A ruler that you can see....AND be seen

[Clifford McGuire]

I often use a 6" or 12" ruler. I like the hook rules the best.

They are flat, but shiny, so I can usually see where I left them. That is until a fine coating of dust settles. Then they are almost un-seeable to my aging eyes.

I've purchased brightly colored ear protection, tape measures, marking knives, etc. I was looking at brightly colored rulers, but I read that they are made of aluminum, and their thickness makes it hard to transfer the marks to the wood.

Any thoughts? Any recommendations?

[Bob Johnson2]

Hanging on a nail next to the entry door to the shop I have roughly a dozen steel rulers, 12", 14", and 24", I also have 6 6 inchers that reside either in the apron or supposedly on a small table by the door. If I can't find the one I'm using I grab another.

If I need to get down to 32nds or smaller I'm finding it hard to see the markings on the rulers. I was just thinking a couple days ago I need even more lights just for this purpose. And I just redid all the lighting last year.

Woodpeckers sells a bunch of red rulers that might be easier to find, I'm thinking of one of their squares.

[Lisa Starr]

I keep a 4" & 6" Starrett Scale in a drawer by my bench. Those are my go tos most of the time. That is also the drawerwhere my combo square and the rules for it live. I keep a 24" steel rule and a 36" & 48" Aluminum rules hanging by my bench. The aluminum rules are much harder to accurately transfer measurements to the wood. I often use a small square with the aluminum rules to help transfer accurately.

[Clifford McGuire]

I keep a 4" & 6" Starrett Scale in a drawer by my bench. Those are my go tos most of the time. That is also the drawerwhere my combo square and the rules for it live. I keep a 24" steel rule and a 36" & 48" Aluminum rules hanging by my bench. The aluminum rules are much harder to accurately transfer measurements to the wood. I often use a small square with the aluminum rules to help transfer accurately.

That's a great idea.

[glenn bradley]

This will sound a little preachy but I solved my problem of misplaced tools years ago. 90+ percent of the time I put a tool back where it goes when I am not currently using it.

Obviously we have tools that were using actively and they tend to sit on the bench but, I don’t leave them sitting on the bench when I’ve moved on to another task. This prevents them from becoming buried. My 6 inch ruler and my 12 inch ruler are most often in the same place when I’m looking for them; they’re right where they belong. I learned long ago that taking a moment to put a tool back when I’m done with it takes much less time than looking for it when I don’t know where it is. See? I told you it would sound preachy :-)

[Jim Becker]

All of my rules hang on the wall when they are not actively in use. A simple and fast way to accomplish what you want, however, is a strip of bright colored tape down the middle of the top...something narrow like striping tape.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I built an outfeed table with a laminate top. At the end of the bench farthest from the table saw resides my two most often rulers each hanging from a nail. Also there hangs the french curves and draftsman triangles I use the most.

[Howard Pollack]

I use black rules with white markings. Really easy to see. Got them on Ebay from Taylor Tools. -Howard

[johnny means]

I just try my best to bury myself in measuring devices. About one device for every three square feet of shop space pretty much guarantees that I can always find at least one of what I need. I also make sure to have several in my car and on my nightstand, just in case.

[Charlie Jones]

This will sound a little preachy but I solved my problem of misplaced tools years ago. 90+ percent of the time I put a tool back where it goes when I am not currently using it.

Obviously we have tools that were using actively and they tend to sit on the bench but, I don’t leave them sitting on the bench when I’ve moved on to another task. This prevents them from becoming buried. My 6 inch ruler and my 12 inch ruler are most often in the same place when I’m looking for them; they’re right where they belong. I learned long ago that taking a moment to put a tool back when I’m done with it takes much less time than looking for it when I don’t know where it is. See? I told you it would sound preachy :-)

That works for me also. Otherwise I would spend all my time looking for tools.

[Edwin Santos]

One word of advice - if you're going to have numerous rulers, tape measures or other measuring devices around, it's a good idea to confirm that they agree with each other.

Usually if they're the same brand they'll be consistent.

I am partial to Shinwa rulers, the 6" 4R machinist rule being my favorite, but as you point out, it loves to hide, so I keep a twin hanging on the wall as a back-up until the missing one turns up at which point the twin goes back on the wall. There might be something to be said for the red Woodpeckers products. I am a big fan of the Delve square and it almost never goes missing.

