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Saturdays, in my world, translate into a day in the shop working on any
number of projects. Last Saturday was no different. I began
building a dining table on Friday, and by Saturday, I was well into the
project. The top sections were in clamps, but before being cut to size
and any inlay work commenced, the glue had to dry. The apron and legs
were already assembled.
Watching glue dry is not for anyone
geared toward production. It’s boring! Looking for the next step, I
decided to rout for the simple ebony string inlay installed in each leg
post. I have this thing about line inlay. I like to use an odd number of
pieces in the design, and for some reason, I like to keep the flanking
strips shorter than the center strip. (Is there a reason for that, George
Walker?) I also have fluted door jambs in my house with the same
design and that inlay design was used in the very first project I built
as a senior editor – remember my Arts & Crafts mirror?
With eight leg posts to lay out and rout, I was looking for a layout method that was easy to repeat. I grabbed up a Woodpecker Rule Stop – 1 and attached it to my 12″ rule. It was exactly what I was looking for.
When
attached to the rule, the RS-1 forms a tight bond that holds firm to
the rule. The stop provides a perfect shoulder to hold against the
workpiece for identical marking – the rule stays square to the top of my
leg posts. I wish I had a second RS-1 to set for the top measurement.
It would have made things that much quicker. I could have simply flipped
the rule instead of picking up a second tool.
The Rule Stop -1
(RS-1) fits most rules up to 1-1/2″ in width – the RS-1 works with my
old folding rules, too (I had some spare time in the office). Due to the
dovetailed body parts of the RS-1 – the red anodized aluminum pieces –
it clamps square to the rule every time. Some rule stops on the market
can be clamped at an angle to the rule, which is sure to affect layout.
The screw, posts and knob are stainless steel, so this small workhorse
won’t rust while sitting in your toolbox – although I doubt it will sit
idle for long. Additionally, the RS-1 is machined to be 1″ in width. I
know that’s important, but as of yet I’ve not discovered why. 
If
you’re used to working with a wider rule, fear not. Woodpeckers has a
rule stop that works with rules up to 2-1/4″ in width. It’s the Rule Stop – 2.
The RS-2 is built with aluminum and stainless, just as the RS-1. In fact,
it too is “Woodpecker red.” The RS-2 is exactly 2″ wide. If you know how
having an exact 1″-wide or 2″-wide stop is useful, or if you use your
stops another way, leave a comment to tell us why or how. And if you
don’t have a rule stop, check out the Rule Stop – 1 ($25) or the Rule
Stop – 2 ($33) and other woodworking tools at the Woodpeckers web site.
