Straight Edge Selection & Basic Set Up tools

[Daryl Upole]

Hi,

I've got my PM 66 on the way and want to get the right set up tools. My contractor saws, jointer, etc. have all been set up with levels, rulers, etc. I need to get off dead center & get this stuff ordered - I don't have any local sources.

I don't want to spend a ton of money; but I don't want to buy junk either. The Starrett steel straight edges I've seen are well over $100 for 36" and $200 for 48". I found the Veritas for $60 for a 38" steel or $43 & $75 for 38" & 50" aluminum. Is the Veritas a good choice for the money? Is the Starrett worth the difference for my purpose? Is there another choice? 38" or 50"? Steel or aluminum?

Also, can you point me to other basic set up tools & sources that I should have? I've got basic ideas from articles & forums - but just wondered about your thoughts on the actual necessities & sources for those - how far to go?

Thanks!

[Timothy Aiken]

They have a nice sale going on now. I received a nice set of 3 straight edges for Christmas. They are offer a set of 12", 24" and 36" straight edges for $61.90.
Good luck,
Tim

[Gary Keedwell]

I have the Starrett 4' straightedge that I desperately bought when I had jointer problems. At the time Veritas didn't have their 4 footer. The reason for the 4 footer was so I could see the co-planer of the jointer. I built a nice box for it and keep it safe and ding-free.
Gary

[Jeff Booth]

I have the Starrett 3' .... watched Ebay for ~ 3 months to get it NOS for ~$80

But I also have an aging jointer that really needed a tuneup. I think the Lee Valley stuff is probably more than good enough. If I had it to do over again I would have gotten the LV aluminum. All their other stuff I have ever gotten is top notch, and I have every reason to believe the aluminum straight edge would be the same. You can save some money for a nice double square :cool: ..... or WOOD ..............

Jeff

[Mike Marcade]

Starrett, Suburban, Mitutoyo cost quite a bit but are worth it in my opinion. Before you buy check out the tolerance per foot. The ones I mentioned should be in the ballpark of .0005" per foot. Compare that to what you want to buy and your mileage will vary accordingly.

[Art Mann]

I bought a 3 foot aluminum straight edge from Lee Valley and it has been ideal for my purposes. Keep in mind what you are going to do with it. You are not setting up machine tools. This is woodworking. For example, the specification for flatness of the Delta Unisaw is 0.015", if I remember correctly. I bet the spec on the PM 66 is the same. Differences of 1 or 2 thousandths are irrelevant from a practical standpoint.

Edit: Here is a link. http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=50074&cat=1,240,45313

[Jim Thiel]

A quick paste from the GW site:

"They are extremely straight (tolerance 0.0005" per inch of length)...

While these do not attain the professional machinist's accuracy of Starrett straightedges, they are over 50% cheaper, and we feel strongly that they are plenty good for woodworkers' uses. The opposite edges are perfectly parallel."

I'll leave you to decide if a 64th over 3' needs to be a deal breaker. Worst case, wouldn't that be a crown of 1/128?

Jim

[Bruce Page]

I have the alum 50" Lee Valley. Excellent straight edge for the money.

[Steve Kohn]

Check McMaster-Carr for straightedges. They have a range of prices.

[glenn bradley]

I have the 38" steel Veritas and love it. Like others, I keep it rolled in 'no-rust' paper and tucked in it's own special holder. It is thick enough to stand on its own and heavy enough to stay put. A small and medium machinists square come in handy and for daily use in moving from one setting to another, something like the Wixey or Beall angle gauge comes in very handy.

[Mike Marcade]

Check McMaster-Carr for straightedges. They have a range of prices.

McMaster sells the Surburban that I was eluding to earlier. They make good stuff.

[Daryl Upole]

They have a nice sale going on now. I received a nice set of 3 straight edges for Christmas. They are offer a set of 12", 24" and 36" straight edges for $61.90.
Good luck,
Tim

Thanks, Tim. I found this set you described and I am considering them. Approx. how thick are they & do they stand easily on edge?
Daryl

[Daryl Upole]

I have the 38" steel Veritas and love it. Like others, I keep it rolled in 'no-rust' paper and tucked in it's own special holder. It is thick enough to stand on its own and heavy enough to stay put. A small and medium machinists square come in handy and for daily use in moving from one setting to another, something like the Wixey or Beall angle gauge comes in very handy.

What is the "no-rust" paper & what are the sources?

[Timothy Aiken]

They are beveled with the scale running along the thinner side. They stand on the back side with the scale along the top. Is that the edge you intended them to be stood on? I think they are about a 3/8" thick on the back side and probably an 1/8" on the thin side which is the side the scale is located on. I need to measure them to be exact as i am just guessing. I was surprised how hefty they were. They came coated with a light machine oil and packed in a plastic bag. I am very happy with them.

[Scot Ferraro]

Another vote for the LV steel straight-edge -- plenty accurate for WWing. The paper is what it comes packaged in -- it is a paper that has silicon in it to prevent rust -- planes from LN and LV come packaged in it and you can actually buy it from LN for not much money. I cannot remember the name off the top of my head, but someone here will post it or you can check LN's site.

Scot

[Timothy Aiken]

Daryl,
They all stand on edge. The thick end is 3/16".
Tim

[Chuck Burns]

A top quality straight edge and a couple of machinist sqaures are once in a lifteme investments. Don't by stuff that's just "good enough for WW" because errors stack. Buy Starrett, Mititoyo or Browne and Sharp. You won't regret it. There are places you can save money (like buying a Bosch sander instead of a Festool) and places you shouldn't. Set up tools are one of the shouldn't. Today, I do not regret the money I spent on quality tools thirty years ago.

[Mike Marcade]

A top quality straight edge and a couple of machinist sqaures are once in a lifteme investments. Don't by stuff that's just "good enough for WW" because errors stack. Buy Starrett, Mititoyo or Browne and Sharp. You won't regret it. There are places you can save money (like buying a Bosch sander instead of a Festool) and places you shouldn't. Set up tools are one of the shouldn't. Today, I do not regret the money I spent on quality tools thirty years ago.

AMEN BROTHER! :D