I’m framing out a window in my kitchen, which means I get to use one of my favorite tools for accuracy.
It’s a set of dovetail interlocking bars with tips on the end that you can fit together to make expandable measurements.
You simply put together the amount of sections needed, expand it to fill the opening you need to fit something into and then take the bars to your saw, set the stop and cut the board to fit. No taking a numerical reading from a tape and then trying to set your saw to it or remembering it correctly.
This version was made by Bridge City Tools in 1999. They did one run and never made it again. Interestingly an error was made in the length of one or more sets and there is a 4” gap that the set won’t measure in the 40” region!
Several companies make fittings that can go on your shop cut boards to make them expandable.
