Incra IRSET12 12" Marking Rule Set

I ran across these tools when I was looking for a precision protractor. I bought the protractor as well and reviewed it. I bought this set and I've used all of them to one extent or the other. To my surprise I've used the bent rule more than the others. I figured yeah this might be handy and it's cheaper if I just buy the set. Of course it's for precision marks around corners of a piece of wood. I do this all the time with a square of some sort and have to be careful get the mark around the corner in exactly the right place. Piece of cake with this tool. Whether around the end or the cut outs along the rule, using the included 0.5 mm mechanical pencil, I can draw a continous line around the corner - the edge - of a board. I've used it for dado and rabbet cuts and it worked great. I've used the marking rule some. Like the bent rule it's thin stainless steel and makes for very easy and precise marking in the cuts or the outside edge of the tool. I've used the T rule some measuring a position from the edges at a corner of a table top. They make a rule specifically for this by the way. I may order it one of these days. As I stated in the review of the protractor, these are a thin precision tools. This is not something you chunk in the tool box. I made a little wooden box with all the Incra tools fitted in it. I'm fussy with all my squares, rules and other measuring devices. Being too lazy sometimes to make fractional conversions I sometimes use metric rules and I've thought of buying some of the Incra rules in metric also though with their being marked in 1/64's it's easier to figure when say marking a board in even divisions than when using someing in the usual different fractions.

I just used these tools to lay out a radius jig for my router. I don't think I've ever been happier with a tool than I am with these measuring tools. I didn't think that I would have much use for the corner or straight rule. I bought the set because it was just a little more than the T rule. I used every piece to lay out this jig and to make some 2cm square blocks for my wife. I enjoy woodworking but I have always been frustrated with the inaccuracy that creeps into my work due to my poor measuring tools. I have already turned out higher quality work than I otherwise could have because of these tools. I was so satisfied after making the 2cm blocks that I pulled out my calipers to check how close I got. It wasn't going to be perfect since this is a standard rule and not a metric rule. They measured 2.008 cm on each side. That's accurate to within 3 thousandths of an inch. I could not have done that on my best day without these tools. I would give them 10 stars if I could.As other reviewers have said, they are very thin and flexible. There's a couple of reasons for that. You can lay out marks on curved surfaces and there is no parallax when you are marking or aligning. They are delicate tools and need to be treated that way. Many precision tools are delicate and these are no exception. I have the 6 inch set and they work very well. The 12 inch T rule would probably be ok, but I have a feeling that it would get difficult to handle. I'm not sure I would purchase the 18 inch. I don't think you could get an accurate line out at 18 inches. I have never used either of those and maybe with practice you can get perfect lines out at the edges. It would be great to have a thicker heavier duty version of the T rule that can only be used to draw straight lines, but I am VERY satisfied with this product.

Why did I not get something like this before?? This is an amazing product - versatile, accurate, easy to use.I had been eyeing something to take my woodworking skills up a notch, but was stymied by the price. On another site I was considering one or two of these individually, but then happened to check here on Amazon. Buying here was a significant savings.I’ve mostly used the T-ruler, as I was marking out tenons and mortises on a project. Having the ability to hold a ruler true, and accurately making a mark exactly at the measurement was huge! It’s the first time having a mark-through ruler, and what a difference that makes. “Leave the line” when cutting, and you’re on the way to some quality cuts.Fair notice - these are quite thin materials, necessary to allow marking through the ruler. So extra care in handling and storage is in order.

I purchased these because I needed higher accuracy to get the look I wanted while doing finish carpentry. These really did the trick. I am just learning woodworking and I was getting pretty frustrated with the inaccuracy of most common household measurement tools. The truth is that tape measures and simple rulers are just not accurate enough to get good results in woodworking. These rulers instantly improved my game. The little holes and slots allow you to make extremely accurate marks. The sliding ruler makes it very easy to mark lines offset from a straight edge and works as a square for making perpendicular lines. The corner rule eliminates errors that can occur when transferring measurements around corners. The only downside is that you have to use a .5mm mechanical pencil (anything bigger wont fit in the holes) and those leads are so thin that they break a lot. Of course, the ruler would not be as accurate if they made the holes bigger, so you have to live with it. Make sure you buy plenty of spare pencil leads.

We purchased the 6" set as a birthday gift for our son, who is an accomplished luthier and woodworker. He was delighted with the rules and immediately appreciated the value they will be to him in his work. Some reviewers have remarked that the rules are not sturdy enough, but I believe the fineness of the materials is an important factor in their precision. If you use and store them carefully as you would any other precision instrument, they should last for many years and prove their value over and over.