Chuck Ramsey  wrote:
> Galoots,
>  
> I purchased a folding rule this summer at a flea. 

I have 3 of the Lufkin "red end" rules with extensions
scattered around the shop and use them for everything -
actually one is marked Craftsman with black ends, but it is
identical.  I buy them when ever they are around $5 in very
very good condition - the numbers near the ends wear off
first.  I had one with a folding brass tab at the end for
hooking over the end of a board, but it wore out and I
haven't found a replacement yet.

The very best one of these zig-zags is one that has both
sides marked with the "1" at the same end, so one is an
outside read and one is an inside read.  I gave the only
one I had to an older gent working as a volunteer carpenter
on our tall ship.  Over the years I found 2 others that I
gave him because he raved about them so much.  (He also had
a lightly used set of 7 Stanley 720 chisels - the long
ones).

I also have a couple of the Lufkin 066F that has both "1's"
on the inside.  They can be handy but I am used to the
regular Lufkins.  I also have a Craftsman version of the
inside read that has much thicker legs and is labelled 3938
RR.

I keep a 6 and 12 inch Starret combo square near the bench
and when there is precision afoot I reach for them and
other various tools, including a cheap electronic caliper.
 One of my favorites is a Chesterman 24" steel ruler.

I worked under a 74 year old carpenter born in 1900 (named
Joe Shingle) and he showed me how to open the rule to its
full 6' length in 1/2 a second - great parlor trick for the
cognoscenti.

Ed Minch
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