Many thanks Marty. All my life I've been frustrated by this problem and have struggled on with half-baked solutions. Your solution is simple and elegant. Thank you.

Your mini-pinch sticks look like they would be useful, economical, and quick to make for smallish boxes. I'm a trim carpenter. Before I started to use a laser distance measuring device, I used the same Veritas hardware to make longer modified pinch sticks (aka bar gauges) that I used as accurate inside calipers to take measurements for crown, base, and other trim work, in particular when working up on a ladder and/or when measuring distances where a tape measure would either bow or be unable to stand out far enough. To do this, you can modify the basic Veritas bar gauge by adding an appropriate portion of a self-adhesive measuring tape to one of the pair of sticks, on its inner face. The measurement range of the portion of tape to be used starts where one end shows the exact length of the bar gauge when fully contracted. Then, when the gauge is extended, its extended length is indicated by the point where the end of the stick without the tape overlaps the one with it. Using the Veritas hardware, the sticks need to be about 1/4" x 3/4". For this caliper function, I leave the ends of the sticks square. One advantage of this calibrated bar gauge is that you can stand, or position your ladder, in the middle of a run and read the dimension from there, rather than from one end, as you would need to with a tape measure. Another often useful advantage is that once set to a given length, the pinch sticks serve as a physical distance gauge. This gauge can be useful, for example, if you want to find the maximum or minimum distance between two surfaces, such as a floor and ceiling, or the width of an irregular finished opening. This is a task more conveniently performed with the bar gauge than with a LDM, as you needn't note an individual measurement at each survey point. I generally carry a set of three such bar gauges, their lengths coordinated so that together they are capable of providing a continuous range of precise inside measurement readings of any length between about 2' and 10'. Their respective fully contracted lengths are 22", 36", and 58". I transport them in a simple case made from a 60" length of PVC pipe with threaded endcaps. Sorry for the lengthy verbal dissertation. I'm planning on devoting more time to posting pics and videos myself this year on my IG feed and website. Clearly, a few pics would be worth much more than all these words. I'm inspired by the content younger tradesmen post, and frankly amazed how they find the time to do it. Maybe check out #michaelschuler.carpentry.tools this Spring to see these bar gauges and some other tool hacks and innovations too.

I've watched a lot of your videos and your craftsmanship is unparalleled. You are a ball of fire.

A great direct answer. Thank You

Great video Marty. Very useful tools.

Enjoyable and informative video!

Very clever, I'll definitely try that

Great idea,thank you

I was in the middle of a project and getting very frustrated about my failure to square one element of the construction - actually it was for a frMe for a compost heap on my allotment, so accuracy wasn’t of paramount importance but I needed to prove to myself I could do it. Your tip about using masking tape to ‘bind’ the two pieces of wood together was absolutely spot on. It worked a treat - just the right amount of resistance in sheer between the two pieces so I don’t even need any form of clamp to hold the measured distance to the other diagonal. Much as I love Veritas gear I really didn’t want to lash out on a ‘proper’ set. The last two elements of the project took a fraction of the time for the first. A thousand thanks. PS: I hope you don’t mind but I didn’t implement the metallic spray element of your video .... the blue masking tape looks fine,

You must be a toolmaker at Boeing ,very precise ,nice job.

How do you attach the wooden clamp to your bench.enjoy your videos.

Instead of painter’s tape I’ll try using very thin sheet brass with an adhesive backing. Hopefully, I’ll get the same result but without having to paint.

Thank

I enjoyed the video and the build but I don't know what they are for or how to use them.

I’m with frank , why build a tool and not explain what its for??? Now that someone else explained it, it would be useful to have.

I've always considered it sad that I have never done a simple project like this because I need them all the time. Using the painters tape was cool.

Nice tip about the blue tape but man this video put me to sleep, trying to get to that part

Very interesting video, but couldnt hear what you were saying if you talking to yourself about what to do, or if you were telling us how to do it. Again very interested in the video. Just couldn't make out what was being said

My dear friend,are these for measuring,say ,for measuring the length of a new shelf you are going to cut, is that what they are for,thanks,

Can you point me to the location where I can buy the Lee Valley pinch stick clamps? I looked on their site but couldn't find them.

You are so soft spoken, that it is hard to hear/understand what you are saying.

Louder.

If he was doing a job for me I wouldn’t want him on hourly rate

You paint the blue tape and wait 24 hours to dray ?!!

Thanks for the video; but, seriously, painting painter's tape seems a bit anal retentive to me

very exciting video but i fell asleep half way through. sorry!

Corner to corner is cool and all but if one side is off to the same degree you will always get an inaccurate measurement. Ask me how I know. Always check your corners for square.

My gord, it'll take you a week to make at that rate ....by the way , the real name are ( Pinch Rods )

Please get a mic or turn up the audio post when you edit. We didn’t need to see you paint the tape and after all that you never showed them in use. I won’t subscribe to you channel because I feel the videos are longer than needed. Now all that said the information was good and helpful.

Oh I could do it slower than that.... Jesus....

Sound quality is very bad why do you talk so low and slow

How do you attach the wooden clamp to your bench.enjoy your videos.