[Lee Schierer]

The first thing I would suggest is to improve the dust collection system. Having enough sawdust settle to hide your ruler isn't good for your lungs.

My 6" & 12" rulers rest on the top of my table saw fence when not being used.

[Clifford McGuire]

All of my rules hang on the wall when they are not actively in use. A simple and fast way to accomplish what you want, however, is a strip of bright colored tape down the middle of the top...something narrow like striping tape.


I move around the shop a lot. The other day I was skip planing some lumber, then took it over to the bandsaw to resaw. Back to the planer for thickness. Later setting depth of a router bit, and later checking the width of the tenon I was cutting on the tablesaw.

I'm not disciplined enough to put it back everytime.

But I like the idea of a colorful stripe.

[Clifford McGuire]

I use black rules with white markings. Really easy to see. Got them on Ebay from Taylor Tools. -Howard

I like those. Thanks Howard.

[Melvin Feng]

Have you looked into the incra T rules? I have the 3 inch and the 6 inch, and find them quite useful. I also keep them hanging on a magnetic strip next to a .5 mm mechanical pencil, I'm partial to the Rotring 600 and pentel graphgear 1000.

[Jim Becker]

I move around the shop a lot. The other day I was skip planing some lumber, then took it over to the bandsaw to resaw. Back to the planer for thickness. Later setting depth of a router bit, and later checking the width of the tenon I was cutting on the tablesaw.

I'm not disciplined enough to put it back everytime.

But I like the idea of a colorful stripe.


You might consider having a dedicated rule or caliper at some of those stations. I have a small 6"/150mm rule at my J/P for quick checks when switching over from face jointing to thicknessing, for example. I'm considering putting a dedicated caliper there, too, for convenience. In many cases, these tools can be "stuck" to the machine in a convenient place using magnets or a simple pouch/mount.

[Jim Matthews]

I've taken to using calipers, beam gauges and story sticks instead of rulers. The rulers I *must * use get pencil marks for reference.

[Michael Drew]

I just try my best to bury myself in measuring devices. About one device for every three square feet of shop space pretty much guarantees that I can always find at least one of what I need. I also make sure to have several in my car and on my nightstand, just in case.

:D I almost blew coffee on my keyboard laughing out loud....... I do the same thing. Rulers, tape measures and flashlights everywhere. And more recently - cheap Costco reading glasses, everywhere.

[Clifford McGuire]

You might consider having a dedicated rule or caliper at some of those stations. I have a small 6"/150mm rule at my J/P for quick checks when switching over from face jointing to thicknessing, for example. I'm considering putting a dedicated caliper there, too, for convenience. In many cases, these tools can be "stuck" to the machine in a convenient place using magnets or a simple pouch/mount.

Dedicated rulers at every device is a good idea.

The 'pouch' idea got me thinking.....maybe a pocket protector stuck to the side of the planer, bandsaw, jointer, router table, etc. Do they still make pocket protectors? :)

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I really don't think a more obvious looking tool helps in the finding of it. Look around your shop, there are all colors of the neon rainbow in there already. Having it in a set place is the only thing that seems to work for me. That falls apart if you are working around others though and they know were to find your stashed tools to replace the ones they lost. I think I might try a taser for that problem.

[Ryan Yeaglin]

Kinda what Jim said, but mask off the lines and spray paint the middle with neon paint (green, pink, something that will show up and look out of place amongst wood). I had to do this to my aluminum straight edge at work, I work with stainless and with a bunch of things on my workbench the bright color helps it stand out (In my case it was neon orange).

[John K Jordan]

I often use a 6" or 12" ruler. I like the hook rules the best.
They are flat, but shiny, so I can usually see where I left them. That is until a fine coating of dust settles. Then they are almost un-seeable to my aging eyes.
I've purchased brightly colored ear protection, tape measures, marking knives, etc. I was looking at brightly colored rulers, but I read that they are made of aluminum, and their thickness makes it hard to transfer the marks to the wood.
Any thoughts? Any recommendations?

