What are the essential layout and measuring tools for the woodworking shop?
Which ones are the most needed and which ones are the nice to have?

Philly

Philly (in XigHf.192$0s.99@trndny04) said:

| What are the essential layout and measuring tools for the
| woodworking shop? Which ones are the most needed and which ones are
| the nice to have?

Depends on what's being made. Since you didn't specify "minimalist" or
"low-budget", I'll suggest as essential:

Combination square with protractor head
Trammel points
Long straightedge
Knife

Nice to have:

Sharp pencil
Tape rule
Framing square
Drywall square (mine is square and straight)
Compass and dividers
1-2-3 Block
Digital depth gauge
Digital calipers
Saddle square

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto

Morris Dovey wrote:
Philly (in XigHf.192$0s.99@trndny04) said:

| What are the essential layout and measuring tools for the
| woodworking shop? Which ones are the most needed and which ones are
| the nice to have?

Depends on what's being made. Since you didn't specify "minimalist" or
"low-budget", I'll suggest as essential:

Combination square with protractor head
Trammel points
Long straightedge
Knife

Nice to have:

Sharp pencil
Tape rule
Framing square
Drywall square (mine is square and straight)
Compass and dividers
1-2-3 Block
Digital depth gauge
Digital calipers
Saddle square

dial protractor.

er
--
email not valid

Morris Dovey wrote:

Combination square with protractor head
Trammel points
Long straightedge
Knife

Nice to have:

Sharp pencil
Tape rule
Framing square
Drywall square (mine is square and straight)
Compass and dividers
1-2-3 Block
Digital depth gauge
Digital calipers
Saddle square

--

I would add a dial caliper with fractions clearly marked ( saw one at
Lowes in the $20.00 range), great for planing and checking thickness.
Maybe then a 3' straight edge. The perfect size for most cabinet work
when you are building bases. OH!! and a folding ruler! The extension
slider will measure inside-to-inside and keep your measurement if you
just want to trace it direct.Nice for adding shelves to cases.

Tom in KY, addicted and over-run with the tool habit.

Morris Dovey (in ) said:

| Philly (in XigHf.192$0s.99@trndny04) said:
|
|| What are the essential layout and measuring tools for the
|| woodworking shop? Which ones are the most needed and which ones are
|| the nice to have?
|
| Depends on what's being made. Since you didn't specify "minimalist"
| or "low-budget", I'll suggest as essential:
|
| Combination square with protractor head
| Trammel points
| Long straightedge
| Knife
|
| Nice to have:
|
| Sharp pencil
| Tape rule
| Framing square
| Drywall square (mine is square and straight)
| Compass and dividers
| 1-2-3 Block
| Digital depth gauge
| Digital calipers
| Saddle square

Another entry in the "nice to have" catagory: A "SmartLevel" with both
24" and 48" bodies. I like this measuring tool because it's been far
better than a bubble-type level for repeatability with poor eyesight
and it provides direct angular readings in addition to vertical and
horizontal. It has some "gee-whiz" features like "beep" at horizontal
and vertical, "hold" current reading, and a display that automatically
flips when the level is used upside down. The digital display shows
angles to a tenth of a degree. I also have a short magnetic frame that
makes some machine setups a snap - and I've bought the 48" padded
carrying case to protect it when I take it out of the shop. At almost
$90 it isn't cheap; but I think it's been worth every penny.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto

Tape measure
Digital caliper
speed square

--
Stoutman
http://www.garagewoodworks.com
(Featuring a NEW look)

On Sat, 11 Feb 2006 07:24:39 +0000, Philly opined:

Which ones are the most needed and which ones are the nice to have?

+ Combination square of good manufacture. Empire or Johnson
top-of-the-line is the lowest you want to go. Skip the protractor head and
center finder. Oooh, listen: you can hear the distant chanting
of the villagers: "Star-rett, Star-rett..."

+ Plastic school protractor (local grocer's)

+ Good quality framer's square

+ Good quality pencils. You might consider B or 2B instead of the
ubiquitous #2/HB.

You can cobble up center-finders, scratch awls (rub a 16d
nail on the sidewalk), marking knives, trammels, and the like as you need
them. Once you've made a device, you'll know what you want to look for in
a store-bought version. Then, and only then, go nuts with a Lee Valley
catalog.

Nice:
++ Mortise gauge
++ Long metal straightedge
++ Wing dividers with fine adjustment screw
++ HD compass and trammels

If you do your own designs, you might look at French curves and a better
protractor. Add a T-square and drafting board, or CAD software if you're
so inclined.

IMHO, the other guys are messing with your head. ;-)


The most important layout and measuring devices are your own eyes, brain,
and hands. Understand when and where you need the precision of a
carpenter's pencil, a mechanical pencil, a scratch awl, and a marking
knife. Have fun.

--
"Keep your ass behind you"
wreck20051219 at spambob.net

You don't use a tape measure?? Geesh, I must be living in the dark ages.

