Best Straight Edge Quality and Price to buy?

[Greg Parrish]

I think these are pretty reasonable.
https://www.ptreeusa.com/layout_straight_edge.htm

that’s what I have. The 50” version. It’s .003 accurate overall and .001 per foot accuracy according to Fulton. For table saw, jointer, etc leveling it works great. It also confirms my 48” empire level, which claims identical accuracy, is flat and accurate.

I think these are great value without stepping up to a much pricier starrett machinist steel straight edge.

[Kevin Jenness]

"Best" depends on what you are trying to do. I have a 24" steel straightedge from Lee Valley that I feel is a good value for general shop work. Its advertised tolerance is .0015". At 1/4" thick it easily stands on edge without tipping.

I also have a 72" Starret that has been calibrated to <.001". I rely on it for tasks like setting up a longbed jointer. Extruded aluminum levels may well be straight enough for the task, but it's hard to tell without a known reference to start with. Short straightedges can be used to align long tables but you run into problems when the tables themselves aren't perfectly flat.

One way to have a long accurate inexpensive straightedge is to make one of sheetstock or stable wood on a good sliding tablesaw.

[Bob Falk]

+1 on the Lee Valley....it was about $100, but helped me get my jointer beds set flat.....

[Ole Anderson]

I have a six foot aluminum level with milled edges which seems dead on, but I don't have a standard to compare it to. At work (civil engineering) we used to have stainless steel trimming/drafting straight edges with a ground edge. https://www.draftingsuppliesdew.com/...waAg_tEALw_wcB

[Andrew Hughes]

I also have the Lee Valley steel and aluminum straight edges. For a more precision straight edge I have one from Suburban tools. Its kept it in the tube hanging from the end.

[David M Peters]

+1 to the aluminum straight edges from Peach Tree, I have both models.

[Derek Cohen]

Not remotely useful for any sort of layout work, but I have a 'stick' with notches bandsawed in the ends, bent to tension a length of safety wire. You can't get much straighter than that.

Clever!

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Robert Hayward]

Check out the straight edges made for flooring installers. Tough and made to handle field conditions. I have a 4' Crain hanging on a nail on the wall I bought years ago to set up a jointer. Have found many uses for it since other than checking table alignment. I also have a 6'8" MD door jamb level that is an excellent straight edge. The 4' aluminum rulers from the box stores are also used for straight edges in my shop.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I bought an I-gaging one at Grizzly years ago. When it arrived, it didn't meet the manufacturer's own specs. I called Grizzly, they shipped a replacement telling me to keep the original one too. I found that the error was just in the last 3 inches at one end. I took a punch and marked that end. I use the new one but do on occasion use the defective one.

[Warren Lake]

what Kevin said and id want two lengths. Have a 72" friend bought from a tool and die maker. Perfect for doing the small jointers.

He had a shorter one and would have asked for that one as well. This is a bit large and heavy for some smaller stuff.

[John Pendery]

I like the stewmac straight edges. One edge is beveled making it much easier to see daylight or use feeler gauges. I don’t build guitars or dial in fretboards, but I still like their straightedges better than others I own. Downside is they don’t come in long lengths so may not work depending on application

[Larry Frank]

I have the Veritas 38" aluminum straight edge. Flat to 0.003" over the length. It is good enough for my shop uses.

[Michael Drew]

I recently bought two. A 39" steel and a 50" aluminum. The steel is great for precision work, like setting up machines where the extra mass and weight come in handy. https://www.amazon.com/Kinex-1039-12...0LHX5XLA&psc=1

The aluminum one is more for every day use. I can hang it on a wall, grab it quickly, hang it back up. It's a Yellowhammer brand, but I think it's probably the same thing Peachtree sells.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...2?ie=UTF8&th=1


https://www.amazon.com/Anodized-Alum...7H4235V3&psc=1

[Bill Dufour]

I have a six foot aluminum level with milled edges which seems dead on, but I don't have a standard to compare it to. At work (civil engineering) we used to have stainless steel trimming/drafting straight edges with a ground edge. https://www.draftingsuppliesdew.com/...waAg_tEALw_wcB

You need three to compare to each other to end up with one(actually three) that is verified accurate. No need to buy anything to compare it to.
Bill D

[Mel Fulks]

I had forgotten that ‘three way’ test . Made sense when I read about it , but it’s gone now. But ,as I reported earlier, when I struck a
line then turned the straight edge around to to align with…line I had made ACCURACY.