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HO rulers- the pain General discussion
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Frequent poster 706 posts Ironhand_13 Frequent poster 706 posts
Ironhand_13

Anyone ever grind off their General-brand HO scale ruler to be true at 0?  It's a pain to measure stuff having to slide up to 0-  on my ruler at least, the little extra "-1 to 0" is not to be trusted, so 0 on the ruler does not equal a true 1 if you just bump things up a scale foot...does that make sense??  That comes into play if I'm trying to get a height from the rails, for example.  It's really a pain trying to get accurate measurements by using the ruler along with a T-square- my common practice for measuring, marking and cutting.

Am I making a mountain out of a ruler?
-Steve in Iowa City
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David Husman dave1905 MRH Author 9,846 posts
David Husman dave1905

Rulers

I wouldn't do that on my ruler for fear of making it imprecise.  I was always taught never to measure anything you wanted precise from the end of the ruler.  Always use the marks on the ruler.  For stuff I would measure to the nearest 1/4 in with a yardstick, sure I would measure from the end, but measuring HO scale things where I'm getting down to the .010 in, I would measure using interior marks.  If you ground the ruler to 0 and handed it to me to measure something I would start the measurement at the 1 mark.

Dave Husman

Visit my website :  https://wnbranch.com/

Blog index:  Dave Husman Blog Index
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ctxmf74 Super User 15,952 posts
ctxmf74

"Anyone ever grind off their General-brand HO scale ruler"

That's supposed to be the "add foot" where you measure the scale inches so they don't have to divide every foot up into inches. These type of rulers don't expect you to line up the zero with the part to be measured, they expect you to line up the nearest whole foot then add the inches reading back from zero. Architects and engineers rulers use the same method.....DaveBranum

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Benny MRH Author 7,134 posts
Benny

...

I'm with Dave and Dave - even if you have a ruler that "starts" at zero, one still bumps up to the nearest Legible full unit above it, and then starts measuring from there.

There is a tool for every job, and the tool you need for your job is a calipers.  There are many very nice Digital calipers available nowadays, they're only $14 a piece and come in very nice metal.  They read out to three places on the mm side, which is more accurate than you will ever need.  Divide the mm readout by 3.5 and you have HO feet.

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Benny's Index or Somewhere Chasing Rabbits
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Ironhand_13 Frequent poster 706 posts
Ironhand_13

Amen to the caliper

and I do love them.  I rely heavily upon my General digital caliper, used in tandem with my HO ruler.  I really hate the fact a few years ago MicroMark(?) offered an HO-scale digital then disco-ed it because of lack-of-interest in the pre-orders.

My point is, can't things...in this day and age...be simpler??  We have an "App for everything" LITERALLY (but I don't even have a smart phone...!) yet we only have ONE Ho-scale ruler out there......unless you d/l a ruler that you print out and self-cut...the accuracy there is seriously dependent upon your cutting ability!

My God, U.S.A. (or China...) help us out !!!
-Steve in Iowa City
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Ironhand_13 Frequent poster 706 posts
Ironhand_13

We make big issues

out of the dumbest things, yet only have 1 HO scale metal ruler.....
-Steve in Iowa City
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ctxmf74 Super User 15,952 posts
ctxmf74

"yet only have 1 HO scale metal ruler"

Actually I have three somewhere around here so that means I can usually find one :> )

and I third the caliper suggestion. I use the rule for longer stuff but use the caliper for the small stuff. Mine is in inches so I multiply by 87 or 64 or whatever scale I'm working in.  .DaveBranum

1990.jpg 
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Benny MRH Author 7,134 posts
Benny

...

I have three different metal HO rulers, of which I identify three makes and two manufacturers - seeing as how one has different brand names and all the same markings.  They all have a little extra on the ends after the zero.

I have no use for the digital calipers Micromark sells, and they do still sell it, it's $24.00 plus shipping.  I can get the same model, even with "Stainless Hardened" on the handle, for $10-$15 each,off ebay any day of the week.  What more, some of those guys offer free shipping, and they're American merchants!  I shudder to think how cheap it costs to make them!!

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Benny's Index or Somewhere Chasing Rabbits
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On30guy Prolific poster 2,627 posts
On30guy

I'll four, five and "sixth" the caliper suggestion

There has been nothing that has made my modeling better and more accurate than a caliper. I'll never forget a friend and mentor of mine showing me some of his tools and grabbing a caliper and unceremoniously yanking a hair from my head (this was back when I actually had hair on my head) and showed me the difference between the calipers closed empty and the calipers closed with my hair between the jaws. I now know that my hair is 0.0035" in diameter, but more importantly I learned the value of a good measuring instrument. Back then calipers were bloody expensive, but I've never regretted buying one. Now these instruments are cheap and plentiful.

Buy one and use it...

you will not be disappointed. If for no other reason than to document the thickness of your hair before you lose it!

 

Rick Reimer,

President, Ruphe and Tumbelle Railway Co.

Read my blogs
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Ironhand_13 Frequent poster 706 posts
Ironhand_13

Sorry if I

misrepresented myself, but I meant at one time MM offered a pre-order item (a digital caliper..variation of the General digital caliper...) that had inches and metric and HO built-in for it's digital read-out.  Apparently for lack of interest, they didn't follow up on this proposed item (going off of old non-MRH forum posts, ca 2008 or so).

