# Tools to cut a yardstick? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 3, 2020, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841 "2020-03-03T01:49:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/1 "2020-03-03T01:49:59Z")
If you poke around you can find a lot of craft projects made from cut up yardsticks. But to a one, every set of instructions I’ve run across says “cut yardsticks” without bothering to tell you **what** to cut them with. My intention is to try to make a shallow display box for Lego minifigures using wooden yardsticks which are the ideal width for such a project. Many of the dividing pieces will be very small, possibly only 2 to 3 inches long. I don’t love the Americana kitch of recognizable yardsticks, though, so I will be spray painting the assembled box (assuming it works out) and the plywood backing later, so while I would love a suggestion of a tool that will make clean, even cuts, it _can_ mar the writing. At my disposal I have: - A jigsaw - A chop saw (lacks a finger guard, however, after mom’s ill advised attempt to cut up blinds for disposal warped it so badly it had to be removed) - Hacksaw - Tin snippers - Heavy duty Exacto knives (I have doubts…) - and a sander to finish raw edges And I’m willing to throw up to $25 at buying another tool should none of these be suitable - after that it verges on cheaper to buy something premade like an antique typset drawer. What would you suggest as the ideal tool? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/2 "2020-03-03T02:21:09Z")
A chop saw would be the fastest, but not very safe for small pieces. I’d probably go with a [cheap miter box and a back saw](https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-14-in-Miter-Box-and-Saw-Set-121BSB14/204787577). ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/3 "2020-03-03T03:06:46Z")
For projects like this, my stationary band saw has worked great. ---
**Author:** ![GMANCANADA](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gmancanada/32/2837_2.png) [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/4 "2020-03-03T03:41:59Z")
Agree with Beowulf - Chop saw is perfect, but you need to be comfortable and safe cutting small pieces. If you go that route, you should cut a test piece and see how well it cuts. If it leaves lots of wood fibres, you should buy a new fine-tooth blade. The jigsaw will also work fine, equipped with a fine-tooth blade, but I’d practice on a couple pieces to make sure you can follow a straight line since there isn’t a guide. If none of that works, go with a cheap mitre box and saw as Beowulf suggests, you can buy them at dollar stores for a few bucks. They’re crappy, but will work fine for a single project. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/5 "2020-03-03T03:47:48Z")
I see no reason why a jigsaw wouldn’t be just fine. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/6 "2020-03-03T03:49:17Z")
I would go with the chop saw with a [sacrificial fence](http://https://www.familyhandyman.com/tools/miter-saws/sacrificial-miter-saw-fence-for-safety/) for safety and accuracy. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/7 "2020-03-03T04:41:36Z")
Why wouldn’t a wood-friendly blade and the hacksaw work? Use a speed square as a guide to get the initial cut dead square and cut. With a good blade and the relatively soft wood of most yardsticks, you can finish each cut in less than a minute. You can also use it to notch pieces so that the cubes can be made out of long pieces notched together for stability. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/8 "2020-03-03T06:50:07Z")
I suspect you can find premade shallow display boxes, complete with glass fronts, for a low enough price that it isn’t worth your while to try to make them–especially if you’re unfamiliar with woodworking, as you seem to be. Try searching for “shadow box”. For instance, here’s a 4-incher at Hobby Lobby for $8. [https://www.hobbylobby.com/Home-Decor-Frames/Frames-Photo-Albums/Picture-Frames/Black-Shadow-Box-Frame---4-x-4/p/80911860](https://www.hobbylobby.com/Home-Decor-Frames/Frames-Photo-Albums/Picture-Frames/Black-Shadow-Box-Frame---4-x-4/p/80911860) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/9 "2020-03-03T07:58:34Z")
For something that small, I’d go with a hand saw every time - mitre saw, dovetail saw, different japanese saws, that kind of thing. And of course a mitre box to keep everything square. So basically thirding **beowulff**. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/10 "2020-03-03T12:34:20Z")
The hacksaw would also be fine, with the right blade, but the blades usually used with hacksaws are designed for metal, not wood. The jigsaw is more likely to have the right blade. Although, come to think of it, this depends on the tool being described as a “jigsaw” actually being a jigsaw. I’ve seen that word used frequently to describe what is actually a saber saw, which would not be the best tool to use. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/11 "2020-03-03T14:46:49Z")
