Measuring sticks!

October 2, 2017 1:49 PM

Wouldn't it be great to have a three sided ruler that measured decimal inches, fractional inches, and metric? I've looked but can't find such a device. Have you? Please help me find one!
posted by Rad_Boy to Technology (10 answers total)

What you want, I think, is an architect's triangular scale. I found a bunch of them on Amazon by that name, with various combinations of scales, including imperial/metric.
posted by Flexagon at 1:59 PM on October 2, 2017 [3 favorites]

Engineer's scales are the same idea, but generally would have the measures you want. Architect's scales tend to have things in the common scales like 1 inch = 1 foot and the like.
posted by advicepig at 2:03 PM on October 2, 2017

The engineer's scales I'm finding don't have metric, just six different inch divisions.

Maybe try a custom shop, but a lot of them are just promo imprinters so you might have a search ahead of you.
posted by rhizome at 2:10 PM on October 2, 2017

Response by poster: I don't believe an engineer's scale has either metric or fractional rulings.
posted by Rad_Boy at 3:09 PM on October 2, 2017

Here you go, exactly as requested. They have various lengths available.
posted by halogen at 3:48 PM on October 2, 2017 [6 favorites]

I was looking for only three-sided rulers.
posted by rhizome at 5:34 PM on October 2, 2017 [1 favorite]

I think Flexagon's got it exactly. My father trained as a draftsman and had a bunch of these lying about. However, I've never seen one (or any ruler, for that matter) with decimal inches, only fractions at various scales and metric, intended to be a scale for architectural drawings.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 9:08 PM on October 2, 2017

Best answer: Check out Alvin P/N 119PC or 120PC page 29 of their PDF catalog
posted by tinker at 11:38 PM on October 2, 2017 [2 favorites]

An architect's scale will do fractional inches, and if you know what you're doing, can do unusual fractions, like 1/3" (every 4" as measured on the 1" = 1'-0" side). An engineer's scale will do decimal inches at .1" accuracy on the 1" = 10' side, maybe down to .02 on the 1" = 50'. But neither of those will do metric. You could possibly find a 1" = 10' and standard fractional measurement on one stick, but getting metric on another side might be tricky.
posted by LionIndex at 6:25 AM on October 3, 2017 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: The Alvin 119PC is it! Purchased on Amazon for $7. Thanks!
posted by Rad_Boy at 2:42 PM on October 6, 2017