Straight edge

[devonwoody]

we have got the builders in at home (re rendering a wall) and the plasterer is using one of these.

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalo ... GAQ8wIwAw#

there is an 8ft. model as well but note the price, a lot cheaper than some straight edges I have seen in catalogues.

Alright it might not be accurate to point .0001 or whatever but it would do a good job for a lot of things I think.

 

[Lons]

I have a couple of these which were donated to me a couple of years ago and they are very useful indeed but you're right in that they aren't 100% accruate.
Mine have been used mainly when cutting plasterboard, cellotex etc but have used on occasion as a circ saw guide when cutting mdf and chipboard sheets and router guide on kitchen worktops when the jig isn't long enough.
I don't know if i'd have paid £23 each though

 

[bugbear]

we have got the builders in at home (re rendering a wall) and the plasterer is using one of these.

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalo ... GAQ8wIwAw#

there is an 8ft. model as well but note the price, a lot cheaper than some straight edges I have seen in catalogues.

Alright it might not be accurate to point .0001 or whatever but it would do a good job for a lot of things I think.

Useful for marking out sheet goods, but I wouldn't trust it much further than that - there's no spec for rigidity or accuracy.

If either spec were any good, the marketing people would be proclaiming it, loud and long.

BugBear

 

[Allylearm]

I always made my own from melimine covered ply 18mm, varied sizes for doing door standards and aligning grounds etc usually 100mm plus wide. The melimine or formica both sides gave a good edge and were less prone to wear. And it cost nout as it was from cuttings from jobs.

For plasterboard I always used more often than not free cut with knife or saw as more often than not you were scribing and drawing out from existing true edge, the straight cuts were cut using your rule as a guide or cutting pulled along existing straight edge of board with one hand-fingers guiding it along and the knife placed against end of leg and pulling down to where you needed it. Quick and easy and through practice you get adept cutting like this and cracking open when cut through and back trimmed so it gives a true edge and does not show gaps. In cupboards to get the board in one go you cut to size or scribe and then back cut on rear face so it folds to go in then flattens out to be screwed or nailed.

I did use a trimmer which was like a small router which could go round openings if you sheeted over. But in most times I have always done it manual as sites I was on had no power, modern thing these new generators I was shown to get a fixing with dook and chisel, don't know what modern craftsman do without power tools you see them all carrying about now a days.

 

[Fromey]

Chris Schwartz in his video "Course, medium, fine" describes making winding sticks using aluminium L-shaped bars. He claims the extrusion process is effectively precision accurate. I know his word's not gospel, but ya never know....

 

[mbartlett99]

Chris Schwartz in his video "Course, medium, fine" describes making winding sticks using aluminium L-shaped bars. He claims the extrusion process is effectively precision accurate. I know his word's not gospel, but ya never know....

With respect no that particular bit is not gospel by a country mile - put a proper straight edge or even a decent rule against 10 ally extrusions and you'd be lucky to have 5 anything like straight. The same goes for steel. They might be vaguely straight coming out of the machine but they bend like hell on a forklift and warehouses are not known for being overly careful of metal stock.

 

[twothumbs]

I have found black steel as accurate as some bought 'staight' rules.....when setting up my planer! A very good article in a wood magazine years ago for easy making up of straight edges .....will look it out if it is of interest.

Allylearm. You may need to explain here that dooks and dooking chisels are known by many elsewhere as wood plugs (I think) and sold as plugging chisels. Dooks as you well know are of course very cleverly shaped with an axe and are a very strong fixing. Also soaked in red lead and other treatments before being plumbed and cut when necessary. I had forgotten about that. Thanks.

 

[Allylearm]

Allylearm. You may need to explain here that dooks and dooking chisels are known by many elsewhere as wood plugs (I think) and sold as plugging chisels. Dooks as you well know are of course very cleverly shaped with an axe and are a very strong fixing. Also soaked in red lead and other treatments before being plumbed and cut when necessary. I had forgotten about that. Thanks.

You are indeed correct, a very strong fixing is a Dook, as you get the wood in a propellor shaped form that twists as it gets knocked in to the hole formed by the chisel, the better the fixing is done through the noise it makes being put in place. You can hear it. You have other forms of fixings of course like Bilgates fixed by the Brickie in walls when building them for fixing of door standards (Frames) I must remember to use other terms, but I am used to Scots terminology and it is hard to get out off, not knowing the English term. Take for example Dwangs or Noggins I think they are called in England, in wood partitions these are the small cut horizontal between the uprights which are placed with all the rounds facing the same way. I see more and more metal partitions are being used, not the same fixing quality for door standards but it is cheap and easy. I still prefer my timber frames.

Lol Ally

 

[andypo]

I got a 10ft aluminum straight edge of my local double glazing company. Not sure what it is but its accurate and by all accounts they have loads of them id give your local double glazing firm a call

 

[Jacob]

Allylearm. You may need to explain here that dooks and dooking chisels are known by many elsewhere as wood plugs (I think) and sold as plugging chisels. Dooks as you well know are of course very cleverly shaped with an axe and are a very strong fixing. Also soaked in red lead and other treatments before being plumbed and cut when necessary. I had forgotten about that. Thanks.

You are indeed correct, a very strong fixing is a Dook, as you get the wood in a propellor shaped form that twists as it gets knocked in to the hole formed by the chisel, the better the fixing is done through the noise it makes being put in place. You can hear it. You have other forms of fixings of course like Bilgates fixed by the Brickie in walls when building them for fixing of door standards (Frames) I must remember to use other terms, but I am used to Scots terminology and it is hard to get out off, not knowing the English term. Take for example Dwangs or Noggins I think they are called in England, in wood partitions these are the small cut horizontal between the uprights which are placed with all the rounds facing the same way. I see more and more metal partitions are being used, not the same fixing quality for door standards but it is cheap and easy. I still prefer my timber frames.

Lol Ally

Dooks eh? I know exactly what you mean but I think we just call them plugs, but I have a feeling there is another name. Done it for door linings, skirtings etc, where you trim them all off with a chalk line or spirit level.
Star with a 4ft length of 1"x4" or similar, two bevels axed in, hammer it into the mortar course and trim to suit. Then start another one with the same piece.