My 18 inch scale is marked in 1/8 and 1/16 on one side and 1/32 and 1/64on the other. My 36 inch scale is marked in 1/16. I hang both right above where I usually work. Grab them in an instant.dusty wrote:Ed, you have to calibrate that magnetic rule and even then you have to remember the kerf effect. Your steel scale, is it marked off in 1/16" or 1/32" or maybe even 1/64"?
Old dogs do learn new tricks. I now use the magnetic rule ("rip scale") all the time. I can always find it but I have to hunt for the tape measure. My steel rule hangs on the wall but it is a cheapy, it's only marked in 1/16" increments (first one foot is 1/32"). What good is that anyway. Do you only have to be precise for the first foot - after that "close enough" is good.
Charlese, with all your story boards and calibrated blocks of wood, how do you every find them. Do you have a cabinet for all the "measuring devices?
I know how to setup and align the rip scale on my SS but I have found that by forcing myself to slow down a little and reach for my steel scale that I'm less likely to make a mental mistake in my measurement. I have found that using the rip scale on any table saw will usually result in a measurement mistake on my part. That isn't to say I never make a mistake using my scale I still do but they occur a lot less often than when I use the rip scale.
I really believe it is how I was taught. 50 years ago when I first started using a tablesaw most didn't have a very good scale. My shop teacher drummed into to us to either use a story board or a measuring scale and to use our thumb nail to hold our measurement on the scale/story board and compare it to our lay out line on our project. This visual and physical double check has prevented me from making many many bad cuts in some pieces of irreplaceable wood.
Last time I just used the saw rip scale was when I cut two sheets of 3/4 MDF on my son in laws Unisaw that sat in a panel island (8 ft of support to the left right and back of the saw and 4 ft in front) His scale was set up perfect. He made the adjustment and I double checked. The pieces were all 1/8 too short. Forgot the kerf which I would have instantly caught had I used my measuing scale. I was keeping the factory edge against the fence to insure perfect 90 degree cuts. Incidently that was also the last time I used a table saw to reduce sheet goods to size. Way too old to horse around 4x8 sheets of 3/4 mdf.
What really made me mad was the fact I turned down the use of a $32,000 panel saw to cut the MDF. I didn't want the owner to fuss with all the MDF dust. The next day the owner of the panel saw demonstrated that for $32000 you not only get a accurate saw you also get excellent dust collection.