Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 7 minutes ago
The single most important tool in your shop—hands down—is a measuring tool you can trust.Tape measures are convenient, but they’re not always accurate—especially because of that sliding hook.If you’re just working off one tape for the whole build, you can usually get by. But once you start referencing built-in scales on your table saw or other tools… even small inconsistencies can creep in.
That’s why I prefer a solid measuring stick—something fixed and dependable.
In Bitesize 117, I showed how to use square tubing to turn one into a reliable layout tool. But I wanted to take the idea even further with a new design.
If you’ve ever used a two-sided ruler—one side metric, the other imperial—or had marks running in opposite directions, you know how frustrating it is to flip and re-align every time.So I made a block that fits over the measuring stick and gives me dead-on marks from either side. A playing card shims the top of the ruler—so the mark is always perfectly centered.
Then, I added a hook block at the end, turning the whole thing into a precise T-square.
It’s a simple upgrade, but it’s solved a ton of tiny frustrations in my layout process.
Check out my other channel! → @makethingswithrob
Watch the full ruler upgrade video here → youtu.be/Edzjn66QAHo
Become a patron! → patreon.com/makethings ←
Huge thank you to my patrons that keep this thing going!
*MAKER TEAM*
Michelle B
Keith Current
William L McNally
Rich Lightfoot
Tutor the Barbarian
Aubrey G.
Nukebert
Sam W.
Aaron Knows DIY
G. Salazar
David B.
Make Things
#MakeThings #mtbitesize
The single most important tool in your shop—hands down—is a measuring tool you can trust.Tape measures are convenient, but they’re not always accurate—especially because of that sliding hook.If you’re just working off one tape for the whole build, you can usually get by. But once you start referencing built-in scales on your table saw or other tools… even small inconsistencies can creep in.
That’s why I prefer a solid measuring stick—something fixed and dependable.
In Bitesize 117, I showed how to use square tubing to turn one into a reliable layout tool. But I wanted to take the idea even further with a new design.
If you’ve ever used a two-sided ruler—one side metric, the other imperial—or had marks running in opposite directions, you know how frustrating it is to flip and re-align every time.So I made a block that fits over the measuring stick and gives me dead-on marks from either side. A playing card shims the top of the ruler—so the mark is always perfectly centered.
Then, I added a hook block at the end, turning the whole thing into a precise T-square.
It’s a simple upgrade, but it’s solved a ton of tiny frustrations in my layout process.
Check out my other channel! → @makethingswithrob
Watch the full ruler upgrade video here → youtu.be/Edzjn66QAHo
Become a patron! → patreon.com/makethings ←
Huge thank you to my patrons that keep this thing going!
*MAKER TEAM*
Michelle B
Keith Current
William L McNally
Rich Lightfoot
Tutor the Barbarian
Aubrey G.
Nukebert
Sam W.
Aaron Knows DIY
G. Salazar
David B.
Make Things
#MakeThings #mtbitesize
