Grading machines and rulers
Posted by Kathleen Fasanella on Feb 22, 2006 at 12:15 pm / News and Events, Patterns, Reviews, Sourcing / Trackback
People have been asking about manual pattern grading rulers and pattern grading machines. One such tool is known as a “hinged grading ruler” (below)
The hinged grading rulers were wholesaled by the inventor (copyright 1977) Ms E.E.Davis from Monrovia CA. I even used to sell these. Unfortunately, I think Ms Davis is no longer with us, she was quite elderly when I last spoke to her about 5 years ago. I do not know what’s become of her company. If any of you wish to attempt to track her down, the last contact information I have for her is Couture Productions, 927 “A” S.Canyon Blvd, Monrovia CA 91016-3582. Now, because I am so nice to you, I’ve scanned the user instructions for the rulers, see pg.1 (1MB) and pg.2 (another MB). Please consider leaving a donation. Thanks.
Rather than the hinged grading ruler, I’ve taken to using a plastic grid I bought at an arts and crafts store for occasional use. I think these are pretty common. On the sheet shown below, there is no product ID number (boo-hiss) so I can only tell you the grid is broken into 8ths and it was made by Wrights, West Warren MA 01092.
As far as manual grading machines are concerned, there are two kinds. One is known as a Sunny Young and the other is the Dario Grad-O-Meter. I can’t find a Sunny Young. Ahearn’s says they’ll look it up (they used to sell them) to see if they can get some for special orders. According to Melita (from Australia, with whom I’ve been corresponding) Sunny Youngs are similar to a Swiss made machine known as a Variator. The Variator is no longer manufactured. Melita sent me a photo (below) and the flyer (174kb,pdf)
The Variator looks a lot like a Sunny Young. The salesman I spoke to at Ahearn’s says these are the better machine. I don’t know, I’ll have to take his word for it because I’ve never worked with a Sunny Young. I can tell you what I don’t like about grading machines in general and that is that they increment values via gears and teeth. I don’t like that. Too much slop. I wish they’d make a machine that used rack and pinion but the chances of that happening are zero.
The other machine is known as a Dario Grad-O-Meter (also available in metric). While not in every corner sewing shop, you can still find these. SouthStar Supply has them as well as other suppliers. I don’t have a list of suppliers. Below is a photo of a Dario Grad-O-Meter courtesy of SouthStar Supply. I have one of these machines but didn’t want to drag it out to take a picture of it myself.
This summarizes the current status of all known grading rulers and machines that I know of. With this post, you have everything I have so I couldn’t tell you anymore than this.
27 Responses to “Grading machines and rulers”
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February 22nd, 2006
2:34 PM
I’ve used the Dario Grad-O-Meter in class and I think it’s more of a teaching tool for beginners to get the concept than a precision instrument. Beyond the gears you’ve mentioned, it’s easy to bump the equipment, or your paper slips, or the pattern slips or you get distracted and turn the wrong knob the wrong direction. After most of the class had used it for a while, we grasped the concept and started to grade manually. Also, it retails for $625 and I have never found one new or used anywhere for any less. For that amount of money, we could probably hire Kathleen for a private class.
February 22nd, 2006
7:37 PM
Oh rats. I forgot to mention the grademaster rulers. Should I amend this post?
February 22nd, 2006
8:09 PM
You know you’ll regret it forever if you don’t.
February 22nd, 2006
9:11 PM
Do the hinged grading rulers actually have a hinge?
February 22nd, 2006
9:37 PM
Kathleen, as I understand it, the act of grading is not that difficult. It’s determining the grade rules and the distribution you choose for each that truly makes the difference. How would you know what system any of the rulers are using? Seems to me that one could save the money from the rulers and use it to send your patterns to a grading/marking service to do it for you using their generic grade.
February 23rd, 2006
9:27 AM
I have the Dario Gradometer that I bought a few years ago. Jesus, Daddy and the Spook, did I pay that much?! I must of blocked it out of my mind. How accurate are these things? Did I pay for a toy? heeee I haven’t graded anything yet and I’m kind of dreading it cause it seems complicated. In the end I may just have them graded by an expert.
