formariz 11,987 #1 Posted June 12, 2020 What kind of ruler is this ? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RandyLittrell 3,877 #2 Posted June 12, 2020 Made like a carpenters rule, but I can't figure out the other numbers. Randy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,037 #3 Posted June 12, 2020 (edited) Yellow folding carpenter ruler. Edited June 12, 2020 by squonk 1 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8ntruck 6,991 #4 Posted June 12, 2020 Used to measure board feet of lumber? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Tuul Crib 7,336 #5 Posted June 12, 2020 57 minutes ago, RandyLittrell said: Made like a carpenters rule, but I can't figure out the other numbers. Randy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Tuul Crib 7,336 #6 Posted June 12, 2020 I think the other numbers are in millimeters and centimeters ? 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 9,981 #7 Posted June 12, 2020 That's what I'm thinking. It's the sequence of them that's baffling me. Maths was never my strong point. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,282 #8 Posted June 12, 2020 VERY interesting Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roadapples 6,983 #9 Posted June 12, 2020 My Dad was a mason. All he ever used. Cement blocks are 16" long. 8, 10, & 12" wide.. 1 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
formariz 11,987 #10 Posted June 12, 2020 2 hours ago, 8ntruck said: Used to measure board feet of lumber? Care to elaborate on your answer? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cafoose 3,354 #11 Posted June 13, 2020 1 hour ago, formariz said: Care to elaborate on your answer? I'm not sure which number means which board but if you are measuring the length of a 2x4 one of the numbers is the board-feet for that length. If you are measuring a 1x6 or some other width and thickness you use a different number on the scale that corresponds to the width and thickness of the board you are measuring. For example, the 4 4 3 on the first picture the first "4" is board-feet of an x width and an x thickness board of that length. The middle "4" is the length of a board in board-feet of a board of y width and y thickness. The "3" is the board-feet of a board of the same length with a different width and thickness. I'm not totally sure but I think that's basically how it works. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8ntruck 6,991 #12 Posted June 13, 2020 3 hours ago, formariz said: Care to elaborate on your answer? It is a Doyle log rule. It is used to estimate the amount of lumber that can be milled out of a log, based on the diameter of the log. Which scale you read depends on the length of the log. Had to look up the details. Learned something new today! Lufkin still makes these. 1 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
formariz 11,987 #13 Posted June 13, 2020 (edited) Correct. Used to determine approximate board feet of lumber in a log prior to milling it. Useful if you are buying or selling logs for lumber. Yes they are still available and made by Lufkin. Its a Lufkin 524.New ones are white in color. This one is vintage and it is yellow which is kind of hard to find. Something that @pullstart may find useful in his new adventure. Edited June 13, 2020 by formariz 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 62,799 #14 Posted June 13, 2020 Wow, that’s cool! A goon like me would scratch his head, then find out when cutting is finished 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
formariz 11,987 #15 Posted June 13, 2020 1 hour ago, 8ntruck said: Had to look up the details. Learned something new today! That is the point of these whatizits. To learn something new and potentially useful to many others out there. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
formariz 11,987 #16 Posted June 13, 2020 14 minutes ago, pullstart said: Wow, that’s cool! A goon like me would scratch his head, then find out when cutting is finished If you buy a log knowing how to use this tool you will be able to know wether you are getting a good deal or taken advantage of. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8ntruck 6,991 #17 Posted June 13, 2020 8 minutes ago, formariz said: That is the point of these whatizits. To learn something new and potentially useful to many others out there. Keep them coming. These things are fun to figure out. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
c-series don 8,666 #19 Posted June 13, 2020 I don’t mill lumber but I’m always up for learning something new! Thanks for posting that! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
