Restoring a Starrett 12" ruler

Рет қаралды 34,885

6 жыл бұрын

After finding a rusted old Starrett ruler in a ‘Free stuff’ pile left by a neighbor, I decided to restore it and repaint its notches.
First I placed it in a tray and covered it with vinegar (20% concentration) for an hour or so. Then I scraped the ruler with a bread clip and 1000 grit wet-dry sandpaper to polish the surface. After washing and neutralizing the vinegar, I cleaned the steel with alcohol and was ready to restore the black paint in the notches.
I used an oil-based black paint that I had, but acrylic paint could work to. Find a paint with a high concentration of pigment or go ahead and mix into your paint more pigment to increase visibility to the notches. I used a rubber applicator to pull the paint down the ruler. A cutoff from a car’s windshield wiper blade would be good too.
Clean any spillover with a lint free cloth slightly moistened with mineral spirit (for oil paint) or water (for acrylic). After the paint dry, polish the ruler with 1000grit wet-dry sandpaper and apply a thin layer of wax on your tool.

Пікірлер: 37

@certifiedspeedfreak 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for posting this as i have just done exactly the same to two folding steel rules that were that bad (rusted up) i struggled to open them. I didn't have 20% acidity vinegar so using ordinary vinegar i left them soaking for 3 hours and now after using 1000 wet and dry i can see all of the markings Thanks again 👍.

@kape9004 Жыл бұрын

This video has just inspired me dig out my old rulers that are in need of some restoration. They were made solid in the old days. Thank you and take care.

@qlogic2002 6 жыл бұрын

I had no idea reapplying the black lines was this easy! I have woodworking squares I'm restoring... thank you for this tutorial!

@YoavSamuelLiberman 6 жыл бұрын

Let me know how it went. Try this first on a ruler with wider graduations to get a feel on the right paint viscosity and the squeegee drag. Good luck.

@ChazzC Жыл бұрын

That came out almost like from the factory, very nice. Thanks for the video.

@puma421 4 жыл бұрын

So cool........Love to see older good tools brought back

@jmfa57 Жыл бұрын

THANK YOU so very much! This is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Well done, Sir!

@unclenono304 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this. I inherited a small 6 inch Starrett ruler from my grandfather and have been wanting to clean it up some. Yours looks great now, I'll give your methods a try.

@g4mmalotus937 6 жыл бұрын

This is exactly the video I was looking for! I have this vintage Globemaster 5955 Calipers I bought at an antique store. It was rusted to hell, I saw it and it took me a while to even realize what it was. Now I've restored it to working order, and it looks amazing! But the numbers are bare and hard to read, I've been trying to fill them for a week! I'll have to try this out!

@indianatone218 3 жыл бұрын

Just bought an old steel 2' engineers rule that needs some TLC thanks for showing us ,that's a nice job . Ant from Wales UK

@ruidadgmailcanada8508 3 ай бұрын

My 3 adjustable rusty squares thank you for this video and their new lease on life. 😊 My speed squares will get the same treatment because they’re bare metal with no paint in their groves. 👍

@jasonblume2707 2 жыл бұрын

So many videos on you tube are showing how to basically ruin old stainless steal rulers, thank you for sharing this method, In my opinion this is one of the best ways to restore old stainless rulers... Thanks

@stachuk1992 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you - I just inherited about 50 similar various rulers from my father. Looking forward to restoring them :)

@michaellindsay8934 Жыл бұрын

Great video thank you

@xtbuff1008 5 жыл бұрын

Just don't actually use this rule for anything. It's a shrink rule, used to make foundry patterns. Patterns are oversized to make up for cast metals shrinking as they cool. This ruler is 3/16ths of an inch longer per foot of length, so it might be a bit frustrating to use.

@ericcommarato7727 4 жыл бұрын

I was going to reiterate this as well, this rule is really useless...unless your doing foundry work.

@YoavSamuelLiberman 4 жыл бұрын

@@ericcommarato7727 Thanks so much for this important information Eric.

@katla4991 3 жыл бұрын

I can think of something I would use a shrink rule to measure.

@Ricopolico 5 жыл бұрын

This is the way to restore a scale and to create a video of the process - Thank you!

@GeneralMe100 5 жыл бұрын

restoring an old Vernier height gauge, very useful thanks

@michael.schuler 3 жыл бұрын

Wonderful video. Thank you!

@theewelder 4 жыл бұрын

wow man....nice job....

@bryanwelch766 4 жыл бұрын

Clear instructions and very useful. Thank you!

@3Godfree 6 жыл бұрын

Yoav, great job on the restoration, and a great video.

@uncleblack7946 5 жыл бұрын

Beautiful work..nice...

@march11stoneytony 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome! I recently got my hands on a ww2 rcaf starrett. I plan and trying this

@jmegown52302 4 жыл бұрын

Cool. A No. 375, shrinking rule, 3/16 per foot for thin brass. 👍

@MrMEmEmEmEMEMEeeeeee 5 жыл бұрын

Not only a very clear and concise tutorial but the music was a great addition-not obtrusive at all. 10/10 video!!!

@tenkill 3 жыл бұрын

What kind of wax did you use in the end?

@YoavSamuelLiberman 3 жыл бұрын

Renaissance wax, but any good quality wax will do...

@tenkill 3 жыл бұрын

@@YoavSamuelLiberman Johnson paste wax?

@YoavSamuelLiberman 3 жыл бұрын

@@tenkill Sure!

@kitsunegao 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you, I just ruined mine using a permanent marker then I used alcohol to remove it but the lines came off

@peterymson2340 Жыл бұрын

YOUR BACKGROUND MUSIC IS TOO LOUD ,DROWNING YOUR VOICE...

@freds4703 Жыл бұрын

Music annoying and adds nothing

@ernestsuazo6970 Жыл бұрын

Very annoying audio!

@johntalbot4541 7 ай бұрын

I agree - no need for this distraction