--
Stoutman
http://www.garagewoodworks.com
(Featuring a NEW look)]

On Sat, 11 Feb 2006 18:04:30 +0000, opined:

You don't use a tape measure?? Geesh, I must be living in the dark ages

Nah, I just don't make things that are big enough to need one. Good idea
to add one to OP's list. So, OP, get a tape measure. Bright fluorescent!

"Morris Dovey" wrote in message
...
Philly (in XigHf.192$0s.99@trndny04) said:

| What are the essential layout and measuring tools for the
| woodworking shop? Which ones are the most needed and which ones are
| the nice to have?

Depends on what's being made. Since you didn't specify "minimalist" or
"low-budget", I'll suggest as essential:

Combination square with protractor head
Trammel points
Long straightedge
Knife

Nice to have:

Sharp pencil
Tape rule
Framing square
Drywall square (mine is square and straight)
Compass and dividers
1-2-3 Block
Digital depth gauge
Digital calipers
Saddle square

Nice list Morris. In addition to Morris's list I would include:

Chalk - I use chalk all the time. I put chalk marks on would to be joined.
When all the chalk is gone the face is flat. I also use it in place of a
pencil when I can. It is a lot easier to get rid of than pencil marks.

Drafting Pencil - I use it in place of a marking knife in many situations.

6" Rule - I always have my favorite 6" rule with me in the shop. I find it
easier to position than a 12".

Center Finding Ruler

Good Lighting - I am getting older and need good light to accurately measure
and layout

1/4" Graph paper - I keep a pad on the bench. I find it easier to figure
out design details by doing a quick drawing.

Only One Tape Measure - I used to keep a bunch of tapes around so there was
always one close but I found out the hard way that they each had their own
measurement system. Now I keep only one tape and make sure that all
machines are referenced to it.

Frank Drackman wrote:
[schnible]

Nice list Morris. In addition to Morris's list I would include:

Chalk - I use chalk all the time. I put chalk marks on would to be joined.
When all the chalk is gone the face is flat. I also use it in place of a
pencil when I can. It is a lot easier to get rid of than pencil marks.

Chalk or talcum powder? Chalk is abrasive on tool edges, I think.

[more good ideas, snipped]

er
--
email not valid

Australopithecus scobis wrote:

IMHO, the other guys are messing with your head. ;-)

Struth. I said dial protractor, but I laid it up against angles
measured and cut using my simple protractor, and there was only 5
minutes or less divergence from the desired angle.

But it looks very nice.

er
--
email not valid

"Enoch Root" wrote in message
...
Frank Drackman wrote:
[schnible]

Nice list Morris. In addition to Morris's list I would include:

Chalk - I use chalk all the time. I put chalk marks on would to be
joined.
When all the chalk is gone the face is flat. I also use it in place of a
pencil when I can. It is a lot easier to get rid of than pencil marks.

Chalk or talcum powder? Chalk is abrasive on tool edges, I think.

So is wood, I think..


[more good ideas, snipped]

er
--
email not valid

In article , "Frank Drackman" wrote:


Chalk - I use chalk all the time. [...] It is a lot easier to get rid of than pencil marks.

Depends on the wood. Maple, beech, or cherry, yes. Red oak, hell no. Did that
exactly once. Wound up spending an hour and a half with a dental explorer,
picking chalk out of the pores, before applying finish; even the 1.5HP dust
collector wouldn't get it all.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

"Doug Miller" wrote in message
. com...
In article , "Frank Drackman"
wrote:


Chalk - I use chalk all the time. [...] It is a lot easier to get rid of
than pencil marks.

Depends on the wood. Maple, beech, or cherry, yes. Red oak, hell no. Did
that
exactly once. Wound up spending an hour and a half with a dental explorer,
picking chalk out of the pores, before applying finish; even the 1.5HP
dust
collector wouldn't get it all.


I never thought of the open pore problem. Did you try a wet sponge? Almost
100% of the hardwood that I use is cherry & maple so I never had a problem.
I can honestly say that I learned something today.

stoutman wrote:
"Enoch Root" wrote in message

Chalk or talcum powder? Chalk is abrasive on tool edges, I think.


So is wood, I think..

And sand embedded in the wood. So I've heard.

er
--
email not valid

Two handy layout and measuring tools that I haven't
seen mentioned yet:

Sliding bevel
Veritas bar gauge heads

I find the bar gauge heads great for squaring up
drawers and frames.

I droll and slobber over pages 3 through 21 of the
2005/2006 Lee Valley Fine Woodworking Tools Porn
Catalog.
Jack
--
A common mistake that folks made when trying to design
something completely foolproof was to under estimate
the ingenuity of complete fools.


"Philly" wrote in
message news:XigHf.192$0s.99@trndny04...
| What are the essential layout and measuring tools for
the woodworking shop?
| Which ones are the most needed and which ones are the
nice to have?
|
| Philly
|
|

What are the essential layout and measuring tools for the woodworking shop?

