www.KitGuitarsForum.com

There are certainly other good manufacturers out there, with prices less than Starrett.

that means it has passed a standard of accuracy.

There are a lot of good tools that are cheaper than a Starrett, unless you buy vintage, which I would recommend. If you are buying vintage, then Starret, Brown and Sharp, and Lufkin all make readily available high quality measuring tools. Here is a site that sells new, high quality blems from Japanese companies like PEC and iGaging.

[url]https://www.ebay.com/sch/taylortoolwork ... 7675.l2562[/url

I recently bought 2 4" iGaging double squares for gifts and they compared exactly to the couple of Starretts I use.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?item=15 ... =100&rt=nc

The forum will opnly allow 1 URL per message - here is #3

I have found black with white writing to be the bees knees

https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-6-Rigid-Bla ... SwajVUPAT-

Ed

And only use a tape measure for gross measurement. The little tip that allows outside and inside reading makes them great for carpentry, but inaccurate for what we do here.

I have 3 Lufkin folding (zig-zag) rules that are scattered around the shop, and I have been careful to select 3 that agree with each other and that agree with my Starretts

Ed

Sometimes forums get out of hand.It is easy to get caught up in problems that don't actually exist. I was actually starting to worry a bit about my many shop rules after following this thread. Today I took what is what I think is my best rule, a 24" Mitoyu, and compared it with 5 other long rules I have. The conclusion I came to is that you would have to be some kind of super human to tell the difference between them. Woodwork just is not done in thousandths of an inch. I don't think a $200.00 Starrett rule will build a better guitar. Too many other things to worry about in building. Just my opinion.

I use a 36 in metal yard stick
it is just fine for what we do.
Bob is right we don't need to worry about thousandths. What is a concern is that you learn to read your ruler. I am surprised at how many are not well versed it reading or marking. Learn to be able to lay out and be consistent. THe only reason I have so many scales is that I was a machinist and had them up to 48 inches. My 48 in scale sets proudly where I put it when I came home from my last day on the job.

This morning I went to an estate sale that advertised tools and I got these 3. All are 12" Starrett, all are #4 graduations which means 1/8", 1/16", 1/32", 1/64".

#1 is an early one - WW1? - and is well used but the rule is nice and bright. #2 and 3 appear to be after WW2 with very clean jappaning, and some staining on the blades. #1 is the only one with the scribe still in it it. All 3 levels work. #3 has a small section of pitting in the center of one end of the rule that does not seem to get in the way - see the picture.

And remember that all of these rules, including the cheap ones, are adjustable

#1 - $20
#2 - $20
#3 - $15

Plus shipping - I think they will fit in a Priority mail envelope

Ed