Guide rail positioning cheap

[Per Swenson]

  I don't want to stomp on the thread below,

I am a great fan of woodpeckers stuff.

But..If you want to save a few dollars, and this comes from John Lucas

at www.woodshopdemos.com , Just use stair gauge clamps on a metal straight edge ruler.

Or, use the clamps on two $9.99 drywall squares and cut the T off.

As most of you know I work primarily in the Field.

I love that phrase with all its connotations of north forty crap.

Alas, my stuff gets full of stuff, scratches, dirt ,spackle, polyurethane glue,

overspray,you name it, Oh yeah and dropped repeatedly.

I try to keep the precision instruments in the shop out of the line of fire.

And, I always have a pair of these with me any way....

Per

 

[nickao]

Yeah, if someone tossed my Woodpecker rules, squares or straight edges to the floor I might get a little pissed. They don't leave the shop.

Nickao

 

[Dixon Peer]

I too carried stair gauges when I worked "in the field".  I used them primarily for rafter cuts...the plumb and level cuts, birds mouth and so on.  I still have them but they don't get so much use anymore.

 

[ken257]

I can see where the fancy adjustable story sticks would be nice to have but so far I have been unwilling to lay down the money for one to. I just use scrap wood cut to lenth to position the rail. For things such as cabinets that require many pieces with the same dementions I cut a stick of scrap hardwood, label it and keep it. Even months later I can have exact repeatability which is something no adjustable stick can provide (unless it is Incra).

 

[poto]

A little off topic, but since Per mentioned "in the field" in quotes, I had to laugh: I'm an oceanographer, and when I go into the "field" (which is what we call it), it's the ocean! Some field. Tad on the wet side, and awfully hard to plow...

 

[Steveo48]

.....I just use scrap wood cut to lenth to position the rail. For things such as cabinets that require many pieces with the same dementions I cut a stick of scrap hardwood, label it and keep it. Even months later I can have exact repeatability which is something no adjustable stick can provide (unless it is Incra).

Ahhhh, my favorite technique!  I've used it when building deck rails and most recently when installing my cabinet drawer slides.

Measure once and forget it!

Steve