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What the Hell is the point of that bit at the end of a ruler?

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:37 pm
by Cliffjumper
"I, Henry J. Ruler, have invented a special bit of wood or steel or plastic with measurements marked on the side in order to measure things. What'll help is whacking an unmarked bit on the bottom, thus making it totally useless for measuring the height of toys."

Dickhead. Hopefully he died of something ironic, like having his head torn open at the ear by a pair of dividers.

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:21 pm
by inflatable dalek
Best guess, because the edges tend to get worn away and the corners making them not flat enough for perfect straight line measuring?

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:29 pm
by Rack 'n Ruin
If you're that fussed you can just buy a steel rule. They tend to have the measurements running right up to the end.

I'm with Dalek as to the theory. Just a guess though.

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:33 pm
by Cliffjumper
inflatable dalek wrote:Best guess, because the edges tend to get worn away and the corners making them not flat enough for perfect straight line measuring?
Shut up. that's not the point and you know it.
Rack 'n Ruin wrote:If you're that fussed you can just buy a steel rule. They tend to have the measurements running right up to the end.
The steel one went rusty in the shower.

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:47 pm
by Rack 'n Ruin
Cliffjumper wrote:Shut up. that's not the point and you know it.



The steel one went rusty in the shower.
Just a thought, but can you buy waterproofed electron microscopes?

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:50 pm
by Cliffjumper
How would that help me unclog the plug hole?

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:53 pm
by Rack 'n Ruin
Cliffjumper wrote:How would that help me unclog the plug hole?
I do hope that isn't a euphemism.

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:01 pm
by inflatable dalek
Rack 'n Ruin wrote:I do hope that isn't a euphemism.

It's got to be. Can you imagine cliffy doing housework whilst he has a girlfriend?

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:24 pm
by Cliffjumper
No, have to unclog the plughole when I'm in the shower, otherwise it floods and soaks the comics I keep by the toilet. I did try waking her at 4:45am to sort it out once, but I'll be honest, her performance was disappointing and she went on about it all day like it was somehow my fault.

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:41 pm
by Halfshell
Cliffjumper wrote:No, have to unclog the plughole when I'm in the shower
And you need a rule for this... why?

Ever tried not having girl's hair? That'd cut down on the need to unclog it.

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 2:57 am
by Rurudyne
Cliffy, buy your instruments at a drafting supply company and you may have options to avoid the issue.

Also, some drafting rulers (usually those with three blades, and no, I'm not kidding) have scale rulings too (for example, a 3-blade ruler would have life size plus 5 different scales).

Unfortunately those are seldom ruled to the very edge though I have seen them made that way from time to time.

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 12:27 pm
by Clogs
Steel rules are best (and I did not mistakenly miss out a 'r' there).

They are used by engineers and chippies to get exact measurements without the spare bit at the end getting in the way.

Um, so you keep comics by the loo? Most people just keep newspaper. And, having unblocked the plughole with a ruler, you then measure toys while showering?

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 12:55 pm
by CounterPunch
Clogs wrote:Steel rules are best (and I did not mistakenly miss out a 'r' there).

One of my teachers at school used to get realy arsey about that, every time someone said ruler he would say "Ruler is someone that sits on a throne, it is called a rule"

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 1:00 pm
by Cliffjumper
Halfshell wrote:And you need a rule for this... why?
What else would I use?
Ever tried not having girl's hair? That'd cut down on the need to unclog it.
It's her hair that clogs it. My hair's lovely and doesn't fall out.
CounterPunch wrote:One of my teachers at school used to get realy arsey about that, every time someone said ruler he would say "Ruler is someone that sits on a throne, it is called a rule"
Mine actually says "Ruler" on it, which kinda clinches it for me.

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 1:36 pm
by Halfshell
Cliffjumper wrote:What else would I use?
Tweasers? A pencil? Fingers? My old flat mate left a hairclip in the bathroom that I appropriated for the task. A ruler seems a bit unsuited to the task...
It's her hair that clogs it. My hair's lovely and doesn't fall out.
Make her ****ing do it then.

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:03 pm
by Cliffjumper
I do, but she's a girl and thus rubbish.

The thing's got slats in the hole, rather than being a normal, not-weird plughole.

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:07 pm
by Halfshell
Can't you get one of those little cover things that sits in the plug hole, lets the water through but collects all the hairs and stuff? That just lifts out and can be shaken clean over a bin?

There's probably a really simple straightforward word for what the things are called that I've just got a mental block over.

Make her wash in the garden if she can't handle routine maintenance of the facilities.

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:53 pm
by Sixswitch
Clogs wrote: They are used by engineers and chippies to get exact measurements without the spare bit at the end getting in the way.
Why would a chippy need a ruler?

"I'd like a portion of chips and a fish that's EXACTLY 6 inches long please."

:)

-Ss

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:01 pm
by Denyer
Regional slang for carpenter.

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:32 pm
by Sixswitch
Denyer wrote:Regional slang for carpenter.
Aye. The post was a joke - but I actually didn't know that, until I googled it. Bet you did too!

-Ss