March 3rd, 2006
1:57 PM
so… this was implied in Marilyn’s post, but if you send your patterns out to be graded (by all accounts the best choice), Are you stuck with “Standard” grading rules?
Say, hypothetically, that I went to a lot of trouble to fit a couple of my blocks to several different sized women in my target market (because I’m obsessive about fit) –and I used that info to extrapolate some grading rules that I was ecstatic with,–would I be able to have a grading service grade all my future patterns from those rules? Or would I be SOL?
March 3rd, 2006
2:11 PM
if you send your patterns out to be graded …Are you stuck with “Standard” grading rules?
Absolutely not! Any decent pattern grader would prefer to get your grade rules! A pattern grader would be thrilled to get your grade rules, particularly if you marked them on the pattern where you wanted them. If you do this (not many do), many graders will give you a discount! In the opinion of many, transcribing those grade rules (presumably correctly) is the “grading” portion so they don’t have to figure that out which saves time.
See, just like designers always tell a pattern maker to cut in a “size 10″, every single designer has a different idea of what a size 10 is. Every single one. The same with grading. A designer will say ‘give me a 2″ grade’ but they never mean the same thing by it! It’s very frustrating. So, the answer to your question is that not only are custom rules not a problem, making up your own grade rules is a great way to win friends and influence people.
August 29th, 2006
9:29 PM
Just happened to find this blog when I typed in “Sunny Young Grading machine” I have one from back in the 80’s and early 90’s when I was a freelance pattern grader in San Franciso. I used it for 7 years and became very fast and efficient on it. I didn’t have any problems. I’m keeping it for training purposes, it is a great way to grasp the concept of grading very quickly. And also, yes I did do custom grades and its always best for the customer to provide the grade.
March 25th, 2007
9:37 PM
HEY I WOULD LIKE TO BUY SOMEBODYS GRAD O METER. ANYBODY GOT ONE FOR SALE. EMAIL ME
April 11th, 2007
5:03 PM
1) Yes hinged grading rulers have a hinge- you need to be able to flip them back at times to mark your pattern pc. as you grade
2)I’ve worked as a Contract grader for years using a Dario as my main machine. It has been customized by its former owner by drilling a hole at each end of the cast iron plate (the mechanism is mounted on the plate) and inserting two short screws with pointed ends thru it so the screws plus the weight of the plate will hold the machine in place as you work. Yes it marks your table but as you can lift the machine around (Sunny Youngs and Variators screw to the edge of the table) you save a lot of paper (money) On the topic of machines that screw to the table, always give them a shove with your hip to make sure they are firmly in place otherwise you are wasting your time and the work won’t be accurate. Sunny Youngs have a longer rech than a Dario so they do have their uses and I do own one
3) Sunny youngs are better than variators as it’s a)easier to open the mechanism to put the pattern pc. in and b) you can have the arm that extends on the variator bump into the mechanism and you then can”t complete your move (pain in the butt)
4)You can get screw on metric plates for Sunny Youngs
5) The rulers do not have a system they like the machines are a tool the person operating the tool should know grading- See the Handford book advertised in the sidebar. There are at least a half dozen grading books around (Fairchild publishing has a good beginer one) If you are in Toronto go look in the Ryerson University Library they have all of them Imperial and Metric
6) The hinged grading ruler is an imitation of the Sunny Young machine it has the same reach either side of zero. It is better than the grid
7)Using a machine is more accurate than a ruler I can be accurate to 1/32 of an inch with a machine
8)there are Darios for sale on e-bay for good prices just pray they have been treated well and not dropped (if the mechanism has been knocked off square then the machine is useless). If you live in a City that has the Garment trade try the machine suppliers tell them you are looking for a used machine leave your name and number and check back with them something will pop up eventually
9) Everyone tweaks the grade rules to suit themselves I have binders of them. Once upon a time grading was the entry position for would be pattern makers (you learn a lot-what pcs should look like, notching, labeling and alterations start to make sense).
