Hello,

I have little trick I learned about a year ago that I would like to pass along.

I always used the burn an inch technique when laying out timbers, as I don't like to use the hook of the tape measure. Because of this I would regularly forget to burn the inch when I got to the other end of the tape. My helper would come in to check my layout and find these mistakes all over the place. Not so good.

Now what I do, is to make a mark 1" from my layout line, line up the 1" mark on the tape with the 1" mark, go to the other end of the tape and make my final marking. So say I am looking at making a mark at 116 1/2". I don't have to try to remember to actually mark it at 117 1/2"; I just mark it at what the plans say! Essentially this trick just zero's out the tape without using the hook.

Such a simple trick, but wow, has this saved me hours and hours of re-laying out!

Cheers,

Tim

At one of the timber framing schools I attended they taught us to burn 10 inches. Because some of the tapes had differences in the first foot of the tape.

And when you layout something you almost always layout in inches.

So like you said 116 1/2" but if you put the 10 on the zero point and add ten to your tape you'd mark it off at 126 1/2". A 10 inch error in layout shows up real big and fast. Where a 1" error may not.

When I layout using this method, I make my mark at 126 1/2" and then move my tape so that then end clip is on zero and check my layout to see if it's 116 1/2" or not.

This is my method to check twice and cut once.

Working alone I use a quick grip clamp to hold my tape measure onto the beam so that the 10" mark is on my zero point, that way I can be sure it is right on.

Thanks for your tip.

Jim Rogers

I tend to burn 10" as well, when using inches.

The more mistakes I make the fonder I grow of patterns. Just a stick that is cut to a given length, no chance to mark 116 1/2" on 115 1/2 due to reading the tape backwards or the great accounting error 86 swapped for 68, that is so easy to do. Dare I add, grey hair and fading eyesight. I scribe stuff, use dividers, story sticks....

When laying out measurements that repeat, I markup the tape with a sharpie and, yes, I employ a number of tapes but I can carry templates for a large building in a shoebox. At the conclusion of the job I clean the tapes with alcohol. I also burn 10 inches. I clamp the tape to the end reference and strike marks with square and awl, no pencils or tick marks. Next I strike housings, mortise and tenon lines with plywood tee gauges with sharpened screws for points. A fairly quick and repeatable method as long as proper care is used in creating the templates. This is my basic square rule method.

One more thought, what I like most about the above method is that I place sharp lines directly from the measuring reference. The lines are finer than the tape graduations and I can see almost as soon as I strike if something is amiss.

Roger:

Just curious... just using the off the shelf point on the awl or do you tune it up a little?

Regards,
jp

I never know what will be burned. I extend the tape measure on top and position it in the best place. If I'm cutting a tenon on an end I don't like if there is a knot to contend with. I will also consider some mortise positions at this point to avoid chiseling in a knot cluster.

would be great if someone made a 'layout tape'... the hook would be 6" or so from the start of the markings, @ 0. And the hook would only really be there so you could hook it, walk down a wall or timber, and then position the tape.

or maybe a 2 sided tape, in a round case. 1 side with 0 starting at the hook. the other for layout.

kickstarter anyone?

Hey JP

I, on a bench grinder with a hard felt wheel on one side, grind and polish a more or less 25 degree conical point. I believe a smooth polish is important for smooth cutting and longer life for the square, the awl will slowly burnish and roll the square's edge. Most often I will ink the layout free-handed with an old fashioned draftmans split quill ruling pen.

You might need a sharper angle on the awl if you are working a very soft wood like western red cedar, if the wood crushes under the point or the awl doesn't bite, get sharp.