Letter Gauge for Large Letters

[spacetomatoes]

Hi 🙂 I hope this isn't too silly a question...but does anyone have any tips on making a 2cm letter gauge to test large letters? I pretty much have zero craft experience so I'm not sure what would be the best way to go about it. How would I cut through thick corrugated cardboard? Buy a special craft knife and cut along a ruler?

Any help would be appreciated 🙂 I've heard some people have managed to get one from their POs. Do you have to know the staff well to get one? I asked at my LPO and they told me to come in if I ever needed to test anything and that they didn't give them out 😕

Thanks in advance!

[imastawka]

It's not that hard.     

Get a sturdy piece of cardboard and a Stanley knife. 

Measure a 20mm gap and cut it out.

Measure the slot to make sure it's the right size.  

[padi*0409]

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@imastawka wrote:

Measure a 20mm gap and cut it out.

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Should really make the slot 19.852mm just to be on the safe side Stawks.     

I'm going to check at my PO here when I next go down there - I'm pretty sure they are available there.  (To save me cutting chunks out of my fingers.)

[*tippy*toes*]

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@imastawka wrote:

It's not that hard.     

Get a sturdy piece of cardboard and a Stanley knife. 

Measure a 20mm gap and cut it out.

Measure the slot to make sure it's the right size.  

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That's exactly what I did and it works great.

[chameleon54]

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@margaretterrytm wrote:

No you cannot.    I  have asked at every PO I've been to and they all say they don't give them out and you can't buy them.   I can't undertand it since there are so many businesses selling on-line with lots of mail to post and they don't want to keep going to the PO to make sure it fits through there damn slot.

I find that it is very arbitrary and some will make it go through the slot if its a bit thick and others won't even try if it don't go through straight away they make you pay extra or call it a parcel and not a letter.    Its a rort if you ask me.

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My local PO have given me one. I sort the large letters from the parcels at home and most of the regular counter staff basically take my word for it, just occasionally checking if they come across one that looks marginal. It saves them time and cuts down on the counter time when there is a line up of people waiting to be served. They simply take my pile of large letters, sort them into 3 piles based on weight, count each pile and then print the labels in bulk, often putting the piles asside and sticking the labels on later when they get a few spare minutes.

I do the right thing by them and dont try to cheat the system. Works well for everyone and keeps things moving if I have a busy weekend with 20-30 articles to mail.

[imastawka]

Yes, the gauges are available for free on request.

I haven't a clue where Margaret lives, but maybe she should travel farther afield.

Or.....just make her own.

[anniespence999]

I was told no today?

[*tippy*toes*]

Given you've dug up a year old thread, I have to ask, did you read the replies? Did you take the suggestions to make your own? Took me less than 2 minutes to make mine and has been working well for me for years.

[imastawka]

Or ask at a real Post Office, not an agency.

[oz-e-seller]

I got a letter guage from the post office, no cost they just gave it to me.