I know it will overlap with what's been posted already, but I'll toss
in my list of most-commonly-used layout and measuring tools as well.
Maybe not the ideal tools, but they're what I reach for most.
1. Good-quality 12" combination square (I'd say this should be your
first purchase - absolutely essential, in my opinion. I haven't used
the centerfinding or protractor heads yet)
2. Small (4" or so) graduated engineer's square
3. 0.5mm mechanical pencil
4. Lee Valley Saddle Square (At first $11 seemed like a lot for this
little chunk of aluminum, but I use it a LOT)
5. Dial caliper (fractional would be nice)
6. Graph paper notebook
I think that's the list of stuff I use multiple times on almost every
project.

7. 10' tape measure
8. Home-made marking guage (sort of Japanese-style, blade made of old
jigsaw blade)
9. Something to draw circles (I just got some trammel heads, but a
piece of wire wrapped around a pencil and a nail works very
effectively)
10. 48" drywall square
11. 36" straightedge
And I think that wraps up my list of important measuring/layout tools
that are used often but not constantly, depending on the project.
One interesting gadget that I thought I would use a lot, but I actually
don't use very much, is a 6" Incra t-rule - a good square and marking
guage makes this unnecessary. Anyone want one, slightly used?
Hope this helps,
Andy

"Andy" writes:

What are the essential layout and measuring tools for the woodworking shop?

2. Small (4" or so) graduated engineer's square

I have a precision square, but I use a 4" double square much more.


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Sending unsolicited commercial e-mail to this account incurs a fee of
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In addition to the above responses I would add:

Must Have:
A high-quality 6 in. steel rule (is probably the most-used tool in my entire
shop).

Very Nice to Have:
A pair of sliding sticks (I'm not sure of proper name for this) with a
little clamp
that lets you move the sticks to mark a given length. Gives you an exact
and precise
indicator of a length without having to measure and record. Also lets you
get the
length of all kinds to places that are difficult/impossible to measure with
a tape
or rule, e.g. inside of drawer spaces in a cabinet or inside diagonals of a
drawer
or cabinet. You buy the pair of clamps from a woodworking supplier (e.g.
Rockler) and cut the wood strips yourself. The clamps can be used for any
length of wood, so you can have multiple sets of sticks to easily mark
different
length ranges. .

--Billy

"Philly" wrote in message
news:XigHf.192$0s.99@trndny04...
What are the essential layout and measuring tools for the woodworking
shop? Which ones are the most needed and which ones are the nice to have?

Philly

"Andy" wrote in message
ups.com...
One interesting gadget that I thought I would use a lot, but I actually
don't use very much, is a 6" Incra t-rule - a good square and marking
guage makes this unnecessary. Anyone want one, slightly used?
Hope this helps,
Andy


Got one. Rarely used.

A T-square is pretty handy. The sample at the
http://www.patwarner.com/t_square.html link has a lot of application.

If you're going to do traditional joinery get
a Tite-Mark marking gauge - with the
accessory pair of mortise and tenon
cutting wheels. Does what it's supposed
to do better and easier than anything
out there.

charlie b

I hope I'm not too late. You do not mention your needs. This is what I
need for home:

scriber / awl / starter punch
..7mm mechanical pencil(s)
eraser
A sliding protractor, w/ depth slider
aluminum meter stick
tape measure
circle drawing thingy
scribing caliper may be useful, inside and outside possibly for transfer.
a few bucks a piece. last
roofers square
level ( agreat flat and straight edge)
a square
a sliding T-bevel
a combination square (great for marking along an edge, setting up router
bits, etc.)
if a carpenter, a line level, and plumb bob
a dial caliper. 8" is better than 6". Check drill bits. I've got a
conversion chart several pages in length. They are good and accurate to
..001" - about $20. Make sure it is a dial b/c you can see the high, low
spot by rocking the jaws. It does inside, outside, and depth. I can't
imagine one of these graduated in fractions. That is backward helpful. All
fractions have the equivalent decimal. If you have one graduated to
/128ths, you are still 8 fold less precise. a 1/128th is 0.0078125" Since
they are accurate to .001" along the entire length, you can actually see the
8 tenths (ten thousandths) part between the smallest graduation lines.
actually the only ones on the dial. There are 100 , and 10 lines per inch
on the bar.. They are as easy to read as a clock. A standard piece of
lined 3-ring paper is .003" thick. If you can put one in a joint with your
wood then the wood will fall out if the paper weren't there. There is
nothing good about working in fractions. You can't do diddely. You might
as well be guessing. You better get it right the first time b/c there is no
way to fix your mistake after that. When you measure .001" in wood there is
no doubtThere is nothing tricky, ambiguous or overkill about it.

There are probably way too many suggestions here. There is a difference
between the types of tools you need to use for metal and those for wood.
And in woodworking you can get away with substituting when needed. I hardly
ever need any angle other than 45. I use a green Staedtler template, or use
math. I do not have a A sliding protractor, w/ depth slider yet.

I work w/ metal cad/cam and cnc machining. I have worked at places that
have a 6 foot vernier caliper (.001" discrimination accurate).



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Thanks for all the great advice.

Philly
"Philly" wrote in message
news:XigHf.192$0s.99@trndny04...
What are the essential layout and measuring tools for the woodworking
shop? Which ones are the most needed and which ones are the nice to have?

Philly