Took me 3 tries to get a parallel straightedge clamp to actually stay put on a steel rule

I kept fighting with this clamp that would slip after an hour of drawing. Tried tightening it more, cleaning the surface, even sanding the clamp face a bit. Nope. Finally realized I was using it wrong - you gotta position it at the very end of the rule, not in the middle. Now it stays solid for a full shift. Anyone else struggle with these things?

3 comments

3 Comments

lindaowens1mo ago

Had the exact same frustration with mine for weeks. Kept thinking I needed to buy a more expensive clamp or something. Then a coworker pointed out the same thing about positioning it at the end of the rule and it clicked. Made me realize I was overcomplicating it big time. Honestly felt dumb for not trying that sooner but hey at least it works now. Glad you figured it out too.

sage_ramirez421mo ago

Are we really acting like clamping something to the end of a tape measure is some kind of breakthrough? It's tape measure 101. I've seen guys in the field do this without even thinking about it. The fact that it took weeks to figure out kinda proves the point that people overthink simple stuff. But also, it's not that deep. Clamp it or don't, the floor still gets laid either way. Some of yall act like this solved world hunger.

gavin_kelly911mo ago

See I have to disagree a little bit with you on this one sage_ramirez42. Sure, experienced guys might do it without thinking, but that's exactly the point. Not everyone has been doing this kind of work for twenty years. For guys like @lindaowens who are still learning, something that seems obvious to a pro can be a real head-scratcher. I'd rather see somebody take the time to figure out a better way than just muscle through a job and get sloppy results. And honestly, it's not about the clamp being a big invention or anything like that. It's about passing along a small trick that saves time and hassle for the next person. The floor might still get laid either way, but that doesn't mean we can't help each other do it a little cleaner.