formariz 11,987 #20 Posted June 13, 2020 (edited) Its kind of hard to learn how to use something if it's not in our hands or at least in front of us,and at first glance this ruler looks confusing and complicated but in reality it is very simple.Let me try to explain it a bit. This particular ruler is graduated for logs of lengths 10,18 feet on one side, and 12,14, and 16 feet on the other side. On main side the bottom of ruler reads 1 through 48" like a regular ruler. One uses that to measure log diameter. Log length has to be determined through some other means. On main side above regular graduation, there are two other rows of numbers. With the exception of the first number at left in each row, they are board feet numbers. Same thing on the other side except there are three rows of board feet numbers. The very first three numbers on each row at left side right after it says Doyle Scale are the log lengths this ruler calculates.18 and 10 on main side, and12,14, and 16 on second side. All numbers to the right of vertical lines are board feet numbers.On other side those numbers are to left of same line. So looking at photos below and using a 7" diameter log the numbers right above it to the right of line are6 and 10 board feet. 6 board feet for a 10' log and10 board feet for a18t' log. Flipping ruler to the other side and looking at the same 7" diameter log line there is 7 board feet for a 12', 8 board feet for a 14', and 9 board feet for a 16' log. Using a small diameter log these numbers don't make sense, and that is because this system in this ruler substantially under measures smaller logs. The larger the log diameter the more accurate it is. It is intentional since a smaller log always yields a lot less than expected, so when buying a log it is already accounted for when using ruler Edited June 13, 2020 by formariz 2 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8ntruck 6,991 #21 Posted June 13, 2020 I did not read in detail on how to use the rule, but I did figure it out while I was thinking about it while walking the dog this morning. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
D_Mac 8,593 #22 Posted June 15, 2020 I find it amazing people still use rulers. Everything is being replaced by an App on your phone these days. I have a buddy who still uses road maps ! I need a tool that could figure out how to refold a road map after you unfold it ! 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Digger 66 3,478 #23 Posted June 15, 2020 (edited) 5 hours ago, D_Mac said: I have a buddy who still uses road maps ! I do too . Always good to know where you're going rather than staring at a little triangle on your phone while driving wondering ...."are we there yet ?" . Edited June 15, 2020 by Digger 66 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
formariz 11,987 #24 Posted June 15, 2020 11 hours ago, D_Mac said: I find it amazing people still use rulers. Everything is being replaced by an App on your phone these days. I have a buddy who still uses road maps ! I need a tool that could figure out how to refold a road map after you unfold it ! 6 hours ago, Digger 66 said: I do too . Always good to know where you're going rather than staring at a little triangle on your phone while driving wondering ...."are we there yet ?" . Sooner or later everything gets abandoned due to new technology making things which are faster, easier and so on. Better they are not. The end result is that we are no longer as informed, instructed and self sufficient. We are losing many abilities due to technology and are basically reliant on it. GPS is a good example. People now a days have absolutely no sense of direction or where they are at any given point while traveling. However if one reads a map, that map even while not being looked at is in our mind and we have a visual reference always where we are and where we are going. That along with the ability to know which direction you are headed in by looking at the sun or the stars makes eliminates the need for GPS. Ask any of our young people to do that today. Same goes for using a ruler rather than a tape measure or some electronic device. I have used a ruler all my life and within its length capacity it is better and more accurate than anything else out there. I can use it in ways that it is not possible to do so with a tape measure. One has only to keep in mind that we are still today trying to figure out how things like the pyramids where built thousands of years ago, without the technology we have that still does not make it possible to reproduce today yet. I can tell you that it was with knowledge and tools which were abandoned over the years in favor of something easier, and since it was not recorded or emulated by later generations it was lost altogether. Unfortunately we keep making the same mistakes over and over again so many things still around today, eventually will be a puzzle for generations to come. 1 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8ntruck 6,991 #25 Posted June 15, 2020 11 hours ago, Digger 66 said: I do too . Always good to know where you're going rather than staring at a little triangle on your phone while driving wondering ...."are we there yet ?" . I also use maps. Had to chuckle a while aback. One of the cover stories in an issue of Popular Science was We take a Road Trip with Maps - No GPS 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites