Ruler stop – nice and cheap
And fits your ruler with guarantee..
Ok That’s a promise, so I better keep it!
You need: some scrap plywood, scrap hardwood, a thumb screw (or bolt), and a threaded insert (I used 5mm).
Here is the result, so now it’s up to you if you want to follow…
Find a piece of scrap hardwood.
Make a size that fits your ruler plus a little on each side, and a depth that match the insert plus a little extra (I’m metric, so I will spare you the measures).
Cut it lengths wise the wood, and then ‘slice’ the wood so you get a thick and a think piece.
Now mark the width of your ruler on the thick part (be accurate), and cut / saw out a spur, that are a little deeper than your ruler.
Drill a hole that match the thickness of your thumb screw in the center of the spur and all the way through.
Drill a hole that match your insert, but this hole you will stop before you go through the wood, so it matches the depth of the insert (I made my insert shorter to make it slimmer).
Mount the insert, here you can use my Insert jig.
Put painters tape in the spur, and on the back side to avoid glue in the ruler spur.
Glue up, use a good strong glue to avoid screws.
(Patience, wait for the glue to dry – now it might be time for a cafe latte).
Remove the painters tape.
Make some clean cuts, to make it the final size.
(Notice the threaded insert is hidden in the stop now).
‘Sandy’ time.
Test (its perfect!)
Cut your bolt into the right length (I found a fancy brass one now).
OPTIONAL!
I choose to drill a hole in the end of the bolt, so I could mount a little piece of nylon to avoid that the bolt should scratch the ruler in use.
OPTIONAL!
Glue the nylon (here a nylon bolt) into the finger bolt.
OPTIONAL!
Cut the nylon in length and round it a little.
[Sorry for the bad picture, too much coffee…]
Give it some finish, I choose wax.
And here we are back where we started!
You can now use your ruler stop.
Hope it can be to some inspiration,
Best of thoughts,
MaFe2010
-- MAD F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect.
17 comments so far
Dennisgrosen
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10880 posts in 4171 days
#1 posted 09-03-2010 12:51 AM
;-) Mads
great toturial and a great quick idea to copy
thank´s for sharing them with us
take care
Dennis
GabrielX
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231 posts in 3887 days
#2 posted 09-03-2010 01:00 AM
I have about 4 of these little metal rulers I found in a dumpster, metric one side, standard on the other… now I know what to do with all of them. PRESENTS!!!
Thanks!
-- GX
tyskkvinna
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1310 posts in 4042 days
#3 posted 09-03-2010 04:09 AM
Oh hey I love that! I have a really great metal rule I use all the time but the stop for it is very big, clunky and steel. I think I’ll make one of these for it instead.
-- Lis - Michigan - http://www.missmooseart.com - https://www.etsy.com/people/lisbokt
mafe
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13100 posts in 4145 days
#4 posted 09-03-2010 08:29 AM
Hi LJ’s,
So happy it seemed to acually be to some inspiration.
Best thoughts,
Mads
-- MAD F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect.
mafe
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13100 posts in 4145 days
#5 posted 09-03-2010 08:34 AM
Lis; I just took tourt on your blog, wauuu – you take beautiful photos, this was my smile of the day experience.
Smile,
Mads
-- MAD F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect.
helluvawreck
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32122 posts in 3922 days
#6 posted 09-03-2010 04:18 PM
Mads, I really like this gage block. You did a great job on it, but not only that, you did a great job on the photography and presentation of the tutorial. I enjoyed very much reading and looking. I might like to make one of these with one of my rules that just lay around doing nothing in particular. Congratulations.
-- helluvawreck aka Charles, http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com
abie
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922 posts in 4827 days
#7 posted 09-03-2010 04:50 PM
TNX
I like to make many of my tools myself and ths gives me another project and tool to add to the tool box
Thanks again for the details.
-- Bruce. a mind is like a book it is only useful when open.
mafe
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13100 posts in 4145 days
#8 posted 09-03-2010 04:57 PM
Hi,
helluvawreck: thank you for the sweet words.
Bruce: I will love to see your result.
Best of thoughts,
Mads
-- MAD F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect.
Div
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1653 posts in 3996 days
#9 posted 09-03-2010 08:54 PM
Architect, you sure you were not maybe a teacher before? Nice presentation, brother Mads!
What I want to know is where I can also “find” such a nice brass bolt!
-- Div @ the bottom end of Africa. "A woodworker's sharpest tool should be his mind."
mafe
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13100 posts in 4145 days
#10 posted 09-04-2010 12:01 AM
DIV – look at comments here: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/36682
-- MAD F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect.
mich
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16 posts in 4075 days
#11 posted 12-01-2010 06:07 AM
GREAT idea and fantastic little jig, yet very effective.
Many thanks for the thorough pictorial explanation. I’ve always want to make this kind of jig, and this is the most simple-effective one.
An ordinary steel ruler sure will look “cooler”......
geezerglide
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10 posts in 2904 days
#12 posted 03-31-2014 05:10 AM
Very cool, I have some different size metal scales that are just hangin out gettin dusty, now I can put them to use!! Thankz fer the blog and the how to…since I was forced to retire because of a motorcycle accident I spend a lot of time makin saw dust, keep up the good work..
Al, from Puyallup Washington US
-- BIG AL
mafe
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13100 posts in 4145 days
#13 posted 04-05-2014 01:14 PM
Hi Al,
Thanks I am always happy to know the posts get used, for me LJ is all about inspire and share our joy and pride of what we do with others..
Yes retiremend gives us good time for shaves.
Best thoughts,
Mads
-- MAD F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect.
BNMD
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6 posts in 2258 days
#14 posted 04-24-2015 03:02 PM
Mads, your brilliance is an inspiration. And everything looks so good too! Next time, though, I need to find your brilliant BEFORE I buy two ruler stops from Lee Valley. Grrrrrrrr.
-- WTB any accurate marking, measuring, or large auger bits you may have lying around. PM me!
mafe
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13100 posts in 4145 days
#15 posted 04-24-2015 09:22 PM
Laughs BNMD, yes you better look first.
I’m sure you will be happy for them, I use mine all the time.
Thank you for those kind words.
Best thoughts,
Mads
-- MAD F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect.
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