April 22nd, 2007
10:04 AM
Hi There,
Just needed some info on computer aided software grading.I see that there is a grading or growth increment which i am assuming is got by the working sizes that you are working with.For eg:
You have sizes 3,6,9,12,14,16,18 which are categorized into xs,s,m,l and xl and the growth increment is 1″ 1.5″ M 1.5″ 2″ my question is that,was the growth increment got by what the company wants for their sizes or do you have to establish this on your own just based on the size difference and if based on the sizes how do you arrive at this specific growth increment.
Thanks,
Nan.
April 25th, 2007
9:24 PM
I used Sunny Young grader for 22 years and bought another one because the old one was getting hard to slide thru the gears.
Used the second one for 2 more years.Worked as a designer, pattern maker, grader for a company that grossed 14 million in 1979. I Still have the second grader and wouldn’t part with it for all the tea in China. It’s a great machine if you know how to use it. It could grade and shape any size garment you could think of from size 6 to 60.
June 20th, 2007
7:33 PM
I have my own business which specialises in design, pattern making and grading… everything i do is manual… by hand, i don’t use any machine, just a pencil, eraser & simple grading ruler which is 2″ wide and 18″ long and is marked with 1/8 of an inch grid all over. Very simple and affective in grading anything! I do evening wear to t-shirts, mens suits even hats!
July 13th, 2007
9:11 PM
I have The Variator grading machine which was given to me by my grandfather. It is still in excellent working order but it also well used and well loved. I am wanting to sell it. Does anyone know how I should go aout this?
Kind regards
Sonia
October 7th, 2007
6:18 PM
hi!i want to know where i can buy the hinged grading ruler ? thank you!
November 2nd, 2007
1:46 PM
I am part of a team doing a grading presentation at my company. We will be demonstrating three methods of grading. One method being the manual grading machine. I own a Sunny-Young accurate Speed-Grader. Patent NO. 3,783,517. I am looking for some history on the company or the invention of the machine. Can anyone help me?
December 26th, 2007
11:45 AM
I’m wanting to buy a Sunny Young pattern Grading machine Please email if you have one for sale.
February 2nd, 2008
9:33 AM
Hi, was googling to find more info on grading patterns. I do not live in a city with a big tailor or sewing industry where can where can I purchase the hinged grading ruler?
February 12th, 2008
1:48 PM
I am so excited about finding this web site. I have a small children’s clothing manufacturing business and have been looking for a hinged grading ruler for a long time. My knowledge in grading is minimal but had the opportunity to borrow and use this particular ruler and loved it. All my seaching has been friutless! Where can I find this ruler?
April 3rd, 2008
3:58 PM
I have a Sunny-Young “Accurate Speed-Grader MODEL P”
It is for sale……… please contact me if still interested.
Thanx.
Paulette Fein
August 24th, 2008
1:06 AM
Any idea of where I could locate a hinged grading ruler?? If I was to use plastic grid (which I cannot find either by the way) how would I go about grading my patterns with it?
August 28th, 2008
2:59 PM
I used the Grad-o-meter for some years in LA in my shop. Got it from a man, was in business for 20 years. got it for $250 on payment. I loved it . It came with grading charts. It`s up to the designer on his or her grade strategy. fit varys
From company to company.A 2 inch grade is 2 inches is added to make larger.
Peace
February 16th, 2009
1:20 AM
If anyone has a used and in good condition Dario grad-o-meter D400 (inches) for sale please
e-mail me at: anel_chavez33@yahoo.com Thanks.
May 20th, 2009
9:47 PM
I really really want a Sunny Young, if anyone has any information on where I can get one or the manufacturing company name atleast, please email me at cristalyne_seegobin@hotmail.com Thanks!
May 21st, 2009
8:55 AM
I acquired a sunny-young accurate speed grader in a box of parts at a recent estate sale. I want to know if I have all required parts, and how does it work. Can someone point me to more information about this device.
email jlesow@msn.com
June 4th, 2009
6:39 AM
I also need a sunny-young accurate grader and spped grader. Anyone have any idea where can buy them? Please email me at daphne_suen@yahoo.com.hk. Tks.