# Inside Measuring



## jimc (Mar 6, 2008)

How do you take inside measurements, say the inside of a box - from side to side?

I've used the two stick method quite often with good results. I recall seeing somewhere a plan for two arms with a center connector where you could clamp the two arms together with a thumbscrew after extending the arms to each edge. Does this ring any bells for anyone? I've done it with a binder clip and that doesn't work too badly but would like to make something permanent that looks halfway decent.

Jim


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## GMman (Apr 11, 2008)

I know what you mean; I use two sticks like you and a small spring clamp, 2 clamps if it is quite a long measure.


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## jimc (Mar 6, 2008)

I would do a Google search on it but don't have a clue what to search for - inside measurement whatchamacallit or thingamajig didn't bring up anything pertinent)

Jim


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## VirgilJohnson (Jul 26, 2009)

maybe story pole or story stick?

btw you might look up something called tick sticking - either FWW or FHB magazines
excellent for fitting odd shapes into odd places

Virgil


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

Here is something that might work:

http://www.woodworkingtips.com/etips/2008/02/14/sn/


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## RedShirt013 (May 17, 2008)

Lee Valley seels some pre-made ones

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=3&p=32585&cat=1,43513

not exactly cheap however


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## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

I use a wooden folding ruler. It has an extending section.










Very useful, but you can just put two sticks together with a spring clamp.


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## RBWoodworker (Mar 22, 2009)

I really wish there was some sore of a gizmo..that you could set inside of the box.. kind of shaped like a tape measuer..that would shoot a laser beam from one side of the box to the other.. then show a digital readout of the two points measured and tell you exactly the measurement..kind of like a radar gun that police use but bounces back and reads the measurment instead of the speed


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## cabinetmaster (Aug 28, 2008)

That Veritas one would be real easy to make.


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## David (Jan 26, 2007)

Jim -

I think these are referred to as *pinch sticks or bar gauges*. I have a few of these in my shop and use them constantly. They are very easy to make and commercial versions are available. Hope the links / photos below help.

Two binder clips provides additional security and acutely tapered tips allows you to reach into corners.

Best Regards,
David
*The Folding Rule Blog*






 




*Ideas from LJ Jig Guru Nikki:*


*Bar Gauge*


*Measuring Sticks*

*Some additional pinch stick / bar gauge references:*


*American Woodworker Pinch Stick / Bar Gauge Reference*


*Prior LJ Pinch Stick / Bar Gauge Discussion Thread*

Story boards, or story poles, are different than pinch sticks, pinch rods or gauge bars. A story stick, or story pole, is a single flat piece of wood that has important measurements marked for lay out purposes.

*Some interesting story stick references:*


*Fine Homebuilding Story Stick*


*Story Stick*


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## FatherHooligan (Mar 27, 2008)

Lee Valley has this thing a ma jig…Bar Gauge heads or http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32585&cat=1,43513


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## jimc (Mar 6, 2008)

The Lee Valley connectors look real nice but at $14.50 per set, I think I'll keep using a binder clip!

Still haven't found the one I remember. Must be old age but all I vaguely recall is a piece of aluminum as the connector (perhaps a piece of channel) and a thumbscrew to tighten. Perhaps a light bulb will come on one of these days and I'll recall where I saw it - probably about 3AM while I'm sleeping, that's when such things usually happen!

Jim


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## jimc (Mar 6, 2008)

Just found an interesting article on building your own "Bar Gauge" in a book titled, "Tool-Making Projects for Joinery and Woodworking", available in part at Google Books. In the book the gauge is called a Case-Squaring Stick.


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## Samyer (Sep 26, 2007)

Another thing you could do is make a small sliding story pole. I'll use a 1×3x12" for simplicity but you can use any size, perhaps even smaller and/or longer to accomodate your application:
1. Take a piece of 1×3x12" pine, poplar, or maple and cut a 'T' slot across it length-wise (with a router); this the female piece
2. Rip the same 'T' shape in a second piece of the same material such that it will slide inside of the other; this the male piece
2. Perpendicular to the face of the bottom of the 'T' (male) piece, drill a hole to accomodate a thumbscrew.

When you assemble the two pieces together, one slides inside the other, and use the thumbscrew to lock it down. It won't rugged but it will serve it's purpose.


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## Samyer (Sep 26, 2007)

Actually, mounting the screw from the opposite side (i.e., screw contacts the TOP face of the 'T') will work better.


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## skidoo (Aug 12, 2009)

I keep a roll of butcher paper handy.

Slice a an over-long piece with one edge being one of the straight edges. Press that against the corner or middle-line surface you want to measure, with a little folding upwards; slice it true, and secure with blue tape. Do the same on the other end. Measure the strip of paper.

The advantage of this is that it can be performed at almost any angle. The disadvantage is that it won't "ride" over bumps and imperfections on the "bottom" surface, potentially giving you a long measurement.

I personally find the stick method (with the clips) works best in most situations. But if I need a pin-point measurement (especially at a weird angle), like for an inlay or something, the paper usually fills the bill.


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## jimc (Mar 6, 2008)

Lew, the link you provided wouldn't work last night. Just got around to looking at it this evening and by golly, you found the one I was thinking of. Thanks so much!!! Thanks everyone else, also - lots of good ideas usually result from a question such as this!

Jim


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

They all work


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## jpm1948 (Aug 23, 2009)

Many times I measure 10" from one end and mark and then measure from the other end to the mark and add 10" 
Jack


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