Straight Talk on a Straight Edge

Aluminum straightedges, rulers and scales are the most basic and necessary of drafting, drawing and hobby tools.  Fairgate aluminum rulers are made from hardened aluminum and have a durable non-glare finish.  They are durably marked in black numbers and graduations and come in lengths of 30, 36, 48, 60 and 72 inches.

A high quality straight edge is absolutely necessary when doing any type of lay out work.  Whether it is drafting, woodworking, upholstery or carpentry, a straight edge is critical.

Tape measures are fine for rough measurements but imagine how difficult it would be to make a precise segmented 72 inch long line with ¾ inch segments and ¼ inch spaces.  With the 72 inch Fairgate ruler it is as easy as place it, count and draw.

Imagine that you are in your workshop making a media cabinet with adjustable shelves.  You need to drill ¼ inch holes 2 inches apart and in a straight line for the shelf pins.  Just lay your 60 inch Fairgate ruler on the wood even with the edge and mark your holes.

Another scenario, you need to draw a series of 32 inch parallel lines on a drafting project but your parallel glider is only 24 inches long.  Simply lay your 36-inch straight edge against the parallel glider and draw your lines.  If you don’t have a parallel glider, simply measure down equally on each side of the drawing and make a small mark.  Lay your straight edge on the two marks and draw your line.  Measure down again on each side from the existing line and draw another parallel line.

Let’s say you are on a construction job and you need to mark a level 6 foot line across a wall but you only have a 3 foot level.  Just place your level against your 72 inch Fairgate ruler, level it up and mark away.

I’m sure you can come up with your own scenarios where you can see how useful a quality aluminum straight edge would be or situations where you wish you had one available.

When you hold these high quality tools in your hands you will realize that these are not just hardened aluminum rulers or straight edges, they are some of the most useful and versatile tools you can own.  Whether you are a drafter, a woodworker, a tinker or a tailor, you will appreciate these tools again and again.