# From when the 6' rule was king



## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

*How did you measure? Would you tell your boss or tell an apprentice, to cut a piece 16' 10" long ... or cut a piece 202" ... Or would you say cut a piece 2 sticks 58" Now remember you didn't have 25 or 30 foot tapes on your belt. Old men ... bring back memories? *


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## Relic (Sep 30, 2012)

I remember my dad showing me the stick rule to find degrees for quick ground work layout.

Open the ruler to 30 inches. Bend the first and second sections of the ruler (at the 6" and 12" marks) so that the 1" mark hits the 23" mark on the ruler. Return the second section so that the level with the rest of the ruler. You now have a 45 degree angle on the first section.


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## BigDave (Mar 24, 2012)

PLUMBER_BILL said:


> *How did you measure? Would you tell your boss or tell an apprentice, to cut a piece 16' 10" long ... or cut a piece 202" ... Or would you say cut a piece 2 sticks 58" Now remember you didn't have 25 or 30 foot tapes on your belt. Old men ... bring back memories? *


Thanks to you Bill, I feel years younger this morning :jester:
I built my first 2 X 4 go cart with my Dad's 6' folding rule


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## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

Relic said:


> I remember my dad showing me the stick rule to find degrees for quick ground work layout. Open the ruler to 30 inches. Bend the first and second sections of the ruler (at the 6" and 12" marks) so that the 1" mark hits the 23" mark on the ruler. Return the second section so that the level with the rest of the ruler. You now have a 45 degree angle on the first section.


YEP used it all the time! here are the rest.

Rule point ----------- Angle

23-15/16 ----------- 11-1/4
23-3/4 -------------22-1/2
23-1/2 ---------------30
23 ------------------45
22-1/4 ---------------60
20-1/4 ---------------90


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

Now I want a folding ruler.


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

I still use a six foot rule, Lufkin model X46.


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## revenge (Jun 30, 2011)

is there other tricks with those rulers finding offsets or measurments


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

Found some really nice ones on ebay, pretty cheap too. I want to learn how to use one.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

I have about 5or6 around here somewhere.. in fact, buried my father with one in his hand.


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## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

I have one of the flipover folding rules for offsets somewhere in my plumbing tools! They are nice if you are running lots of copper, but most of the time I do it in my head and get plenty close enough!


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## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Still use mine everyday !! ONLY buy the extension folding ruler . Need it all the time and won't give it up !!!!


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