The "Tru Measure" talk reminded me of this gem from the past!
Thanks again to TFlan!
-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: ShopTalk: Simplify length measurement Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 10:02:30 -0800 From: Tom Flanagan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Hi;
I have a real "True Measure." The place where I work part-time does not. They have a 48" metal ruler. I bent a piece of 1" x 1/4" x 6" steel stock. Drilled a couple of holes through one end and attached it to their work bench. I put the ruler against the angle, set a 5 iron onto the ruler, and bent the angle until the 5 iron measured 38 1/2," the dimension I checked with my True Measure and with the mfr's specs. I then marked inches on the work bench to 54" and stopped using the ruler altogether.
I also experimented with a large door hinge. Removed the pin and replaced it with a long 1/8" screw, washers, and nut. But it became too aggravating to use. So I stuck with the fixed bar mentioned above. The owners don't want to spend the pittance it costs for a TrueMeasure, and I ain't about to donate mine.
The part-time shop is one of two locations. At the other location the owner has a 48" metal ruler as well. He simply nailed a 1 1/4" high block of wood, no angles cut into it, onto the workbench. He "calibrated" the the ruler location the same way I did. He's essentially measuring heel to shaft butt.
Before I got the True Measure I used a 60" x 4" x 1/8" piece of flat aluminum sheet I picked up at a local junkyard. I just stuck 4" of one end into a bench vise and bent it to about a 55* angle. Measured from the base of the bend and marked (scratch awl and black ink) inches to the end of the metal. Used it for years.
I've seen a couple of other devices as well. One interesting one is a wooden 60" x 1 1/2" x 1/4" ruler with a recess routed at one end into which is affixed an angled (ramp-like) metal piece. The metal is no more than a inch and a quarter high. Its about as neat a measuring device as I've seen.
Measuring club length is a seemingly innocuous part of clubmaking. There was a thread here several months ago about it. The question was; "from where do I start measuring ?" Answers were "from the heel," from the center of the sole," "from the heel to the end of the shaft minus the thickness of the grip 'cap'," and a few others. Follow-up questions were; "what if its a flat lie club? An upright lie?" Clearly a club that's 3 or 4 degrees of lie angle up or down will measure differently when measured from a fixed point compared to "standard." If length is measured from the heel to the butt only a short end stop would be required - perhaps only an inch or so high. But if measured from the center of the sole, lie angle becomes an important consideration. Its an interesting subject. This is why I like the hinged measuring device over a fixed point. Its a small but important distinction, I think.
60" rules, wood and metal, are readily available at upholstery supply stores. And as noted, most junkyards and metal scrap yards have long flat pieces of aluminum for sale for small dollars.
TFlan
----- Original Message ----- From: Dave Tutelman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: 'ShopTalk' <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, December 11, 1999 7:47 PM Subject: ShopTalk: Simplify length measurement
I dropped by Steve Conlon's shop the other day, and was fooling around with his club length ruler. He has built the mechanical equivalent of the True Measure, adding a hinged "stick" to the end of a ruler. Pretty nifty!
