Advice needed: Steel or Aluminum Straightedge

[Jerry_in_SD]

I really need a straightedge for various tool setups. Lee Valley offers both aluminum and steel straightedges. The aluminum are cheaper but are speced to be within .003 end to end. The steel are .001.

Is .003 good enough or do i really need the steel at .001?

[SawDuster]

Hi SDWoodworker,

Steel is the way to go - sure, it costs a bit more, but a good one is more accurate and will last much longer than aluminum. For myself, I have enough grief over human error without wondering if my machines are setup as well as they could be.

[woodhack]

Dude, you're in earthquake country. Don't be a cheap SOB like me and buy the aluminum 52 incher only to have it fall onto the edge of your table saw during an earthquake which put a nice crease in the aluminum. At least I could recycle that one and put that money toward the fantastic steel one. Get the steel one.

[Onboard]

Is .003 good enough or do i really need the steel at .001?

I was debating whether I should post this link or not since it does require a membership with Fine Woodworking Magazine online, but Just in case. The article, by Gary Rogowski, can be found in Fine Woodworking issue #184. It’s called “Setup Kit for Machines”.

http://www.finewoodworking.com/subscription/toolguide/toolguidearticle.aspx?id=25669

As far as the aluminum versus steel: What LenB and Marty said.

[Bobby Slack]

As a rule, I get the best tool that I can afford, if it is steel, then do it because it will stay true forever.

[Jerry_in_SD]

Thanks all. I'll go for the steel version.