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Author Topic: Golden Mean Calipers  (Read 11096 times)

Online smallpatch

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Golden Mean Calipers
« on: July 20, 2013, 08:10:58 PM »
OK, let's stir the pot a little.

I, for one, use the Golden Mean, as do others on this site.  I have been using a somewhat crude, yet effective set.  I found this one on the web the other day, and thought I'd put together a set.  About $8 worth of materials, 20 minutes of my time, and here's what you get.  Used just 1/4" x 1/2" oak, (all HD had), some wing nuts with T-nuts in the wood, so you can lock it up.  Will measure out to 26".  Very light, very handy.

Let the cat calls begin!!!


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Offline tallbear

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2013, 08:26:46 PM »
No Cat Calls Dane
The "Golden Mean/proportional dividers " are a tool the same as any tool on the bench.While the "Golden Mean" is not the answer to every question or problem it occurs too often in original gun/art work and nature to be dismissed out of hand.Those that deride use of it are missing an important tool in their gun making arsenal. ;) ;)


Mitch
« Last Edit: July 20, 2013, 08:50:46 PM by aka tallbear »
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Offline smylee grouch

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2013, 12:16:34 AM »
Nice unit Dane, and if you dont want to use it for gun work you could use it for tomato stakes in the garden.   ;D
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Offline Woodbutcher

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2013, 04:04:18 AM »
 That's the kind of tool, never noticed, often used. Please, please give us some sizes, distances, ect. how long from point to center of the pivots, and so forth. Woodbutcher
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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2013, 05:06:57 AM »
I go entirely by eye. What looks good, is good.

But I have to say, if I had one, a tool like this would get used in times of doubt!
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Offline B.Habermehl

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2013, 04:35:50 PM »
I have two sets, a large set and a small set. They are handy when ever I have a some thing that does not look right. Some of us are gifted with a artists eye, I am not. So the dividers help. Mine are a simpler arrangement.  An  x with one short set of legs. Adjusting the length of the short legs to arrive at the correct ratio was a bit of a slow job, but doable for a simple mechanic like me. BJH
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Offline Gaeckle

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2013, 05:04:07 PM »
Looks great.....Since  you made this, how about a little tutorial so others can use this?
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Online smallpatch

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2013, 06:17:11 PM »



Here's the one I used.  Very simple!!
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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #8 on: July 21, 2013, 07:07:24 PM »
You can use a mechanism like this to make reduced/enlarged drawings. It's called a pantograph.

Picture is worth a million words: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pantograph_animation.gif

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Offline smylee grouch

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #9 on: July 21, 2013, 07:12:38 PM »
Thanks Dane. Can I assume that the measurments are taken at the center of the pin holes and very ends (points) of each piece.
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Offline Gaeckle

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #10 on: July 21, 2013, 07:44:53 PM »
AHA!!!!......Now I have to convert......let me see, using my one good eye and a dull pencil I calculate that the distances are:

AF & AH is 13 25/64"

BG is 8 17/64"

AG & AC & BE & CE is 5 1/8"

EG is 3 5/32"

......I need to make one......thanks for the info!
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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #11 on: July 21, 2013, 07:59:13 PM »
The diamond is the key. It keeps all legs in proper relation to each other, no matter what the angle of the peak is (B-A-C).  Varying the leg lengths will change the amount of proportioning.

Longer legs B-F, E-G, C-H will give higher ratios.  Shorter legs will give smaller proportions.
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Offline Glenn

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #12 on: July 21, 2013, 09:15:33 PM »
Awesome information.  Thanks for posting.   ;D
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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #13 on: July 22, 2013, 04:58:08 AM »
To illustrate what I was trying to esplane, the proportions change with the length of the legs. If you want your calipers to be an accurate GM tool, you must get the proportions exact between diamond and leg length.

