Starrett accuracy at a lower price

[Mark Rios]

I've owned Snap-On Tools all my life and I like to kick around their website every now and then.

While looking the other day I noticed that they sell straightedges. Knowing their rep for top quality I checked out the specs on the straightedges. They are, from what I can tell, the exact same specs as Starret tools. The prices, however, are considerably cheaper, foot for foot. For example, Snap-on's price for a 36" is $99.85. At Garrett Wade the same length is $164.50.


I know that the straightedge issue has been discussed at length and some folks can set up their tables with a stick they find on the road but I just wanted to pass it along.

[Rick Lizek]

http://garrettwade.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=107414&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=0&iSubCat=0&iProductID=107414
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/tools.asp?tool=all&Group_ID=17363&store=snapon-store
Garrett Wade sells the 36" for $64.60
Snap On sells the 35" for $99.85
Post your links. Was this a sale at Snap On? GW lists a package deal of three different sizes for $99.

[Mark Rios]

No problem Rick. I was comparing Starrett to Starrett.

Here is the page for some imported straightedges at Garrett Wade (I think this is the page you reference):

http://www.garrettwade.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&itemID=107414

Here is a portion of their description,"......We found them at China tool maker's shop. They are really straight (tolerance 0.0005" per inch of length) and, in contrast to our much more expansive Starrett straightedges, have bevel "knife edges". This makes them easier to use. The edges are marked as standard decimal inches (machinist's style) instead of imperial fractions.

These do not attain the "professional machinist's" accuracy of our Starrett straightedges, but they cost less than 50% of the cost of those and we feel strongly are plenty good for woodworkers' uses."

This is the Garrett Wade Starrett straightedge page:

http://www.garrettwade.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=102752&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=0&iSubCat=0&iProductID=102752

And here is the Snap-On page:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/tools.asp?tool=hand&SUB_Cat_ID=123554&SUB_Cat_NAME=Measuring+Sets+%2F+Straight+Edges+%2F +Steel+Rules&Cat_ID=123526&Cat_NAME=Measuring&group_id=17363&group_name=Precision+Straight+Edges&store=snapon-store

Sorry for any confusion. HTH


I like the Snap-On and the Starretts (they are probably the same, just different names) because I never know when I'll need that extra .0003 (three/ten thousandths) of accuracy when I'm whacking it against a tree because I made a mistake or something.

[tod evans]

how `bout using a bar of knife steel? .02 tod

43463

[Gary Keedwell]

Just to put things in perspective: .0005 per inch will give you 18 thousands per 36" That is not very accurate.


Gary K.

Pss. Starrett is .0002 per FOOT. = .0006 per 3 feet.

[Mike Linne]

Claimed accuracies:
Starretts: 0.0002" per foot
Snap-on: 0.0002" per foot
GW "economy": 0.0060" per foot

So in theory the Starrett and Snap-on offerings are 30 times more accurate. To put it into perspective - would a tablesaw or jointer performance be compromised by being off flat by as much as 0.018"? If not consider the GW.

[Mark Rios]

Just to put things in perspective: .0005 per inch will give you 18 thousands per 36" That is not very accurate.


Gary K.


HAH!.....I didn't see the "....per inch", I assumed it was per foot like any others that I've seen. I guess that's why they put in the disclamer. :D

[Mark Rios]

Claimed accuracies:
Starretts: 0.0002" per foot
Snap-on: 0.0002" per foot
GW "economy": 0.0060" per foot

So in theory the Starrett and Snap-on offerings are 30 times more accurate. To put it into perspective - would a tablesaw or jointer performance be compromised by being off flat by as much as 0.018"? If not consider the GW.


I don't know, what do you all think? After successive passes on a jointer, would the discrepancies start to accumulate? I would think that it would but I'm not in a position to give a definitive answer.
Grizzleys specs say that a >.004 difference across their jointer tables is too much. At least that's what I was told by them two years ago.

I'd probably do just as well with a stick.

[Per Swenson]

Disclaimer.......

I am a measurement tool collector.

Squares n' straight edges.

Truth is, in practicality ,with wood the stick in the road works good.

Back before I was reformed and I spent my dispoable income on

Beer and Boobs, I could show up on a install with a chalk box, circular saw,

and a plane, walk away a hero. After all its the human eye and hand that

decides the quality of work when all is said and done.

Still, I am a proud owner of all that hardware.

It just keeps my head straight rather then my finshed product.

Per

[Mark Rios]

how `bout using a bar of knife steel? .02 tod

43463
How good is it at "after the mistake" tree whacking?

[Chris Barton]

I have a 48" aluminum strait edge made by Johnson and bought from a borg for about $10. Like Per said, with wood it doesn't matter. If you'er within a 64th you have you bases covered. The greatest craftsmen of recent history, Townsend, Green, etc... never had or used anything of this nature and their work now sells for millions.

[Al Willits]

Having just purchased a new 8" York Jointer and having all the straight edges in my shop/garage be probably more than a bit off from 25+ years of misuse, I'm thinking a 48-50" straight edge would probably work well for setting the jointer up.

Seems to be quite the difference in opinion as to how accurate the straight edge needs to be.
The weekend machinist in me wants to buy the Starrett, but the accountant in me says might be a bit overkill to spend that much money for a tool I'll only use a very few times.

Seems the more I search for a answer, the more answers I find...

Signed, confused in Mpls......:)

[Per Swenson]

Al,

As I said above, because I collect I have a plethora of accurate straight edges.
You know which one I use on the jointer?
This one. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009V140U/sr=8-15/qid=1153919357/ref=sr_1_15/102-2031238-9252956?ie=UTF8

That and a serves more then one purpose.

note...when I bought mine is was $118.


just saying.

Per

[Al Willits]

Per, it seems to be on sale for $66, that and I could actually use that for other things....might be the way to go, thanks

Al