This seems like a waste of good yardsticks. Just buy some trim. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/12 "2020-03-03T15:08:07Z")
Sorry to go off-piste, but this subject implies that wooden yardsticks are the kind of thing that everyone has laying around. We do have a couple in our house, but woe betide anyone who tried to repurpose them. They are for measuring stuff. At school, we had wooden rulers but they were only a foot long and I doubt that many wooden ones are still around these days. So my question is - do Americans have yard long measuring sticks in abundance, or are they like pipe cleaners and are sold in craft shops etc to be used for things other than their original purpose? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/13 "2020-03-03T15:19:11Z")
I would use your heavy duty Exacto knife and a straight edge to score the yardstick where you want to cut, then use whatever saw (hacksaw or jigsaw would be fine) to cut. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/14 "2020-03-03T15:31:55Z")
You get the most accurate cut with an inexpensive back saw and miter box. Stanley sells a combo for less than $15. I bought this combo 12 years ago and use it for cutting trim and other small projects. The plastic, hold down clamps work really well. > **[Stanley 14.5 in. Deluxe Clamping Miter Box with 14 in. Saw 20-600D - The Home...](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-14-5-in-Deluxe-Clamping-Miter-Box-with-14-in-Saw-20-600D/100034395)** > > Use the Stanley Deluxe Miter Box with Saw to make professional-caliber miter cuts without investing in a bulky power tool. Measured slots on the miter box allow you to make 90 degree , 45 degree and 22.5 There’s no need for power tools. Three strokes with a hand saw will easily cut a yardstick. I pull out the power tools for lumber. 2x4’s, 2x6’s, plywood etc. ---
**Author:** ![hopesperson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e95f7d/32.png) [@hopesperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hopesperson)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/15 "2020-03-03T15:52:47Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > At school, we had wooden rulers but they were only a foot long and I doubt that many wooden ones are still around these days. So my question is - do Americans have yard long measuring sticks in abundance, or are they like pipe cleaners and are sold in craft shops etc to be used for things other than their original purpose? Wooden yardsticks with advertising printed on them are a common giveaway at trade shows, home improvement expositions, state fairs, furniture stores and so on. I’ve probably accumulated ten or more over the years, even though I don’t specifically recall where most of them came from. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/16 "2020-03-03T16:05:10Z")
If you want to do it right, use a Japanese style saw like [this](https://www.rockler.com/z-saw-s-250-double-edge-ryoba-saw-and-replacement-blade?country=US&sid=V91040&promo=shopping&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=PL&gclid=CjwKCAiAnfjyBRBxEiwA-EECLNmMoNhY0J_OcJoerOekS62WctkPpd87LOByY_wGbdBB3CrNFHkzIxoCFUEQAvD_BwE). The blade is thin, the teeth are sharp and you will get the cleanest cut possible. Yardsticks of today are made from softwoods that will shred and splinter if you use anything but a thin saw your results will be less than okay. I made me a miter box to use with my Japanese saw, it has very narrow slots to keep the cuts true. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/17 "2020-03-03T18:59:52Z")
The hacksaw with a metal blade will be fine. It might add a few seconds of cutting but the fine teeth with make for a cleaner edge. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2020, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/18 "2020-03-03T19:57:20Z")
I’d go with the chop saw. Particularly if you’re making a lot of dividing pieces. The chop saw, if you clamp on a stop block to define the correct length, can make dozens of identical pieces quickly and cleanly if you have a fine toothed, sharp, blade. ---
**Author:** ![GMANCANADA](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gmancanada/32/2837_2.png) [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2020, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/19 "2020-03-04T01:18:09Z")
@hopesperson > [@](#): > > even though I don’t specifically recall where most of them came from. Easy: China. (up to the last month or so) ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2020, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841/20 "2020-03-05T02:42:56Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > A chop saw would be the fastest, but not very safe for small pieces. > I’d probably go with a [cheap miter box and a back saw](https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-14-in-Miter-Box-and-Saw-Set-121BSB14/204787577). I have this exact thing and I use it for projects just like this. A jigsaw would work but much harder to get a straight end. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tools-to-cut-a-yardstick/848841.md?page=2)