The "Measuring - Don't Be Oral Anal Retentive" introduced
the term "story stick", implyng that it's synonymous with
"slip sticks" It's not. They're two different things, intended
for two different purposes.

Slip Sticks are for get the distance between two parallel
parts you've already got and can be used to check inside
diagonals on a "box" to make sure it's square (assuming
the parallel sides are, in fact, the same length. They're
for Build As You Go and Check Diagonal For Square,.
They ARE NOT for recording dimensions and building
to those dimensions.
(see alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking Measuring - Use
Slip Sticks)

A Story Stick is a straight piece of wood, longer than the
longest length you want to record on it. Horizontal
distances are marked on one face, vertical distance on
another and "depth" on a third face. The reference end
is usually marked to identify it and notes are often
written on the "good side" of distance marks. The
Story Stick is often labeled to identify the project
in case you want to build another one later.

Unlike Slip Sticks which hold one distance at a time,
multiple dimensions can be recorded on a single
Story Stick. However, with a Story Stick, you've
got pencil marks to accurately place and you still
need to align the saw blade to a line, or transfer
a line from the Story Stick to the stock to be cut
- and a pencil line at that.

Just a clarification.

charlie b

"charlie b" wrote in message
The "Measuring - Don't Be Oral Anal Retentive" introduced
the term "story stick", implyng that it's synonymous with
"slip sticks" It's not. They're two different things, intended
for two different purposes.

Nicely done, with the exception that the above erroneously implies that the
term "story stick" was introduced as being synonymous with "slip sticks" ...
it was not.

More succinctly put, a slip stick is a measuring device, a story stick a
reproducible record of project dimensions without further need for
quantification.

A story stick, properly made and carefully wielded, will generally result in
a more accurate reproduction, with fewer errors and less waste, than a tape
measure.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 12/13/05

In article ,
"Swingman" wrote:

A story stick, properly made and carefully wielded, will generally result in
a more accurate reproduction, with fewer errors and less waste, than a tape
measure.

When I stick a 10-foot slab of whatever countertop material between
walls, I create a slip-stick-story-stick-template. *S*
I also use that templating system on vertical surfaces, like for
full-height back splashes (does a wonderful job at locating electrical
outlets and non-level windowsills).
Upon further reflection, my templates are story-sticks... sorta.
I write all kinds of notes on them too.

r

"Robatoy" wrote in message
In article
"Swingman" wrote:

A story stick, properly made and carefully wielded, will generally
result in
a more accurate reproduction, with fewer errors and less waste, than a
tape
measure.

When I stick a 10-foot slab of whatever countertop material between
walls, I create a slip-stick-story-stick-template. *S*
I also use that templating system on vertical surfaces, like for
full-height back splashes (does a wonderful job at locating electrical
outlets and non-level windowsills).
Upon further reflection, my templates are story-sticks... sorta.
I write all kinds of notes on them too.

A rose by any other name ...

I use straight 1 x 4's to mark, from a know reference point, the distances
and height from the floor/ceiling to every receptacle, outlet, drain and
supply pipe (along with their actual dimensions), and any other anomalies,
along on the wall of a cabinet run.

Back at the shop, all these items can be accurately located and holes
pre-drilled, or design work-arounds implemented, in the cabinets for pipes,
under counter wiring, etc. ... all without the inaccuracies of measuring or
revisiting the site.

Multiples of these "story sticks" can be aligned with each other with the
appropriate reference marks, or, as I often do for sink bases, I'll use one
for horizontal location, and a shorter one for vertical location of the
various pipes, receptacles, etc.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 12/13/05

In article ,
"Swingman" wrote:

all without the inaccuracies of measuring or
revisiting the site.

I hear that!
I, in effect, take the jobsite back to the shop with me.
Making a full-size template also clues me in on other things--- will
the damn thing make in/out of the house/condo elevator in one piece etc.

There are some advantages to working with projects which occupy 2 out of
3 dimensions only. G

"charlie b" wrote

The "Measuring - Don't Be Oral Anal Retentive" introduced
the term "story stick", implyng that it's synonymous with
"slip sticks" It's not. They're two different things, intended
for two different purposes.

snip a wonderful little clarification by charlie b

I just gotta say this charlie b.

