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!

[northwestnsw]

Yep, the PO's have them already, just go in and ask

[i-love-my-sheep · Accepted solution]

I made mine from thick cardboard. I measured the size I wanted, then put a dot where each corner would be, then drew the lines in with a ruler. Then I got a small pair of scissors and stabbed them through the centre of where the slot would be, so as not to damage the edge. Then I guided them out to the line and cut on the INSIDE of the line. 

When I had cut the piece out, I measured the gap a few cm apart along the longsides and trimmed it up until it measured exactly 2cm all the way along. Unless you have a really steady hand or can draw a dead straight line freehand, I would use scissors over a craft knife. 

My cardboard slot works a treat! So far, I've not had any issues with items sent that I have measured through the slot first.

[spacetomatoes]

Thanks sheep! That's really clever; I never thought about cutting it out from the inside - that sounds a lot easier. Thanks again 🙂

@northwestnsw - I've asked twice and they've told me they don't give them out and that I have to come in 😞 Unless there's any PO that's happy to give them out that you'd like to recommend? 😛

[justkidzbiz]

You can get them from the PO free

[mbselections00]

Sheep is such a clever one

You must have a lousy PO, my local gave me one also with no hesitation.  They did say they're not really supposed to though, so maybe it does just depend on the staff, but if you're a regular, I wouldn't think it would kill them.  I wonder if you tried another PO ?

[rick2u]

HI I see you are in  australia just tell your post office you want one, or call 13post and complain, my throw them at me as Im pretty rough with mine and always needing more.

good luck

[cq_tech]

The PO's Letter Gauges are not actually a stock item and the POs don't normally keep large stocks except for their own use. If they know you and they have a spare one available, they're usually more than happy to let you have one, but you don't really have the God-given right to simply barge into your local PO or LPO and demand one.

As i-love-my-sheep says above, they are very easy to make yourself, and it's also a good idea to draw a template on the cardboard to indicate the maximum size letter you're allowed to post, similar to the sizes indicated on the genuine gauges from the PO.

[curraone]

yes, me too -  although we used a piece of light balsa wood.

[stampingpaws]

Sounds like there is a need for someone to make these and sell on EBay. Might try it.