Yardstick
Encyclopedia
A yardstick is a straightedge
used to physically measure
length
s of up to a yard
(0.9144 metres or three feet) high. Yardsticks are flat wooden boards with markings at regular intervals.
and France
), yardsticks bearing imperial unit
s markings on one side (three feet with inch
and fractional inch) and metric units on the other (one meter with 100 centimetre
s and 1000 millimetre
s) are common, and are sometimes referred to as "metre-sticks". Sometimes the imperial unit
s are not included. The folding carpenters' rulers used in Scandinavia
are usually equipped with double measurements, metrical and imperial on both sides, also functioning as a handy conversion table, accounting for its Scandinavian term: Tommestokk (thumb (inch) stick).
s are used. Typical applications of yardsticks are for building furniture
, vehicle
s and house
s. Modern carpenters' yardsticks are usually made to be folded for ease of transport.
Yardsticks may be used as pointing devices for posters and projections. Yardsticks are also used as spars to make wings for Remote Controlled model aircraft
that are made from corrugated plastic
.
The term "yardstick" is also used metaphor
ically in reference to anything which serves as a test or standard
of measurement, comparison or judgment (also see benchmarking
, canon
, and litmus test).
Straightedge
A straightedge is a tool with an edge free from curves, or straight, used for transcribing straight lines, or checking the straightness of lines...
used to physically measure
Measurement
Measurement is the process or the result of determining the ratio of a physical quantity, such as a length, time, temperature etc., to a unit of measurement, such as the metre, second or degree Celsius...
length
Length
In geometric measurements, length most commonly refers to the longest dimension of an object.In certain contexts, the term "length" is reserved for a certain dimension of an object along which the length is measured. For example it is possible to cut a length of a wire which is shorter than wire...
s of up to a yard
Yard
A yard is a unit of length in several different systems including English units, Imperial units and United States customary units. It is equal to 3 feet or 36 inches...
(0.9144 metres or three feet) high. Yardsticks are flat wooden boards with markings at regular intervals.
Construction
Yardsticks are often thin and rectangular, and made of wood or metal. Metal ones are often backed with a 'grippy' material, such as cork, to improve friction.Measurements
In countries in which the metric system is used (such as CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
), yardsticks bearing imperial unit
Imperial unit
The system of imperial units or the imperial system is the system of units first defined in the British Weights and Measures Act of 1824, which was later refined and reduced. The system came into official use across the British Empire...
s markings on one side (three feet with inch
Inch
An inch is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, and United States customary units. There are 36 inches in a yard and 12 inches in a foot...
and fractional inch) and metric units on the other (one meter with 100 centimetre
Centimetre
A centimetre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one hundredth of a metre, which is the SI base unit of length. Centi is the SI prefix for a factor of . Hence a centimetre can be written as or — meaning or respectively...
s and 1000 millimetre
Millimetre
The millimetre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousandth of a metre, which is the SI base unit of length....
s) are common, and are sometimes referred to as "metre-sticks". Sometimes the imperial unit
Imperial unit
The system of imperial units or the imperial system is the system of units first defined in the British Weights and Measures Act of 1824, which was later refined and reduced. The system came into official use across the British Empire...
s are not included. The folding carpenters' rulers used in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
are usually equipped with double measurements, metrical and imperial on both sides, also functioning as a handy conversion table, accounting for its Scandinavian term: Tommestokk (thumb (inch) stick).
Application
The yardstick is usually employed for work on a medium scale; larger than desktop work on paper, yet smaller than large scale infrastructure work, where tape measures or longer measuring rodMeasuring rod
A measuring rod is a tool used to physically measure lengths and survey areas of various sizes. Most measuring rods are round or square sectioned, however they can be flat boards. Some have markings at regular intervals...
s are used. Typical applications of yardsticks are for building furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
, vehicle
Vehicle
A vehicle is a device that is designed or used to transport people or cargo. Most often vehicles are manufactured, such as bicycles, cars, motorcycles, trains, ships, boats, and aircraft....
s and house
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
s. Modern carpenters' yardsticks are usually made to be folded for ease of transport.
Yardsticks may be used as pointing devices for posters and projections. Yardsticks are also used as spars to make wings for Remote Controlled model aircraft
Model aircraft
Model aircraft are flying or non-flying models of existing or imaginary aircraft using a variety of materials including plastic, diecast metal, polystyrene, balsa wood, foam and fibreglass...
that are made from corrugated plastic
Corrugated plastic
Corrugated plastic or corriboard - also known under the tradenames of Coroplast, IntePro, Correx, Twinplast, Corriflute or Corflute - refers to a wide range of extruded twinwall plastic-sheet products produced from high-impact polypropylene resin with a similar make-up to corrugated fiberboard. It...
.
The term "yardstick" is also used metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
ically in reference to anything which serves as a test or standard
Standardization
Standardization is the process of developing and implementing technical standards.The goals of standardization can be to help with independence of single suppliers , compatibility, interoperability, safety, repeatability, or quality....
of measurement, comparison or judgment (also see benchmarking
Benchmarking
Benchmarking is the process of comparing one's business processes and performance metrics to industry bests and/or best practices from other industries. Dimensions typically measured are quality, time and cost...
, canon
Canon
-Culture and arts:*Canon , material that is considered to be genuine*Western canon, the books, music, and art that have been the most influential in shaping Western cultureMusic...
, and litmus test).