Someone sent me this picture to ask if I could identify it. It’s not something I’ve seen before and apparently it’s not on the Veritas website.
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Unusual Steel Rule?
- Thread starter Bill Alston
- Start date
Hook ruler. I have 6" and 12", both from Veritas. They are my go-to's for small distance measurements.
Printers and machinest use hook rules. Starrett will make them, probably quite expensive. PEC makes them (Taytools website and Amazon), and Woodpeckers has a version. Probably others, too. Check the tick marks, some may measure in 10th/100ths vs the 1/16" type fractions.
I've got "regular" PEC 6" and 12" metal rules from Taytools (or was that the Harry Epstein website? Another fun site to peruse.). They are black bodies with white etched markings. I like this, the white ticks are very easy to see and concentrate on, esp. at the 1/32" mark. $9.95 (non-hook, but black body), a discount price due to a mfr. blemish that you'll not see.
I've got "regular" PEC 6" and 12" metal rules from Taytools (or was that the Harry Epstein website? Another fun site to peruse.). They are black bodies with white etched markings. I like this, the white ticks are very easy to see and concentrate on, esp. at the 1/32" mark. $9.95 (non-hook, but black body), a discount price due to a mfr. blemish that you'll not see.
12" Products Engineering 4R Rigid Black EZ Read Tempered Ruler 8ths/16ths 32nds/64ths (780086)
12" Products Engineering 4R Rigid Black EZ Read Tempered Ruler 8ths/16ths 32nds/64ths (780086)
www.harryepstein.com
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Thanks all, I knew someone on here would know!
I have some of those, other brands. Quite useful. This one's metric and imperial.
Can't have too many ways to measure things!
JKJ
Can't have too many ways to measure things!
JKJ
Nice. I’ve passed the information on. Lee Valley make these as well so maybe they’re available over here.
Amazon US has hook rulers. Not sure about UK.
Yes, I found one on Amazon’s UK website.
Lee Valley sells what seem to be the same "Veritas" rulers, but now under the name "Utilitas". Don't know what's up with that.
I have a 6 foot Starrett hook rule with a removeable hook.
According to Google:
"Utilitas products are not the same as Veritas, though they are related.
- Utilitas is described as the "down-market" or "not Veritas" brand used by Lee Valley for products that don't meet the strict criteria for the premium Veritas brand. These criteria include being a novel design (not copied), made in North America, and designed by Lee Valley, according to the Sawmill Creek Woodworking Community.
- Veritas represents Lee Valley's premium line of products, generally adhering to the aforementioned criteria.
So perhaps there was a name change because the design is not novel. Though I do think my Veritas rulers are excellent.
When I ran a newspaper press we had those all over the place with scales in inches, picas, and a couple others. Everybody called them pica poles.
I like the look of the Lee Valley ones. I’m not sure I need one myself at the moment. But if that changes I *should be able to make one like that below using a standard rule? Just as well as apparently they aren’t available over here.
* Stainless rules can be a bit difficult to drill at times without a carbide drill.
* Stainless rules can be a bit difficult to drill at times without a carbide drill.
I've cut small holes in stainless, in HSS, and in hardened tool steel, not by drilling, but by basically grinding with small diamond burrs in a Dremel. Not very precise but works.
JKJ
Lee Valley have a manufacturing division in Ottawa. Old fashioned precise workmanship.
For my eyes the easiest to read scale is the Starrett satin chrome. I've not found anything comparable except for Shinwa. I can't tell the difference and the Shinwa is a lot cheaper. It's a old time Japanese company. Lee Valley sells them as do others. I did find a hook rule made by them at Amazon UK. You might check em out.
I second that! Really hard to beat Starrett for quality and function. I love their combination squares too with the satin finish.
All Starrett rules, including hook versions. Their hooks are add-on pieces, not stamped to shape like the OP's photo shows. (I think I'd prefer the style from the original post.) Available from your favorite retailers.
www.starrett.com
Precision Rules
Accurate measurements and clean lines are just a rule away. Explore a variety of precision rulers for woodworking, crafting, and engineering projects.
www.starrett.com
Speaking of things meant to be square, I offer the humble plastic speed square. They are fine as-is for general construction carpentry, but they lack the 90 degree reference bench work demands.
My Starrett 12" combo square acts more as a reference tool on my bench than a layout tool. I also have a couple Starrett 6" combo squares which work perfectly for the smaller work I tend to do. But then I have three plastic speed squares, and I've used a hand plane to bring the height edge of the speed square into square with the base of the speed square. A few minutes of time to level any high spots, or to turn 89 or 91 degrees into 90 degrees, then I can keep the big Starrett in its place, and let these plastic speed squares taking the knocking on the bench.
I reference the Starrett beam/rule to the inside of the base section (as the photo shows), not the outside of the base section. And only the height edge of the speed square gets tweaked with the plane, the part that has the base of my Starrett engaged against. Those are 7", 8", and 12" speed squares. I prefer the plastic to aluminum speed squares because of the ability to easily tune them into square.
A note on combination squares- I'd suggest against the cheap hardware store combo squares made from cast aluminum or other mystery metal. The rules tend to wear that soft metal base pretty easily while sliding the rule, making them go out of square. (I also push against the spring loaded tightening bolt when sliding the rule to remove that spring pull action from pulling the rule against the base to help prevent wear.) There is always a temptation to buy old Starrett, or other quality brand antique combo squares, but those are typically pretty worn in the slide section, preventing getting 90 degrees. I'd suggest new.
My Starrett 12" combo square acts more as a reference tool on my bench than a layout tool. I also have a couple Starrett 6" combo squares which work perfectly for the smaller work I tend to do. But then I have three plastic speed squares, and I've used a hand plane to bring the height edge of the speed square into square with the base of the speed square. A few minutes of time to level any high spots, or to turn 89 or 91 degrees into 90 degrees, then I can keep the big Starrett in its place, and let these plastic speed squares taking the knocking on the bench.
I reference the Starrett beam/rule to the inside of the base section (as the photo shows), not the outside of the base section. And only the height edge of the speed square gets tweaked with the plane, the part that has the base of my Starrett engaged against. Those are 7", 8", and 12" speed squares. I prefer the plastic to aluminum speed squares because of the ability to easily tune them into square.
A note on combination squares- I'd suggest against the cheap hardware store combo squares made from cast aluminum or other mystery metal. The rules tend to wear that soft metal base pretty easily while sliding the rule, making them go out of square. (I also push against the spring loaded tightening bolt when sliding the rule to remove that spring pull action from pulling the rule against the base to help prevent wear.) There is always a temptation to buy old Starrett, or other quality brand antique combo squares, but those are typically pretty worn in the slide section, preventing getting 90 degrees. I'd suggest new.