How straight is straight?

Probably. I'm not sure if Starrett has read the writing on the wall or not, but they are going to lose market share if they don't become more price competitive. I'll buy American if it makes sense to do so. If it's a few percentage points more expensive for the same product, I'll give them a nod. But when extremely comparable alternatives are available at 1/2 the cost, it's hard for me to justify. It's a competitive world - and it should be.

JP

Starrett doesn't give a rip about some hobbiest in his home workshop. That is not the market that pays there bills. They are an industrial supplier.

Mine is from Snap On tools at .0002 $85 for the 2 footer I would say Starrett is out of line if the accuracy is .002.

Maybe yes, maybe no. Where did you get the figure for the Starrett? I couldn't find an accuracy specification on Starrett's web site, and two thou per foot sounds a bit sloppy for a Starrett IMHO. Are you sure that isn't 0.0002" per foot?

Difference between the 380-24 and the 385-24, from Starrett's web site: "The No. 380 Series are not beveled or graduated. The No. 385 Series are beveled one edge, but not graduated. The No. 387 Series has one edge that is both beveled and graduated in 32nds of an inch."

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com You must use your REAL email address to get a response.

Yep, good 'til the _first_ drop....

I got the accuracy data from Amazon.

I don't see it there... can you be more specific?

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com You must use your REAL email address to get a response.

See product description on any of the Starrett stright edges. For example:

"Product Description Specifications: Edge straightness .0002" per foot."

That's point zero zero ZERO two. Two ten-thousandths per foot. Not two thousandths. The short answer to your initial question "Is my data correct?" is "No."

The long answer is that the $54 Starrett is within four ten-thousandths across two feet, and the $37 Lee Valley is within ten ten-thousandths. Sounds to me like the Starrett is the better deal, and by a long way: the LV tool is more than two-thirds the price of the Starret, but only forty percent as accurate.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com You must use your REAL email address to get a response.

Thankyou. I completely missed a zero.

Starret is the best deal as far as dollar per accuracy, but that begs the question of "how accurate do you need?" Or, "How sharp is your crayon?"

Of course, the SnapOn stated accuracy is per 12in, where the Starrett and the LeeValley is TOTAL error over the entire length, but 0.0002 is pretty good even if only over a 12in run

John

After looking at the latest Woodworking Supply catalog, inside cover, with Starrett's new offerings, I'd respectfully offer they've changed their minds...

Ok. Somebody finally has proof of what it is. So everybody shut up about 0.002" and use the right number!

The starrett is $108 for the 2' so the LV is 1/3 the price at 40% as accurate. Looks like the LV is the better deal (accuracies aside).

Plus, there's the price point. If one can afford $19, but not $50-something, $19 wins.

snipped-for-privacy@milmac.com (Doug Miller) wrote in news:1nSEd.13437$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr33.news.prodigy.com:

For reference, a human hair is about 100 microns thick. Talk about splitting hairs.

On 11 Jan 2005 08:43:19 -0800, "Never Enough Money" vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

No need to thank him. Think nothing of it!

Nate Perkins notes:

And anyone who REALLY gets their tools set up to .002" is way past where they need to be when working wood.

Results on the best days are going to be within 1/64" or so, with the very, very, very occasional dip to 1/128". Unless you're making a damned small box, moving it from bedroom to kitchen when the dishwasher is in use will make it move nearly that much.

With my eyesight as it is now (fairly good except for excessive floaters), I doubt I could see a difference between 0.0002" and 0.002" on my table saw table even if the straight edge would show it. And if I could, I'd still leave it alone.

Charlie Self "One of the common denominators I have found is that expectations rise above that which is expected." George W. Bush