Your Essential Incra Rules

[David Shoemaker]

I've been thinking about investing in some Incra Rules and have been tempted by some of their sets. But, I can't help wondering... do I really needed 3 different sizes of each rule? I'd hate to spend $200 plus on a set of rules, only to use a few of them.

So, I'd like to ask: If you use Incra rules, which ones do you use the most? What do you think are the essential ones to purchase? Thanks in advance!

[Jim Becker]

I use the rules from Lee Valley...the whole set. They have both imperial and metric markings which serves me well.

http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/pag...68&cat=1,43513



I only have one type of Incra Rules devices...the protractor...and it's an OK tool. What I am looking forward to using is the Woodpeckers tee-square layout rule that I just picked up at The Woodworking Shows event in NJ. It arrived a few days ago.

[William Adams]

Haven't bought any, but the ones which I want are the smaller / special purpose ones. Need to work up a list and buy a couple sometime soon.

[Rick Moyer]

I use the rules from Lee Valley...the whole set. They have both imperial and metric markings which serves me well.

http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/pag...68&cat=1,43513



I only have one type of Incra Rules devices...the protractor...and it's an OK tool. What I am looking forward to using is the Woodpeckers tee-square layout rule that I just picked up at The Woodworking Shows event in NJ. It arrived a few days ago.

Jim I use their small 6" version a lot. Really like it.

[Peter Kuhlman]

I have a few of the Incra rules and no longer use them. They are so floppy that I find then of no benefit. Just try to pick up a 12” or longer model and mark something - very awkward and frustrating for me. Sure they are super accurate but I get the same benefit from using my Starret and Lee Valley rules.

[Stephen Rosenthal]

The only Incra rule I have is their 6" T-rule. Highly recommended. They offer other sizes, but I don't need those.

[Rod Sheridan]

I have the rules that Jim illustrated.

They're well made, and have metric and that other weird measurement system on them

They also come in a range of sizes, the smallest is just right for a pocket and the longest handles most large cabinet pieces.........Rod.

[Randy Heinemann]

I have several Incra rules and a 6" and 12" T-rule. I use the smallest Incra rules, 3" and 6", plus the T-rules most often. The small rules I use for measuring and marking on a very small scale. The T's I find are sometimes useful for running a line along at a constant distance from an edge. Problem is that .5 mm lead is so thin it breaks a lot. I also have a corner marking rule from INcra. I use this to transfer marks around an edge. They all come in handy when I need them, but I would think that you could get along without any of them. For sure, you don't need a whole set. I have other marking T-squares from Woodpeckers that I use more often because I can use whatever marking pencil I want and they are just as accurate.

[Matt Day]

I have a couple sets of the LV ones Jig m mentioned and they’re my go to’s. The 6” and 12” get the most use.

[Prashun Patel]

I have the Incra 6" T rule. It's fine. It does what is says it does.

The thing is, for the frequency of use, I think it's visually fatiguing. There are just too many markings. And I don't really find that the holes improve the marking. I find it easier to mark with a conventional ruler that goes to 1/16".

One nice thing about the T rule: There are times I want to scribe a line from the edge. It's pretty good for this.

[Ralph Okonieski]

I have the 6 inch T-rule. Can’t say I use on every project but do use frequently. The markings are hard to read at times due to the shear number of them but would not want to do without the rule.

[Frederick Skelly]

It's not what you asked for, but here's another option from Lee Valley. I have all of these. After using them a few times, I got rid of all my others (except for 2 WP rules). I like these for 2 reasons: 1) they dont overwhelm with fine gradations; 2) on one side, the scale starts at 0 next to the hook, on the other it's zero against the non-hook end. It's shocking how much I love this feature.

Like I said, I kept my 2 WP rules but I seldom use them.

Fred

[Jim Becker]

Fred, I have one of those, too, for when the hook is convenient. But I prefer the others that I posted about earlier...and even more so now that I've started working almost exclusively in metric.

[Frederick Skelly]

Fred, I have one of those, too, for when the hook is convenient. But I prefer the others that I posted about earlier...and even more so now that I've started working almost exclusively in metric.

Understand Jim. I plan to order one of the 36" rules from that set you flagged!

[Ken Platt]

I'm going to differ with most of the posters so far and say flat out that I love these things, and use them nearly constantly. They may be the most used items in my "marking and measuring" tool set.

I actually have a whole set of T-rules and bend rules, in 6", 12" and 18" sizes. I find that marking a workpiece off a mark on a rule to be very difficult to do with precision, and not improving as I age. With the Incra rules, easy to mark and always dead-on repeatable. I don't use the "X-Y" or protractor often, but they also are great when I need their particular capacities. They didn't have the 3" when I started buying these things, and I don't see that it adds anything to the 6" ones for me. Maybe if I started making a lot of tiny projects.

I do break the lead often, especially in wood with deep pores like red oak, but I just click it out and keep right on going. These leads are so cheap that I am still working on the first package of leads I got years ago. I didn't like the Incra-branded pencil that came with one of the rules way back, so I got a couple others at an office store.

If something happened to mine, I would buy another whole set immediately. If I had to pick less than the full set, I'd probably do without the 18" bend and T-rules, the protractor, and the X-Y one. But trying to do without the 6" and 12" bend and T-rules would be like learning to get by without the tablesaw. I could do it, and replace the capacities in other ways, but it'd be hard.

I am really surprised that there aren't more positive comments on these - I find them to be indispensable.

Ken