I've known for years not to trust a machined-end ruler for proper measurement in anything (including non-model railroad things), just due to the fact that cutting a ruler from stock metal bar can create imperfections.  Markings on the side after that (what we see as the lines for Inches or whatever measurement) are probably very accurate.

I do know however (maybe falsely??) based upon the graphic design stuff I briefly did in college in the late '80's that there ARE 0 = 0 rulers out there for English and Metric, as used with a T-Square for creating right angles/measurements.  Talking precise instruments here, very costly for a college student...not some run-of-the mill rulers you can pick up at the grocery store's "Other" aisle.
-Steve in Iowa City
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Toniwryan Frequent poster 502 posts
Toniwryan

Machinist rules

Machinist rules (not scales) are precision marked and ground and may be used to measure things from the actual end.  They won't be graduated in scale feet, and the smallest division will likely be 1/64th (.015") or .010" on the decimal side(?).  I'll have to look at that, as I don't use that side of the rule often.  I agree that a caliper is the tool of choice for precision.  Are you aware that there are depth style indicators as well? 

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=328-6222&PMPXNO=25565472&PARTPG=INLMK3

This style may be useful for adjusting the fence on your "Chopper II" or whatever to allow you to cut a precision length.  It is a bit more expensive that the traditional caliper, but it also has a nice wide base, and no annoying "ears" hanging out in wrong directions.

Toni

 

Toni
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David Husman dave1905 MRH Author 9,846 posts
David Husman dave1905

Calipers

A lot of the time I just use my rule as a straight edge or for very rough measurements.  I have found it better to use a dial caliper and a calculator to measure detailed things from plans.

Dave Husman

Visit my website :  https://wnbranch.com/

Blog index:  Dave Husman Blog Index
Reply 0
JamesS Regular poster 195 posts
JamesS

HO Digital Caliper ?

I have a digital caliper and absolutely love it.   I dislike using my HO scale ruler(eye sight issues).

Did not know there was such a thing as a HO scale digital caliper...sad to hear it was discontinued.

JamesS

Milwaukee  to  Lac du Flambeau  via Chicago & North Western

 
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dhatman Active Member 96 posts
dhatman

Caliper

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Doug Hatman
Model Locomotive
Engineer/Conductor
Humble, Texas 77338
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Fast Tracks Regular poster 260 posts
Fast Tracks

I once built a kit...

I once built a Model Masterworks coaling tower kit in which EVERY dimension in the instructions was off by exactly 1 scale foot.  Took me some time to figure it out, but clearly whomever wrote the documentation mis-read the scale ruler every time...

I always thought the way they laid out those rulers was not the wisest....

Tim
Tim Warris

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LKandO Prolific poster 3,839 posts
LKandO

Other end of the caliper

My calipers (and I assume most others) have a pin? that slides out on the far end of the rule. It can be used for zero point measuring/depth gauge.

Alan

All the details:  http://www.LKOrailroad.com        Just the highlights:  MRH blog

When I was a kid... no wait, I still do that. HO, 28x32, double deck, 1969, RailPro
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Benny MRH Author 7,134 posts
Benny

...

That pin on the other end is a standard component, and it is for precisely what you say, it's a depth gauge!  When the jaws are fully closed, the end should be perfectly flush with the end, though if it's a little short you can set it on a flat surface, tare it, and then use that established zero for measuring.

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Benny's Index or Somewhere Chasing Rabbits
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gmcrail Active Member 47 posts
gmcrail

Here's an oldie:

I have a General #1251, purchased in the late 1960s, and it has NO zero point on it.  The HO (it has both HO nad O scale) starts  at inch #1 about 2 scale inches in from the left end (The o scale starts with the 1" mark AT the end of the ruler).  When I use it, if the measurement I'm making is less than a foot, I measure inches left from the 1-foot mark.  If it's more than a foot I add 1 to the number of whole feet, and measure the inches again to the left of the "1" mark.  Sounds weirder than it is to do it.  And I use a digital caliper A LOT.  Grind on the ruler?  No way.

Gary M. Collins

http://fhn.site90.net
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Ironhand_13 Frequent poster 706 posts
Ironhand_13

Guess I'm doomed to lament!

I know..I'm making a big hill out of a tiny zit. 

We're all used to the usual General HO ruler, and we do love our calipers.  Yes, I am exactly like all of you too.  I do rely heavily upon the digital readout on my caliper as my eyes...they just ain't what they used to be!  Get something within 12 inches of my face and it's blurry.  Yes I get my eyes checked, yes I don't need glasses YET- per the Eye Doc "just use the cheap cheaters for now (125 for usual reading, etc, but I keep 250's on the train workbench for close, detail stuff)".

But trying to line up a caliper's jaws or its depth gauge with those tiny little HO lines on the ruler...grrrr!  Wouldn't the world be a simpler place in this day and age if you just have 0 = 0?

*** One final thought for all of us who use the General ruler.....

How many times have you picked up the ruler to measure something only to have to flip it 180 degrees because you had the O Scale side?

 
-Steve in Iowa City
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Benny MRH Author 7,134 posts
Benny

...

Divide any metric millimeter readout by 3.5 and you have a direct conversion more correct than any other method...

I have a whole drawer full of rulers, they're not just one company, they're not just scale rulers, and not a one of them starts with zero at the end.

To do what you ask requires super precise equipment, hence, most rulers do not do it.

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Benny's Index or Somewhere Chasing Rabbits
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