Heads up about that drafting supply swap meet on 34th street

I stopped by the drafting supply swap meet over on 34th street last Saturday morning. A guy in the back corner had a big table of vintage drafting machines and scales that looked like a steal. But when I picked up one of the aluminum rulers, the edge was bent just enough to throw off a straight line by about a 32nd of an inch. I pointed it out to the seller and he brushed me off, saying I was being too picky. So just a warning if you go to these swap meets, check your tools closely for any damage. Has anyone else run into sellers passing off messed up gear as "vintage treasures"?

3 comments

3 Comments

mianelson2d ago

A 32nd of an inch is basically nothing, you sure it wasn't just dirty?

the_thomas2d ago

Wait, have you actually measured it yourself @mianelson? A 32nd might sound tiny but on a precision part that can totally throw off the fitment or cause vibration at speed. I've seen builds where a few thou here or there made the difference between smooth operation and a total headache down the line. Plus if it's a moving part that clearance could wear out fast and cause damage to the whole assembly. We're not talking about a loose bolt or something, we're talking about actual measurable tolerance.

emeryj662d ago

Ehh, I dunno man, feels like this might be overthinking it a bit. A 32nd is like 0.03 inches, that's basically the width of a few sheets of paper, not exactly a dealbreaker on most stuff. If the part was already running fine before, maybe it's just some dust or a burr that got wiped off.