Adjustable story stick

[Cooler]

This is probably old hat, but since I've never seen it on the Internet or in a magazine I will share it.

I hate rulers.  If I measure ten items I will get one measurement wrong.  For that reason I like to directly transfer dimensions or use a story stick.

I recently made an adjustable story stick that has worked out very well.

I started with 48" aluminum ruler that I bought at Lowes ($8.00)  I added the stair stops ($4.00).



I clamp one of the stops on the ruler and it holds the dimension.  No more scratching lines on a piece of wood.  The nice part is that the flat of the hex is perfectly horizontal when clamped and makes a good, solid positive stop.  I can hook the stop over the edge of a board and mark the end, or I can use the opposite face to measure the inside dimension.

I can set the stop at a fixed measurement and transfer that repeatedly (and accurately) to another board.

I suspect that this has been long been popular but for those like me who never saw it, it is a good (and cheap) adjustable story stick.

[Eric Commarato]

This is probably old hat, but since I've never seen it on the Internet or in a magazine I will share it.

I hate rulers.  If I measure ten items I will get one measurement wrong.  For that reason I like to directly transfer dimensions or use a story stick.

I recently made an adjustable story stick that has worked out very well.

I started with 48" aluminum ruler that I bought at Lowes ($8.00)  I added the stair stops ($4.00).



I clamp one of the stops on the ruler and it holds the dimension.  No more scratching lines on a piece of wood.  The nice part is that the flat of the hex is perfectly horizontal when clamped and makes a good, solid positive stop.  I can hook the stop over the edge of a board and mark the end, or I can use the opposite face to measure the inside dimension.

I can set the stop at a fixed measurement and transfer that repeatedly (and accurately) to another board.

I suspect that this has been long been popular but for those like me who never saw it, it is a good (and cheap) adjustable story stick.

this is genius! thank you for sharing.  Eric

[handi]

Just for the record, those are used in stair making. You set them on a rule and they help lay out the treads and risers on the stringers.

[EricU]

my mom had a story stick for the clothing she made. She used a piece of aluminum square tubing with sharpie on it.  It occurs to me that you could erase the sharpie when the project is done.

[GlenS]

Speaking of Mom's story stick,, wheeeeewwww the stories her's would tell about our backsides if it could talk!! LOL

I think that is a great idea,, that as with all great ideas,, I never thought of!!

[AHill]

Pretty nifty solution.  I have a Woodpeckers adjustable story stick which is pretty nice.  It has track-mounted tabs that also have a pointer to a ruler on one side of the machined aluminum stick.  I've used it several times for marking drawer slides.  

https://www.woodpeck.com/storystick.html

[Cooler]

Pretty nifty solution.  I have a Woodpeckers adjustable story stick which is pretty nice.  It has track-mounted tabs that also have a pointer to a ruler on one side of the machined aluminum stick.  I've used it several times for marking drawer slides.  

https://www.woodpeck.com/storystick.html

I got the idea from the woodpecker story stick (which is pretty expensive). I had the ruler in the house.  I only needed to buy the brass stair tread thingies.

I align the edge of the ruler with the edge of the board so I know everything is square when I make my marks.

The next thing up is a new thread on best fine tip mechanical  pencil and lead for marking wood.

[Bill Wilson]

Great idea!  I have a set of those stair gauges that I haven't used in 30 years, collecting dust in a drawer.  Looks like I'll have to dig them out and dust them off.

Thanks for the tip!

[Cooler]

Forgot to mention that you can take inside or outside dimensions by using both of the stair stops.  (You just have to remember when you  transfer if it was an inside or outside dimension.)

[Stwood_]

I started with 48" aluminum ruler that I bought at Lowes ($8.00)  I added the stair stops ($4.00).

Does that stretch to 12' when you are measuring out for a wall of kitchen cabinets.