Just an INCH but not as we know it.

[toolsntat]

Just rediscovered some old measuring sticks (Ells ?) that I never researched when I got them.
One is spot on the metric centimetre but the other (dark oak)is somewhat archaic and best described as showing 24" but measures
23-3/8" ?
Closest reference I can find is for the Danish Alen but how long was the old Danish Inch? I've searched but not found it
Cheers Andy

 

[AndyT]

There's an impressively comprehensive 13 page table of obsolete units of measure towards the end of TATHS Journal volume 13, available here http://www.taths.org.uk/component/webli ... =64&id=160

Spoiler alert: the Danish Alen was apparently 24.71 inches long, or 24 and 23/32".

Hope this helps! If it's not close enough, there are plenty of others to look through. The Erfut Elle seems to be bang on the money at 23 3/8.

Where was your ell made? Does it have "Danish" with the double underlining? :wink:

 

[toolsntat]

Glad you know how to work the system Andy, I had tried but failed
That is a fantastic amount of research and I thought I had that issue so went to look. Alas not, it was another mixed in with a plethora of old trade reprints so as you see it took me a while to get back here :roll: 8)
Anyway I have been examining it closer .....
No letters or numerals.
First (6"appx) segment divided into 1/4 inches
Second whole inches
Third 1/2 way(3"appx)
Forth whole.
All on 3 running rulemaking gauge lines
Also I've measured it properly ..
Total 23 and 9/64
So, back to the list.....
Cheers Andy

 

[toolsntat]

So.....
I get a Braccio Parma Italy at 23 and 10/64"
Cheers Andy

 

[Steve Maskery]

I used to have a Pattern-Maker's rule. It was my granddad's (he was a pattern-maker) and it had four different 24" scales on it. One was a true 24", the others were used when making moulds for cast iron, or bronze or aluminium. They were all bigger than 24", but if you made the pattern to size using those scales, the end casting ended up the right size after it had cooled and shrunk.
Sadly it was stolen. I believe it ended up being sold on eBay, but by the time I found the listing it had long gone, along with the listing photograph. But the description matched 100%. Location Leicestershire, IIRC, which would make sense for the general part of the country.
It wasn't much use as a ruler, as the numbers were almost worn off, but it was a link to my granddad.
I hope that whoever has it now appreciates it.

The one you show cannot be a pattern-maker's rule as it is shorter, rather than longer, than true.

 

[toolsntat]

I know just the rules you speak of Steve
That is a sad situation to be sure, would it have had his name on it ? Who knows, it may surface one day.
I've accumulated a few over the years.
Cheers Andy

 

[Steve Maskery]

I know just the rules you speak of Steve
That is a sad situation to be sure, would it have had his name on it ?

Sadly not. I could probably identify it out of a selection, though, it was almost illegible. I have it on film somewhere, but I'd have to go hunting to find it.