Measuring Sticks

[Meldonmech]

Hi Guys
                         These are two measuring sticks that I made up, both fully adjustable, and used for measuring in recesses where it is difficult to take accurate measurements using a tape rule.  Materials and fastenings can be what you have available.  My large one is made from an old TV mast, and I am using it to measure for replacement windows. I do have much smaller ones for the workshop mostly above  30cm.
                                                     
                                                                                             Cheers David

[DMIOM]

Hi David,

There's actually a name by which such a pair of sliding rods is known - a "Gunter Batten" - at least in the RN damage control world.  Never had to use them for real but have wielded them in training - great fun (?) in the DRU up to your chest in water!). There's a good description of their use here.

Dave

[Meldonmech]

Hi Dave
                   That is interesting, I worked for years with a lot of guys who were ex navy engineers and the Gunter Battons were  never mentioned.
                                               Thanks for the info,

                                                                               Cheers David

[RussellT]

I was intrigued by a passing resemblance between this device and the gunter rig used on some dinghies (eg Mirror) where there are two poles used in a telescopic configuration.

Quick research via Google and Wikipedia suggests that they may be derived from the work of Edmund Gunter a British mathematician (1581-1626) although I didn't find any direct references to battens or sailing rigs.

Russell