angore
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Posts: 5,354 
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Jun 9, 2023 12:11:07 GMT
n the May issue of the AP, Randy Shoemaker wrote an article on Expertizing Alterations and has a section on tools. He made some comments regard certain SONIC Images tool version's accuracy.. My sample has a 2002 date printed and no idea what version I have. I use it only for the mm scale.  |
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angore
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Posts: 5,354
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Jun 11, 2023 10:45:47 GMT
I added an image of the one I own.  |
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mberry
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Posts: 991
What I collect: USA, USA Revenues, Beer Related Stamps and Revenues, US State Revenues, Stamp Show Stamps
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Post by mberry on Jun 11, 2023 12:28:08 GMT
I recently purchased one that states to be 12 measuring devices in 1.  |
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khj
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Posts: 1,467
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Post by khj on Jun 11, 2023 13:02:23 GMT
angore, it would have been nice if he had mention version number instead of (or in addition to) measuring device number. You have the 10 measuring device gauge, which I believe is version 4.
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khj
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Post by khj on Jun 11, 2023 16:42:23 GMT
I did check mine before I left home -- it is version 4. I have a newer one at the office, and it turns out to be the 12 measuring device (version 5.2 August 2016, same as the one shown by mberry). I will take it home to compare the version 4 vs. version 5.2 to see if there are any differences in the measurements. Hopefully, the problems cited for the versions in between were corrected in version 5.2! Thanks for posting that comment angore. I had not been aware of problems with the 11 measuring device gauge. |
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angore
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What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Jun 12, 2023 10:00:50 GMT
I do have version 4 and found it after I had posted the original comment. Thanks for responses.
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khj
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Post by khj on Jun 12, 2023 19:50:11 GMT
One of the first things I usually do when I get a new ruler or perforation gauge is to check it for accuracy. I know my version 4 is accurate. I hadn't done that yet with my version 5.2 Sonic Imagery gauge until today, because I had only purchased it less than 2 months ago and took it to the office before checking. First of all, thanks again to angore to posting the original warning. I have checked my version 5.2 Sonic Imagery gauge (12 measuring device version) and I can tell you that mine is definitely NOT accurate!!! I'm a little shocked, considering the cost and reputation of the gauge. I can also say that it is noticeably off. On my version 5.2, the ruler inaccuracy is roughly 0.4% increase in the horizontal direction, the grid is off 0.8% in the vertical direction (i.e., stretched on the version 5.2). The digital perforation measurements are off -- 9.8 on version 5.2 matches 9.9 on version 4 (i.e., shrunk on version 5.2). So it is not a matter of uniform stretching, but each measuring component of the gauge may be enlarged or shrunk. This makes the grid and the digital part of the perforation gauge useless. At this point, I don't know if I got a freak version 5.2, or if all the version 5.2 have this problem. But for sure, I will not be using my version 5.2 for critical measurements.  k |
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khj
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Post by khj on Jun 12, 2023 19:59:19 GMT
I corrected parts of my above post in the 8 minutes since I originally posted. If you read it before I made this post, please re-read the above post for the corrected statements.
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angore
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Posts: 5,354
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Jun 13, 2023 9:57:21 GMT
Thanks for the report. I would contact them. I recall years back the Linn's/Scott gauge was off (plastic used was not stable) and they released a new one.
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banknoteguy
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Posts: 285
What I collect: 19th Century US, High denomination US (> $1), 19th century covers US, Indian Feudatory States and most recently I acquired a BigBlue [with about 5,000 stamps] and pristine pages.
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Post by banknoteguy on Jun 14, 2023 12:52:44 GMT
Interesting thread. I have an identical gauge (Sonic Imagery Ver 5.22) I had never checked it for accuracy. Sloppy! The rule at the bottom is dead accurate but checking the grid at top left -- not terribly accurate. The grid is 50mm x 35mm. The 50mm side is off by no more than .1mm which seems OK but the 35mm side is off by .5mm which is not terribly good. Here is an image of my measurement of the 35mm side [see the tiny red arrow I added to the image]. I have not checked the perf gauges yet but will do that also.
Note: I used another precision ruler I have to make this measurement -- Lithco AHG-UHRT12.
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k