Replies

1. 
   RMillard | Sep 11, 2003 11:10pm | #1

   I’m a somewhat frequent user of story sticks. I think of a story stick as a ruler, which  instead of being graduated in fractions of an inch, it shows the various dimensions of a piece in full size. For example, when making tall case clocks, since it is not practical to make a full size drawing, I make a story stick, that has drawn on it all the heights of the various pieces ( moldings, door rails, seat board height etc.). Some pieces require a separate stick for both vertical and horizontal dimensions. The great advantage to the story stick is that it virtually eliminates the possibility of measuring errors. I don’t bother to make story sticks for simple pieces or those that can be drawn full size on paper. While I have worked on built in projects, and story stick really shines in this area, since you can make it in place, and be sure that the resulting project will fit.

   Rob Millard

2. 
   Steinmetz | Sep 12, 2003 12:32am | #2

   Gil, STORY STICKS OR STORY POLES ARE A TIME HONORED SHORTCUT FOR LAYING OUT DIMENTIONS/REFERENCE MARKS AND FIELD LAYOUTS (BRICKLAYERS)and vinyl siding installers)

   When faced with making multiples of a given product requiring important locations for hardware to insure perfect alignment and interchangability, it pays to take the time to make AND use a story pole.

    When I installed whole floors of wood doors, (Not the prehung type),b ut seven/eight and yes, nine foot high, solid core oak/walnut (even rosewood) doors with three to five hinges each on both the jambs and the doors.

    The doors frequently were of the same height, but varying in width and 'hand' as well.

   The first thing I chose to do ,was to make a story pole with the locations for all hinges  on doors and jambs.

   The SP was made to allow for the clearance above the door and jamb and could be reversed and marked for either right or left handed doors.

   AFTER ALL DOORS WERE DULY 'NICKED' WITH A SHARP KNIFE,  (NO PENCILS HERE!)

   I routed out all the hinge mortisses using hinge templates I fashioned for the type of hinge required. Stein.

   
   

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   Edited 9/11/2003 5:35:50 PM ET by steinmetz