Straight edge hanging hole

[Jay Norton]

Has anyone drilled a hole in their straight edge for hanging/storage?

Did it affect the accuracy?

[Mel Fulks]

I think hanging a straight edge is , correct. I made an 8 foot one many years ago . It’s quarter inch tempered Masonite with white
Formica glued on both sides , almost 8 feet long and 4 /1/2 inches wide . Only one edge was filed and tested to be accurate.
If I had one made of platinum, I would still keep it hanging vertically.

[Jay Norton]

Agree, hanging is a good storage method.

My question is does drilling a hole in a steel/aluminum straight edge have any affect on accuracy?

[Mel Fulks]

Yes , makes it ‘more better’ ,cuz you can hang it correctly. It will NOT be distorted by a drilled hole at end. Lending them to a friend
is the accuracy killer. If you do that ,don’t be surprised if you drop in unexpected and see your straight edge across two sawhorses, holding concrete blocks.


.former friend

[John Ziebron]

I have a couple of straight edges, the longer one is 52 inches, and both came with a hole on one end so they can hang vertically. A hole near the end will not affect accuracy but if you drill a hole anywhere along it's length it probably would.

[Bill Dufour]

A very poor idea for a precision edge. Wood workers do not normally pay for a precision edge.
Bill D

[Dave Sabo]

I’m guessing he ain’t talking about a $500 Starrett in this case

[John Ziebron]

A very poor idea for a precision edge. Wood workers do not normally pay for a precision edge.
Bill D

The term "precision edge" is very subjective. It means one thing to a woodworker and quite another to a machinist. For a woodworker something like a good 50 inch precision edge with an accuracy of .003 inches over it's length can be had for less than $100. While not needed directly for use on wood projects it is almost a must have for setting up and maintaining woodworking machines like jointers and planers with outfeed tables. So you still want to take proper care of it which means hanging it vertically.

[Robert Hayward]

What does the National Bureau of Standards say about storing a precision straight edge? Someone on here must have access to or knowledge of what the NBS says.

[andrew whicker]

The machine shops I worked at always stored them horizontally in a wooden box. They had money and space though. Don't see why vert vs horizontal really matters. A proper machine shop checks them for dimensionality on a regular schedule as well


The Starrett, etc straightedges are pretty thick and beefy. Like cross section of 5/8 thick and 1.5 inches tall if I recall correctly.

I have a cheapo aluminum one that works fine for woodworking and it came with a hanging hole. I just lean mine at the moment.

[Warren Lake]

be good to know the what and why. I have a serious straight edge originally made for a tool and die maker. Hes not around now otherwise Id ask but may have past and forgot I did. Its hanging now.

looked on a machinist forum says hanging up till they get too heavy to safely hang.

[Jay Norton]

I gave Starrett a call and spoke to a tech. He said drilling a hole in the end would not affect the accuracy.

[Warren Lake]

what did he say about hanging

[Michael Burnside]

Is your question if it is hanging vertically would it stretch and affect accuracy or is it the hole will somehow distort the rule? If you're worried about it stretching, even aluminum has a modulus of roughly 250-280N. The force of gravity is a measly 9.8N and therefore would not be enough to even come close to elongating your rule in the slightest. You're more apt to lose accuracy by dropping it or letting your kid play with it :D

[Jay Norton]

what did he say about hanging

He recommended hanging as an alternative to horizontal (properly supported)

[Jay Norton]

Is your question if it is hanging vertically would it stretch and affect accuracy or is it the hole will somehow distort the rule? If you're worried about it stretching, even aluminum has a modulus of roughly 250-280N. The force of gravity is a measly 9.8N and therefore would not be enough to even come close to elongating your rule in the slightest. You're more apt to lose accuracy by dropping it or letting your kid play with it :D


I was questioning if drilling the hole would distort the metal.

[Bill Dufour]

I was thinking cast iron camelback. For a simple steel flat bar. Not much effect.
BillD

[Warren Lake]

what I read think he said he hands camel back up to a certain weight then they put them somewhere special maybe on a plate or something as too heavy to be lifting. SO hanging is fine and wont be concerned. This was built from a shear blade then tool and die maker had it ground. Friend knew he was selling it went behind my back and bought it for my birthday.

[Greg Quenneville]

For precision straight edges the machinists are taught to support them on the airy or bessel points. The bessel points are .56 of the length apart, centered on the tool.

[Andrew Hughes]

I have 72 inch precision straight edge I bought from suburban tools. I keep it hanging from the hole in the heavy cardboard tube they sent it in.
My other straight edges are for wood and lay in well on my bench.

[Bill Dufour]

For precision straight edges the machinists are taught to support them on the airy or bessel points. The bessel points are .56 of the length apart, centered on the tool.
I knew a surface plate had airy points as does the support base. I did not know they were used for a straight edge.
Bill D

[Ole Anderson]

We are talking for woodworking use here and not NBS caliber stuff, right?

[Robert Hayward]

We are talking for woodworking use here and not NBS caliber stuff, right?

I sometimes wonder that same thing.

[Mel Fulks]

The main reason I made the 8 foot straight edge was to lay out an accurate sundial. Cast them from pewter and sold a bunch of them.
Even as kid I was fascinated by real sundials. I also have a North-South “noon mark” on the kitchen ceiling. Great instructive fun for kids
…of all ages. Done with mirrors ! There is a ridiculous number of non working sundials for sale.

[glenn bradley]

Mine have holes for hanging. I still did this.
504273504274504275504276504277
Just three pieces of elec conduit spares. Made sense for me since I already have cleat walls.

[Mike Cutler]

Drilling a hole is not going to affect it's accuracy.
I started my career working in a mechanical standards lab. I "calibrated" devices like straight edges, calipers, and such. In a lab, and machine shop environment, you will not find precision tools hanging from pegs and nails. They're almost always kept in wooden boxes, or drawers, for protection when not in use.
I have two Starrett 72" machine rules that lost their NIST Cert back in the 90's. They went from $700.00 precision tools, to 6' paint stirrers, when their paperwork was lost. They hang by holes drilled into the ends with the rest of my straight edges. My squares are a different story. They are very well protected when not in use. It's very easy to damage a square.

[Greg Quenneville]

In answer to the question about overkill for woodworking purposes:

My precision tools are for calibrating and adjusting my woodworking machines primarily. For the actual projects I have more appropriate tools.