Comments on: Video: Jim Tolpin’s ‘Secret of the Sector’ http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/jim-tolpin%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98secret-of-the-sector%e2%80%99 Woodworking advice, woodworking plans, woodworking projects and woodworking blogs Wed, 22 May 2013 11:38:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Bear Limverehttp://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/jim-tolpin%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98secret-of-the-sector%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-18915 Bear Limvere Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:27:00 +0000 http://www.popularwoodworking.com/?p=97765#comment-18915 Follow the link “Make a Sector From a Crappy Folding Rule”!

That’s what I did with a 36″ four-fold that I bought from Garrett Wade a few years ago!

]]> By: Bear Limverehttp://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/jim-tolpin%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98secret-of-the-sector%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-18914 Bear Limvere Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:25:04 +0000 http://www.popularwoodworking.com/?p=97765#comment-18914 I didn’t get the mag until 2 days ago, and didn’t built one until yesterday. I thought I’d be the first to figure out the Phi relationship!

]]> By: wally54http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/jim-tolpin%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98secret-of-the-sector%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-18888 wally54 Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:57:00 +0000 http://www.popularwoodworking.com/?p=97765#comment-18888 It’s a layout tool, and as such doesn’t eliminate math so much as it eliminates measuring. That’s where the errors often occur.

]]> By: gjbivinhttp://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/jim-tolpin%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98secret-of-the-sector%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-18878 gjbivin Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:20:44 +0000 http://www.popularwoodworking.com/?p=97765#comment-18878 You use the dividers. Adjust the setting so that you can “step off” 13 (or whatever number of portions you want) along the length of the sector sticks, and make a mark at each “step”. The actual length of each portion doesn’t matter, as long as they are equal.

]]> By: edfhttp://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/jim-tolpin%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98secret-of-the-sector%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-18875 edf Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:16:51 +0000 http://www.popularwoodworking.com/?p=97765#comment-18875 I was trained in advanced math. One of the mathematicians that taught us (Walter Noll) said over and over again, “Mathematics is the art of avoiding unnecessary calculation.” Seems, that’s what this tool does. And, it replaces measuring with transferring, which is more accurate, no?

]]> By: Steve Branamhttp://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/jim-tolpin%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98secret-of-the-sector%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-18866 Steve Branam Wed, 27 Apr 2011 02:14:24 +0000 http://www.popularwoodworking.com/?p=97765#comment-18866 Cool! As others have pointed out, this is math, just not arithmetic. It’s applying the law of similar triangles from geometry. It’s like the method of angling a ruler between two parallel lines to locate evenly spaced divisions. And the nice thing is, it reduces the human error in transferring numerical values.

Although you did need some arithmetic to divide 12 into 6 even sections…

The 13 divisions simply appear to be some convenient short length stepped off repeatedly down the length of the sector. It could have been 10 and worked just as well, though the more divisions the more known points where you can take off the width.

]]> By: lawrencehttp://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/jim-tolpin%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98secret-of-the-sector%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-18812 lawrence Sun, 24 Apr 2011 05:48:00 +0000 http://www.popularwoodworking.com/?p=97765#comment-18812 Great video–

EXCELLENT article (I’ve read it twice now and am sure to read it a third time tomorrow) I’ll be making some of these soon or buying the new “rockler sector sticks” as soon as they become available (sure to be in the next couple of months)

Seriously though,
The quality of material/writing in PopWW’ing is so very good (these last couple of issues especially) and I just wanted to throw out a thanks to those of you out there that are working so hard to keep your customers pleased. You’ve certainly earned your paychecks once again.
Lawrence

]]> By: Mitch Wilsonhttp://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/jim-tolpin%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98secret-of-the-sector%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-18811 Mitch Wilson Sun, 24 Apr 2011 02:37:32 +0000 http://www.popularwoodworking.com/?p=97765#comment-18811 Sorry, people. Your terminology is all wrong. You are not eliminating “Math” (like calculus, differential equations or string theory). You’re avoiding simple, basic, second or third grade arithmetic. That’s pretty sad. This is just another form of illiteracy that permeates our society. You cannot play banjo (nor dobro or mandolin) without arithmetic. (Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and Me-P. Ochs)

]]> By: JWatrisshttp://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/jim-tolpin%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98secret-of-the-sector%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-18782 JWatriss Fri, 22 Apr 2011 02:35:20 +0000 http://www.popularwoodworking.com/?p=97765#comment-18782 This reminds me of a book on technical drafting that I was reading the other day, circa late 1800s, before photo-stat blueprints. They had a lot of interesting mechanical methods for dividing spaces, laying things out, or laying out a scale to set dividers to measurements that were accurate to hundredths of an inch.

So much to rediscover. Very exciting.

]]> By: Steve_OHhttp://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/jim-tolpin%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%98secret-of-the-sector%e2%80%99/comment-page-1#comment-18781 Steve_OH Fri, 22 Apr 2011 02:13:06 +0000 http://www.popularwoodworking.com/?p=97765#comment-18781 I don’t know–I’ve never been able to understand why there is so much aversion to math. Watching the video, I couldn’t help thinking that a pencil and a piece of scratch paper are just so much quicker and easier to use than yard-long nunchaku.

-Steve

]]>