for alignment. good fit without too much clamping pressure. If I can nail the spring quickly I can do a couple dozern seats quite quickly without needing hundreds of clamps.

Its working at the moment.....just want a bit more consistancy thats all.

[elanjacobs]

I've got the large Veritas steel one and there's no flex that I can detect. Personally I think that anything more expensive is overkill, especially for a material that is not dimensionally stable like timber, but there's always something like this: Ultra Precision Steel Straight Edge Straight Edge Obishi Keiki Seisakusho Japan (http://obishi.co.jp/english/mi/2/42.html) I believe Starrett make Master Reference straight edges out of granite too:p

[WIGdj]

I use an aluminium curtain rail, it's about 40x20mm and around 1.2mm thick RHS, get them most places but they are always at salvage yards also. It's suprisingly rigid on its wider edge and you'll be struggling to sag it on its thin edge. Where the curtain sliders travel makes it even more rigid and I have recently used a pair of curtain rails to make a long, adjustable taper cutting jig untilising the sliding rail for the adjustable section.

Only problem is that if you want to use it for a straight edge for cutting, it doesn't fit inder the motor of the circular saw so i use a packer to make up for that.

Cheap but not nasty and works well, plus you can buy a length and make several straight edges to your liking. I have about 7 of different lengths for various tasks.

[ian]

yep thats what I do , and have been doing.......but I don't think the #8 edge is straight enough. its been lapped, dinged up who knows where its at ....and with such a little gap being so small it be nice to have a proper straight edge I'm thinking.

also the #8 length is sometimes just not long enough. The edge for me has to be longer than the wood being glued up.

I'm being anal I spose because the process I'm liking is a glueup with just one clamp in the middle, and a single spline for alignment. good fit without too much clamping pressure. If I can nail the spring quickly I can do a couple dozern seats quite quickly without needing hundreds of clamps.

Its working at the moment.....just want a bit more consistancy thats all.Jake
give Micheal Conner or Terry Gordon a call. They both live quite close to you.
Terry was at the Sydney Wood show this past weekend, and had a selection of Micheal's straight edges on sale. I don't recall the prices, but there were lengths long enough for the use you want to put one to.
The straight edge is not on either Michael's or Terry's web sites, but I assue you Terry had them at the show.

[JDarvall]

thanks everyone for your ideas.


Jake
give Micheal Conner or Terry Gordon a call. They both live quite close to you.
Terry was at the Sydney Wood show this past weekend, and had a selection of Micheal's straight edges on sale. I don't recall the prices, but there were lengths long enough for the use you want to put one to.
The straight edge is not on either Michael's or Terry's web sites, but I assue you Terry had them at the show.

Terrys stall at the brisbane show triggered the thought actually. I went to the show for the first time last month finally ! (and its one big shop ! :D) and he had a little straight edge there but I didn't inquire. was too much interested in his shooting plane setup which was brilliant. Which would have bought except wasn't cashed up enough. (that shooting plane should find a permanent place on bench somewhere around the workshop I reakon) And liked the spokeshave as well . spent most of my time trying out every one of the lienelson planes as well (hopefully not giving the bloke the #####) and thought later....'thank god I didn't drop one'

Sell another chair and I'll give him a call. Thanks Ian. (or maybe that should be after buying a new oven. I don't know) ta.

[nrb]

Have you considered alumium tube,you can get various profiles,thin walled from square to rectangle,I have a rectangle one that has been knocked about over the years and is still good,make sure that it is straight when you get it and tell the supplier what you want it for.Cheap and light
Neil

[mat]

Has anyone used the aluminium ones from McJing. Very reasonably priced!
Perhaps not as accurate as an engineers straight edge but perhaps more than acceptable??