[Farmall] O/T tool question

Mike Schmudlach mschmudlach at charter.net
Wed Aug 1 14:04:04 PDT 2007


JM,
Sounds like you had a great father-in-law.
Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: farmall-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:farmall-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of James Moran
Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2007 3:19 PM
To: Farmall/IHC mailing list
Subject: Re: [Farmall] O/T tool question

MS-
My father-in-law (Red Wehle) was the penultimate "jack of all trades" (but,
IMHO, more of a "master", especially of life in general).  Together, we
built many things including the house in which his daughter and I have lived
quite comfortably for over thirty years.
As we built these "things" he would, when the situation called for it, trot
out what he would refer to as "an old Indian trick".  There was nothing
within him that was especially prejudicial (e.g., ethnic slurs) I assure
you.  He merely had, over the course of time, stored up an inventory of
methods that worked well (or at least well enough) to stand the test of time
and the economy of materials.
Since he has gone over the great divide, I have utilized the "tricks" I
acquired from him and (if I may say so) have conjured up a few of my own.
Our house and barns stand straight up and have withstood the storms of
winter and the heat of summer.  I know where every nail is in the structure
and I trust that, when Cynthia (my wife) and I are gone that someone
(hopefully my daughters) will dwell in the structures that I/we have cobbled
together.  I would not wish to build for a living, but I do like living in
what I have built.
JM

Mike Schmudlach <mschmudlach at charter.net> wrote: Since I make my living
measuring things, I will let you guys in on a big
trade secret.  If you want to accurately measure the distance between to
walls etc... like for a shower enclosure. You have to measure from both
sides.  If the opening is about 6' measure from left to right (or right to
left...It doesn't matter) to 5' or 60" and mark it, then measure from the
other side back to your mark.  Lets say you came up with 8 5/16".  Add the 2
together .....68 5/16" or 5' 8 5/16" .   I have seen more so called
professional installers and fabricators try to add the distance of the
thickness of the bottom of a tape measure to their measurements and they
never get it right.
If you want a fool proof way of making a template (storystick) for cabinets,
counter tops etc....  all you need is a hot glue gun and some 1/4" x 1 1/2"
wide pieces of plywood.  Just make a template with the plywood strips and
hot glue them together.   You can cut the pieces to length with a knife or
just bump the pieces to each end and glue the over lap.  The more gizmos you
use the bigger chance for error.
JM,  Tell our friend the most accurate "thing" he can take from location to
location is a good tape measure.  :-)
This may sound like a joke but my Dad always told me it takes a year before
a carpenter can measure and cut correctly.  Now after 30 years of training
apprentices I believe he was right.
Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: farmall-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:farmall-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of James Moran
Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2007 8:56 PM
To: Farmall/IHC mailing list
Subject: Re: [Farmall] O/T tool question

PS-
Cool and resourceful.  My friend is in the business of representing high end
plumbing fixtures and (I gather) he needs "exactness" for things such as
shower/tub glass door enclosures as any "mistakes" are costly.  He asked me
about this "thing" that he could use from location to location.  I wonder if
there is a laser device of some sort that would (accurately) serve his
purpose.
Thanks.
JM

Paul Sigmund 
 wrote: Make your own.  I've installed
crown molding in a couple of the rooms in my
house, and needed an accurate corner-to-corner measurement at the ceiling.
I made my own gauge by ripping out two lengths of 1x2, each long enough so
they overlap when extended to the opposite points you wish to measure.  Then
just mark the overlap position with a pencil, take them down, lay them on
the floor, realign the mark, and measure with a tape.  I angled the ends
with a 45 miter to minimize contact error.  You can custom make any size you
need.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "James Moran" 
To: 
Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2007 11:41 AM
Subject: [Farmall] O/T tool question


> Guys/Gals-
> A friend called asking me if I knew where he could get a meso stick
(spelling?).  According to him, this is a vintage tool for inside
measurements  (e.g., a shower door enclosure).  He said that it was a metal
tube that "extends" within a space.  I never heard of this thing and the net
was not of much help.
> Any of you smarties know anything about such a device?
> Thanks.
> Jim Moran
>
>
> ---------------------------------
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