Metric measuring tool source?

[DL152279546231]

Anyone know of a good source for metric measuring tools suitable for building a
sheet metal airplane such as Zenith's 601XL? Planning to check Sears or
possibly Walmart. I figure I need a steel tape measure and ruler, and possibly
a metric square with level assuming one with metric is sold here...

[Richard Riley]

On 24 Apr 2004 21:35:57 GMT, (DL152279546231)
wrote:

:Anyone know of a good source for metric measuring tools suitable for building a
:sheet metal airplane such as Zenith's 601XL? Planning to check Sears or
:possibly Walmart. I figure I need a steel tape measure and ruler, and possibly
:a metric square with level assuming one with metric is sold here...

The Zenair is the only kitplane I know that does any of their
measuring in metric, and they use a mix. All their drills, rivets,
bolts and fittings are english.

Amazon has them.

But I still think metric sucks
http://www.metricsucks.com/metric_land.html

[Rich S.]

"DL152279546231" > wrote in message
...
> Anyone know of a good source for metric measuring tools suitable for
building a
> sheet metal airplane such as Zenith's 601XL? Planning to check Sears or
> possibly Walmart. I figure I need a steel tape measure and ruler, and
possibly
> a metric square with level assuming one with metric is sold here...

Suggest you most emphatically DO NOT buy your measuring tools at Wal-Mart,
unless they are of known name-brand quality. I have an aluminum meter stick
from the Wal which is, indeed, one meter long. But the millimeter marks are
off by up to as much as 2 mm in the middle. It appears to have been
photographically reproduced with a skewed lens.

Rich S.

[Robert Schieck]

DL152279546231 wrote:

>Anyone know of a good source for metric measuring tools suitable for building a
>sheet metal airplane such as Zenith's 601XL? Planning to check Sears or
>possibly Walmart. I figure I need a steel tape measure and ruler, and possibly
>a metric square with level assuming one with metric is sold here...
>

Try:

www.princessauto.com

they are located in Canada but will ship anywhere.

hth

Rob

[JH]

It seems to me that I recall that Zenith has them. Did you check with
them?
Joe




"Robert Schieck" > wrote in message
...
> DL152279546231 wrote:
>
> >Anyone know of a good source for metric measuring tools suitable for
building a
> >sheet metal airplane such as Zenith's 601XL? Planning to check Sears or
> >possibly Walmart. I figure I need a steel tape measure and ruler, and
possibly
> >a metric square with level assuming one with metric is sold here...
> >
>
> Try:
>
> www.princessauto.com
>
> they are located in Canada but will ship anywhere.
>
> hth
>
> Rob
>

[Lou Parker]

Richard Riley > wrote in message >...
> On 24 Apr 2004 21:35:57 GMT, (DL152279546231)
> wrote:
>
> :Anyone know of a good source for metric measuring tools suitable for building a
> :sheet metal airplane such as Zenith's 601XL? Planning to check Sears or
> :possibly Walmart. I figure I need a steel tape measure and ruler, and possibly
> :a metric square with level assuming one with metric is sold here...
>
> The Zenair is the only kitplane I know that does any of their
> measuring in metric, and they use a mix. All their drills, rivets,
> bolts and fittings are english.
>
> Amazon has them.
>
> But I still think metric sucks
> http://www.metricsucks.com/metric_land.html

Check out your cheaper tool stores (harborfreight.com).
For some reason the metric tools can be found where respectable people don't shop.
Lou

[VideoFlyer]

Found a steel tape at Menard's with both English and Metric scale.

[Drew Dalgleish]

On 24 Apr 2004 21:35:57 GMT, (DL152279546231)
wrote:

>Anyone know of a good source for metric measuring tools suitable for building a
>sheet metal airplane such as Zenith's 601XL? Planning to check Sears or
>possibly Walmart. I figure I need a steel tape measure and ruler, and possibly
>a metric square with level assuming one with metric is sold here...

The best measuring tools cost only a little more. Metric is fairly
common in Canada. Check out lee valley tools for all kinds of stuff.
They're mostly woodworking but have lots of other neat things you just
can't find anywhere else. When browsing the catalog remember
$1.00can=$0.75us

www.leevalley.com

[DL152279546231]

I am gonna call Zenith in the morning, I know they sell a metric tape measure
but since a steel ruler was not listed I ASSUMED they did not sell one. Another
thing they don't list on-line is the small accordian thing used to mark off the
distance between rivets, I did order that... guess I held back on what I
thought was an expensive tape measure because I thought if I don't build a
Zenith, where else would I ever use a METRIC tape measure?? & yes I would have
bought Walmart's metric ruler if I had not read the negative post here, it
looked handy

[Rich S.]

"DL152279546231" > wrote in message
...
> . . . & yes I would have bought Walmart's metric ruler if I had not
> read the negative post here, it looked handy

Just to be more specific, the ruler to which I refer is ~36-1/4" long (920
mm) and has the Popular Mechanics ä logo lithograph. I wrote both Wal-Mart
and Popular Mechanics magazine about the lousy quality, but never received
even a "screw you, Charlie" out of either of them.

Rich S.

[Dillon Pyron]

On Sun, 25 Apr 2004 19:18:06 -0700, "Rich S."
> wrote:

>"DL152279546231" > wrote in message
...
>> . . . & yes I would have bought Walmart's metric ruler if I had not
>> read the negative post here, it looked handy
>
>Just to be more specific, the ruler to which I refer is ~36-1/4" long (920
>mm) and has the Popular Mechanics ä logo lithograph. I wrote both Wal-Mart
>and Popular Mechanics magazine about the lousy quality, but never received
>even a "screw you, Charlie" out of either of them.
>
>Rich S.
>

I would have expected a "screw you, Rich" ( or Dillon, in my case)

Seriously, WalMart is notoriously unresponsive. The only way to get
their attention is at the cash register. And it takes an extremely
large number of votes to make even a dent.
--
dillon

When I was a kid, I thought the angel's name was Hark
and the horse's name was Bob.

[DL152279546231]

The 'meter? stick' I saw at Walmart was yellow, about a meter, and I may buy
one saving the receipt of course for the possible return. Two nice things about
it, it was metal and if I remember correctly zero begins at the extreme end not
a space then zero if you understand...

Zenith doesn't sell a ruler any longer but I did order their tape measure. I
think it will be higher quality than I can find locally. It is also comparably
priced to the US measure I have been seeing...

I found several 'meter sticks' at the local art supply shop, for drafters, but
zero was not at the end. They also had a couple of short flexible clear plastic
rulers with metric in the right place, and zero at the end. I am gonna try
these on some scrap aluminum and see how they work. Only cost me about $3 for
the two 6", 12"

[nauga]

DL152279546231 wrote:

> I found several 'meter sticks' at the local art supply shop, for drafters,
but
> zero was not at the end.

There's a good reason for that. After I dropped my "standard reference
straightedge" a few times the ends got banged up enough to where it
was hard to accurately register zero. More than one homebuilder has
recommended beginning measurements from a reference not at the end
of the stick so that the reference doesn't get banged up/moved. If
I'd've seen a 'zero not at the end' yardstick when I was starting
I'd have gotten it.
Another sorta helpful hint is to get one or two measuring 'devices'
and use them throughout the project. Even if they're a little
inaccurate, at least the inaccuracies will be consistent as
you progress. No two cheap meter/yard sticks will be the same,
so having several and grabbing the closest one is not always the
best thing.
Of course this is all pretty much noise given the level of accuracy
most of us are capable of working to :-)

Dave 'is anal-retentive hyphenated?' Hyde