With all this talk here and elsewhere about the dead and dying internet, I
consistently copy things from this newsgroup to my personal
archives/reference folder. And this lovely little peice with a couple
follow up remarks made it into my "gonna keep it forever" woodworking
tidbits of knowledge file.

Thank you Charlie, for helping to make this such a fun, productive and
EDUCATIONAL newsgroup.

Hanging around you makes me feel almost like a kid again. (until the
arthur - itis kicks in)

Lee Michaels

Lee Michaels wrote:

snip

Thank you Charlie, for helping to make this such a fun, productive and
EDUCATIONAL newsgroup.

snip

Just trying to fill in some gaps and maybe save someone
some grief. There's an almost infinite amount of things
to learn in this woodworking thing. The problem is that
much of the really basic, fundamental. foundation information
is assumed to be common knowledge or obvious.

The problem is that what seems obvious often isn't.

Assumptions are often wrong

" I bought these kiln dried, surface on all four sides boards
at the Borg/Lumber Yard so
- they must be flat
- the corners must be square
- the edges must be straight
- the ends were cut square
right?"

Maybe you're right. But you might want to check them
before you start cutting and trying to stick them together.
And you don't need a machinist square or 4 foot machinisist
straight edge to check if they're good - a flat bench top
or floor will tell you much of what you need to know

http://home.comcast.net/~charliebcz/StockPrep1.html

Anyway, as I learn another piece of the basic/fundamentals
that are assumed to be common knowledge but weren't
obvious - to me - I write it down - with ilustrations -
I'm a visual learner. When I understand the Whys and
Hows then I pass it on - like other's in the group have
done or are doing. And it doesn't hurt to have others
check your work - another set of eyes may find errors
of significant gaps that need filling.

Sure wish The Wreck allowed for pictures and diagrams.

charlie b

wrote:

Sure wish The Wreck allowed for pictures and diagrams.

Ba r r y wrote:

On Sun, 26 Feb 2006 12:50:12 -0800, charlie b

I'd be happy to put your pics and diagrams on the web.

Barry

Thanks for the offer but most of them are already
on my WWing site. But having to click out of
a news group to go look at a web page and then click
back to compose a question or comment is not
the most convenient way to go.

charlie b
http://home.comcast.net/~charliebcz/...eMainMenu.html

Hello
To a newbie like myself that is clear as mud, sorry. Can you point me
to an article with diagrams, maybe then sonething will get through
this thick head of mine. I do remember reading something in "Wooden
Boat" some years back about a stick with notches on it tha tis used to
reproduce odd shaped panels(bulkheads), is that a story stick? I'm
very enterested in knowing about this, so hope no one turns me into
hush puppies. Bob

On Sun, 26 Feb 2006 01:06:45 -0800, charlie b
wrote:

The "Measuring - Don't Be Oral Anal Retentive" introduced
the term "story stick", implyng that it's synonymous with
"slip sticks" It's not. They're two different things, intended
for two different purposes.

Slip Sticks are for get the distance between two parallel
parts you've already got and can be used to check inside
diagonals on a "box" to make sure it's square (assuming
the parallel sides are, in fact, the same length. They're
for Build As You Go and Check Diagonal For Square,.
They ARE NOT for recording dimensions and building
to those dimensions.
(see alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking Measuring - Use
Slip Sticks)

A Story Stick is a straight piece of wood, longer than the
longest length you want to record on it. Horizontal
distances are marked on one face, vertical distance on
another and "depth" on a third face. The reference end
is usually marked to identify it and notes are often
written on the "good side" of distance marks. The
Story Stick is often labeled to identify the project
in case you want to build another one later.

Unlike Slip Sticks which hold one distance at a time,
multiple dimensions can be recorded on a single
Story Stick. However, with a Story Stick, you've
got pencil marks to accurately place and you still
need to align the saw blade to a line, or transfer
a line from the Story Stick to the stock to be cut
- and a pencil line at that.

Just a clarification.

charlie b