I put rulers on magnets so I always know where they are. I have one small aluminum ruler with a 1/4" hole near one end for hanging on a nail - I pressed a thin 1/4" super magnet into the hole and it now lives on my bandsaw.
I always have two of each so if I lay one down and can't find it I can reach for another, in which case I almost always immediately find where I put the first one.

I prefer the Starrett rules with the soft, smooth finish and perfectly etched lines and numbers. I don't like rulers with shiny polished surfaces since the light sometimes reflects into my eyes. I find them harder to read.

JKJ

[Jim Becker]

Dedicated rulers at every device is a good idea.

The 'pouch' idea got me thinking.....maybe a pocket protector stuck to the side of the planer, bandsaw, jointer, router table, etc. Do they still make pocket protectors? :)
Actually, the "pocket protector" metaphor isn't bad at all, because it can be affixed with magnets and hold non-magnetic measuring devices as well as, say...a pencil. At some tools, it's just handy to have that "at the tool". That's certainly the case at my J/P as I mentioned previously. And my layout tools remain available where they are used the most.

[John K Jordan]

Actually, the "pocket protector" metaphor isn't bad at all, because it can be affixed with magnets and hold non-magnetic measuring devices as well as, say...a pencil. At some tools, it's just handy to have that "at the tool". That's certainly the case at my J/P as I mentioned previously. And my layout tools remain available where they are used the most.

The pocket protector is a great idea!

Although for pencils, sharpies and such I'm pretty happy with a bit of soft iron wire wrapped around near the top - quick to grab and quick to return.

JKJ

[lowell holmes]

I have both Lowes and Home Depot 15 minutes from my house. When looking for a new toy I go there and look.
Most of the time, I find what I'm looking for.

[Jim Becker]

The pocket protector is a great idea!

Although for pencils, sharpies and such I'm pretty happy with a bit of soft iron wire wrapped around near the top - quick to grab and quick to return.

JKJ

It would be easy to make a wooden version from scrap to hold to a tool via rare earth magnets. It would be stronger and better sized for this use than a typical pocket protector thingies.

[Rod Sheridan]

This will sound a little preachy but I solved my problem of misplaced tools years ago. 90+ percent of the time I put a tool back where it goes when I am not currently using it.



Bingo!

That's the solution I use as well.

Regards, Rod.

[Ellen Benkin]

That's one of the major reasons for wearing an apron with pockets for rules, pencils, and tapes. It's my bad when I just put them down on the bench and not in the pocket. The second major reason is to keep my tshirt clean.

[John K Jordan]

...The second major reason is to keep my tshirt clean.

What is this clean shirt concept?

Mine yesterday was infused with fine sawdust and bits of anchorseal wax, a little finish watco oil finish, embedded with small pieces of hay from throwing hay to the horses, grease from fighting with rebuilding a friend's grinder, a significant amt of fblood from doctoring an injured peacock with a torn claw, some unidentified stain probably from the back end of a hen that put up a fight to remove bandages from her foot, and a questionable stain following wrangling llamas and alpacas to manually extract fecal samples to mail off for testing. The shirt I started with today is in better condition at the moment but it's still early.

I might have to look into this apron idea. Or maybe get out a full Tyvec suit from the drawer. :)

[Andrew Seemann]

I'm a fan of the Starrett 414 English pattern ruler. They are overpriced for what you get and not what you think of when you hear "Starrett Quality", but for me they have the virtue that I can see the d@mn thing. The numbers are big and the finest graduation is 1/16". I typically use the 1/8" graduation and just infer in the 1/32" or whatever I need. For me, that is easier than trying to figure out which blur is the right one on a more finely graduated ruler. I have a regular 6" Starrett (love that satin chrome) sitting on the table saw fence and various other kinds of 6" and 12" in the layout-tools-I-use-the-most drawer.

Tape measures: I find I need a minimum of four in a 24' x 28' shop.

451089

[Jim Becker]

That's one of the major reasons for wearing an apron with pockets for rules, pencils, and tapes. It's my bad when I just put them down on the bench and not in the pocket. The second major reason is to keep my tshirt clean.
A good apron can do those things for sure. I'm not comfortable with wearing one, myself, but know many folks who really like them for sure!