50% more in Scotland?

AndyT · 18 Apr 2016

I was pleased to find a copy of this useful little publication in a local secondhand book shop today.

It's from a series of Woodworker handbooks that went through successive updatings; I think this edition is probably from about a century ago, so I expect to find it full of useful advice.

This is what it says (with admirable brevity) about the kit of tools:

A pretty minimal kit, with no surprises - except for that bit about the 2 foot rule. Why did Scottish woodworkers prefer a 3 foot rule? Are their trees all taller? Do they just want to be better equipped than the English?

Can anyone offer anything in support of this odd statement? I can say that 2 foot folding rules seem much commoner than 3 foot ones in my tool shopping - is it the other way around in Scotland?

Wuffles · 18 Apr 2016

YOU'LL NEVER TAKE MY THREEDOM.

It doesn't scan, I'm sorry, just popped into my head.

t8hants · 18 Apr 2016

Years ago, a chap I worked with in the boat yard had a folding steel three foot rule made like my steel two foot, he was Scottish - local thing?

Woody2Shoes · 18 Apr 2016

No idea, but it's perhaps no co-incidence that three feet = one yard. Perhaps the Scottish tradition was based on a yardstick (e.g. to calibrate against the local overseer's yardstick and/or to pay for piece-work)? W2S

Cheshirechappie · 18 Apr 2016

Maybe Scottish inches are shorter, so as a rule, they'd need more of them. Besides, it can get cold up there, so they'd shrink.

(*ducks under bench before making a dash for the workshop door*)

PS - Interesting list. I suggests 'sundry nails and screws' - but no screwdriver, nor any means to keep the edge tools sharp.