Did your grandaddy use this?

[Teofilo]

It's similar to a tape measure. and definitely not a yardstick. I know its used for measuring. But, measuring what?
It's pure bronze and weighs more than a kilo. I kept this for more than a decade now. What is it
called? Thanks.

[J-sews]

Wow! I've seen wooden ones like that, but never a bronze one!


What length does it go up to?

 

[Teofilo]

Exactly 18 feet.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Wow, your not going to break that in hurry!

Like Bob I've only seen them in wood before now

[Teofilo]

My grandpa was in the U.S. navy during the 1st World War. At first, I thought it was a carpenter's tool, but being too heavy and big, I can't imagine how a carpenter can work on roofs of houses. Maybe, it's one of the tools they used in making roads and bridges. What do you think?

[J-sews]

Just some random thoughts here:

Why is it not made of wood? Maybe thay didn't want it to rot.
Why is it not made of steel? Even the screws are not steel. Maybe they didn't want it to rust.
It can't be for precision measuring, since there are no increments other than the "inch" markings.

I once spent the summer working at a gas station. The fuel is stored in big underground tanks. Every day we took this really long fiberglass pole and poked it down into the underground tank. The pole had inch markings like on your measuring device. Like a really long dip stick, we would lift out the stick, find the top of the wet area, mark down the depth measurement, and then later refer to a chart that told how many gallons of fuel were left in the tank.

Wonder if that relates to your device Teo?

[Teofilo]

I myself am wondering what this measuring device is. You gave me an idea - maybe what ur saying is right, worked like a dipstick in measuring fuel or something. Is it possible to find this in the net?

[Poncho65]

You said he was in the Navy maybe like Bob said was used for measuring fuel, could be it's brass so it didn't rust in the salt air  and folding to be more compact on a ship, just a thought though, I use a wooden or a fiberglass everyday at work  much more handy for me in my line of work.  Plus they still make rules just for bricklayers with different scales specific to our trade on the other side

[scibeer]

The guy that used to fill up the underground gas tanks at my Dad's shop in the 70's used something similar.   It was solid brass like that but in 2 foot sections.

[Spoonrobot]

My father or grandfather has a few of these poking around, I'll have to ask him what they are for next time we speak. FWIW; their's are made of wood and have metal rivets holding the sections together. Not sure about the increments though.

[Teofilo]

Thanks Spoon, let me (us) know what this thing is called.

[Spoonrobot]

He said the wooden ones that I remember are carpenter's rulers.

The one in the OP would probably be used for concrete/cement or some kind of bricklaying but he wasn't sure. The coarse measurements and non-sequential incrementation were something he hadn't seen before. He said he would ask around and let me know what else he found out.

Interesting.

[NutSAK]

I once spent the summer working at a gas station. The fuel is stored in big underground tanks. Every day we took this really long fiberglass pole and poked it down into the underground tank. The pole had inch markings like on your measuring device. Like a really long dip stick, we would lift out the stick, find the top of the wet area, mark down the depth measurement, and then later refer to a chart that told how many gallons of fuel were left in the tank.

Wonder if that relates to your device Teo?

I would suspect you're right about that, Bob.  It certainly makes sense with the bronze materials.

[hawkchucker]

I see them from time to time in Maine. I would guess It also has to do with logging somehow.
Cant see that many up there just for fuel, however there are 2 old navy bases there.

[Poncho65]

He said the wooden ones that I remember are carpenter's rulers.

The one in the OP would probably be used for concrete/cement or some kind of bricklaying but he wasn't sure. The coarse measurements and non-sequential incrementation were something he hadn't seen before. He said he would ask around and let me know what else he found out.

Interesting.

Depending which one it is on the brick rule there are 3 different types theres the modular ruler, the brick spacing ruler and the oversized brick ruler  each one has different markings on there resective side

[XXet]

I looked it up it is a Brass Folding Souding Rod it is for measuring liquid in tight spaces on ships probably something flammable that is why it is made of something that wont spark ....hope this helps 

[Teofilo]

 Brass Folding Souding Rod
 Thanks XXet.

[duckman1975]

Remember my grandfather using that wished I saved it, I also remembered breaking it apart and using it as a ruler 

[Andreas]

If it looks like a long yardstick, it probably is a long yardstick

[Teofilo]

Xxet you relived this tread and it made me wonder where i placed it after all the cleaning-up we do in our house every time a typhoon hits the city. Flood waters break through my house at times so as i try to secure my "precious tools" I somehow tend to forget where i kept them. i found it in a place that no one would ever think of  Now, i am cleaning it again and restoring it to its former glory.

[XXet]

Your Welcome Glad I could help....

[hugh_h]

It looks like a very robust tool to measure length and distance. A long time ago, tape measures were unreliable, so people used these folding measuring sticks, although I've only ever seen wooden ones. Brass doesn't rust, so it has that advantage over steel.

I don't think the measurements are "non-sequential;" Maybe it appears like that because the numbers go "back and forth" in the photo so that they measure correctly when the thing is unfolded.