« Last Edit: July 22, 2013, 05:01:04 AM by Acer Saccharum »
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Offline Kermit

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #14 on: July 23, 2013, 05:37:18 PM »
Now that begins to make this a useful device. Thanks, Acer. I was wondering why I'd want to go to the effort to build a device that only lays out one ratio. I'm going to have to play with this idea some.
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Offline Dr. Tim-Boone

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #15 on: July 23, 2013, 10:42:16 PM »
Quote from: BJH on July 21, 2013, 04:35:50 PM
I have two sets, a large set and a small set. They are handy when ever I have a some thing that does not look right. Some of us are gifted with a artists eye, I am not. So the dividers help. Mine are a simpler arrangement.  An  x with one short set of legs. Adjusting the length of the short legs to arrive at the correct ratio was a bit of a slow job, but doable for a simple mechanic like me. BJH

Me too. when I don't trust my eye or to explore options..... it occurs so much in nature that it appears statistically normal to our eye and therefore comfortable.... or right..........or not.... but it feels that way.... right Acer
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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #16 on: July 24, 2013, 03:27:51 AM »
I am not knocking the three  legged caliper at all. I just don't know how to use one.

Maybe like this: if length of cheekpiece being five, the caliper would show the distance to the butt plate, being three. Or height of butt being eight, the caliper would show the GM location for the height of the cheekpiece from the comb. Five down from the comb, three up from the bottom.
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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #17 on: July 24, 2013, 03:30:23 AM »
The X-shaped caliper is great for scaling down drawings, at whatever proportion you want.


---unless you drew it in CAD, where you can just scale the whole drawing at whatever percentage you like.
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Rasch Chronicles

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #18 on: August 20, 2013, 12:13:26 PM »
Hey guys,

Here's a PDF with the parts all drawn out for you to scale. A little brass stock, a jewelers saw, and some time, and you could have your very own 1.6 to 1 proportional dividers!

http://s0.goldennumber.net/wp-content/uploads/GoldenGauge.pdf

All the best!
Albert
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mjm46@bellsouth.net

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #19 on: August 20, 2013, 04:31:27 PM »
Why would you want a fixed proportional scale? Wouldn't it be more useful it were adjustable? I don't think I understand How, or what it's used for.  ???

I have a proportional divider that I used when I was doing technical Illustration. It is an X
divider with a very precise adjustable center pivot point. You can set the proportions to anything you want. A useful tool if you are scaling a drawing to a model or article or the other way round with many measurements. But I find it as easy or easier to use a rotary proportional scale in concert with my scanner, printer and my photoshop program to accomplish the exact same thing.
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Offline tlallijr

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #20 on: August 20, 2013, 04:36:17 PM »
 There is a good book on the golden mean and Kentucky rifles. It's "Seeing Through The Eyes of Yesterday"
by Patrick Hallam. Very detailed with lots of drawings showing different ways to use the golden mean.
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Rasch Chronicles

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #21 on: August 21, 2013, 08:54:51 AM »
Micah,

it's specific to the Golden Mean. Approximately 1.6:1

To use it you would determine which side you have, whether the base or the side, and then determine what the other should be. So, you want an inlay or patch box for the butt. Let's see, this height looks about right, so lets see what would the golden mean length be...

It's not hard and fast, but it is a help to good design.

http://www.goldenmeancalipers.com/blog/ Super neat calipers here!

Best regards,
Albert
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Offline Pete G.

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #22 on: August 22, 2013, 01:24:00 AM »
I built one of the fixed dividers with the long arms @15" and the short @9". It is a tremendous tool for laying out the comb, patch box and cheekpiece, and keeping them all in proportion to each other.
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sweed

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Re: Golden Mean Calipers
« Reply #23 on: August 23, 2013, 11:22:29 PM »
Built one of these about a year ago. Never having heard of the golden mean, I was curious.  ??? Took it around the house measuring vases and other things the wife insists on placing in dangerous places,(while warning about the consequences of breakage). ::) Was amazed at how many were to this proportion, and the various ways they were to this proportion!! :o I'm a believer in using them, but always back off clear my head, ;) then glance back at the object quickly, to check it by the old I-BALL!!, before applying a finish!
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