Comments on: Grading machines and rulers http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/grading_machines_and_rulers/ How to start a clothing line or run the one you have, better. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:49:13 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: theresa http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/grading_machines_and_rulers/comment-page-1/#comment-58945 theresa Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:14:16 +0000 http://www.fashion-incubator.com/2006/02/grading_machines_and_rulers/#comment-58945 I am a manual patternmaker and have used the Dario for 22 years. I could not do my work without it. It is absolutely accurate if the operator using it is. You must weight your base paper well and be sure you have taped your pattern securely to the arms. Grading is not difficult but requires a lot of focus and precision as well as an understanding of how the body grows and the market you are grading for. I can't see the need for one if you are not working in the industry as a grading ruler should meet the needs of a home sewer. For that matter, most industrial grading is now done digitally but I still prefer my grading machine. I am a manual patternmaker and have used the Dario for 22 years. I could not do my work without it. It is absolutely accurate if the operator using it is. You must weight your base paper well and be sure you have taped your pattern securely to the arms. Grading is not difficult but requires a lot of focus and precision as well as an understanding of how the body grows and the market you are grading for. I can’t see the need for one if you are not working in the industry as a grading ruler should meet the needs of a home sewer. For that matter, most industrial grading is now done digitally but I still prefer my grading machine.

]]> By: irene http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/grading_machines_and_rulers/comment-page-1/#comment-43134 irene Mon, 05 Sep 2011 12:53:40 +0000 http://www.fashion-incubator.com/2006/02/grading_machines_and_rulers/#comment-43134 my one is even older then the one pictured above but it still works like a dream it is some 35 to 40 years old it is a magnificent piece of history very easy to use love how it makes grading quick and acurate beats computers any day hands down never lose info just love it variator is stil manufacured in a smaler verion it is more user frendly and it costs $595 for one in inches and $625 in centimeters also replacement arms are available as well as a carry case it is very useful little divice easy to use the swiss ones are the elite ones which are no longer manufacured but you may find one on the net ebay had one go for $150 a while ago i think they are priceles my one is even older then the one pictured above but it still works like a dream it is some 35 to 40 years old it is a magnificent piece of history very easy to use love how it makes grading quick and acurate beats computers any day hands down never lose info just love it
variator is stil manufacured in a smaler verion it is more user frendly and it costs $595 for one in inches and $625 in centimeters
also replacement arms are available as well as a carry case
it is very useful little divice easy to use
the swiss ones are the elite ones which are no longer manufacured but you may find one on the net ebay had one go for $150 a while ago
i think they are priceles

]]> By: Anir http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/grading_machines_and_rulers/comment-page-1/#comment-41495 Anir Thu, 18 Aug 2011 01:37:56 +0000 http://www.fashion-incubator.com/2006/02/grading_machines_and_rulers/#comment-41495 oh, I'm not sure what happen to the link for the FIDM ruler in my earlier post. Here it is though http://tinyurl.com/3h92t7q Might be useful for people to compare, based on Kathleen's info above. oh, I’m not sure what happen to the link for the FIDM ruler in my earlier post. Here it is though
http://tinyurl.com/3h92t7q
Might be useful for people to compare, based on Kathleen’s info above.

]]> By: Anir http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/grading_machines_and_rulers/comment-page-1/#comment-41494 Anir Thu, 18 Aug 2011 01:36:42 +0000 http://www.fashion-incubator.com/2006/02/grading_machines_and_rulers/#comment-41494 The FIDM ruler is $5 versus Connie's $8. Although certainly if Connie Crawford's a better design, a person would save a lot more than $3 by making more accurate lines/grades and having less aggravation. Thanx for explaining the problems with the FIDM ruler and the advantages of the Davis ruler. The FIDM ruler is $5 versus Connie’s $8. Although certainly if Connie Crawford’s a better design, a person would save a lot more than $3 by making more accurate lines/grades and having less aggravation. Thanx for explaining the problems with the FIDM ruler and the advantages of the Davis ruler.

]]> By: Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/grading_machines_and_rulers/comment-page-1/#comment-41473 Kathleen Fasanella Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:13:43 +0000 http://www.fashion-incubator.com/2006/02/grading_machines_and_rulers/#comment-41473 Kathy: an explanation of how the hinge works is in comments above. It was just a piece of tape holding another piece of plastic which was itself intended to be taped down. Fwiw, I always took the hinge off and threw it away and taped the ruler to the table in a hinged fashion. The hinge was superfluous imo. I can't scan the ruler full size because it is copyrighted (1977). FIDM was (is?) selling a version of the Davis ruler but I do not like it for three reasons. First, the plastic is thick which means that lines ghost (cause a shadow to fall) and you cannot tell the difference btwn a ghosted or a pencil line. Second, the plastic is shiny meaning there is glare so you can't see and have to shift your head around all the time to see the markings clearly. Third, the lines are black, again making it difficult to see differences btwn pattern vs ruler lines. The original ruler was a very thin sheet, red ink with a matte finish. I'm sure people were thinking she did it like that because it was cheap but its design (considering later competing products) hasn't been surpassed. Speaking of, Connie Crawford has <a href="http://www.fashionpatterns.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=130" rel="nofollow">designed a grading ruler</a>. Her original prototype was thick plastic, black ink etc but I gave her a quick demonstration using the original Davis ruler for comparison so she quickly realized why the thick plastic was a big problem and changed her design. She also moved the zero centering point back closer to the user once I explained why putting it dead center was a problem. I don't make any money recommending this product but am confident the worst of the bugs are worked out of it and it is better (and lower cost) than the competing FIDM grading ruler. Kathy: an explanation of how the hinge works is in comments above. It was just a piece of tape holding another piece of plastic which was itself intended to be taped down. Fwiw, I always took the hinge off and threw it away and taped the ruler to the table in a hinged fashion. The hinge was superfluous imo.

I can’t scan the ruler full size because it is copyrighted (1977).

FIDM was (is?) selling a version of the Davis ruler but I do not like it for three reasons. First, the plastic is thick which means that lines ghost (cause a shadow to fall) and you cannot tell the difference btwn a ghosted or a pencil line. Second, the plastic is shiny meaning there is glare so you can’t see and have to shift your head around all the time to see the markings clearly. Third, the lines are black, again making it difficult to see differences btwn pattern vs ruler lines. The original ruler was a very thin sheet, red ink with a matte finish. I’m sure people were thinking she did it like that because it was cheap but its design (considering later competing products) hasn’t been surpassed.

Speaking of, Connie Crawford has designed a grading ruler. Her original prototype was thick plastic, black ink etc but I gave her a quick demonstration using the original Davis ruler for comparison so she quickly realized why the thick plastic was a big problem and changed her design. She also moved the zero centering point back closer to the user once I explained why putting it dead center was a problem. I don’t make any money recommending this product but am confident the worst of the bugs are worked out of it and it is better (and lower cost) than the competing FIDM grading ruler.

]]> By: Kathy http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/grading_machines_and_rulers/comment-page-1/#comment-41433 Kathy Wed, 17 Aug 2011 06:22:47 +0000 http://www.fashion-incubator.com/2006/02/grading_machines_and_rulers/#comment-41433 Also, could you explain how the hinge worked? I can't really see it in the image you posted. Also, could you explain how the hinge worked? I can’t really see it in the image you posted.

]]> By: Kathy http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/grading_machines_and_rulers/comment-page-1/#comment-41431 Kathy Wed, 17 Aug 2011 06:06:23 +0000 http://www.fashion-incubator.com/2006/02/grading_machines_and_rulers/#comment-41431 Is there any chance that you could post an actual size image of this hinged ruler, particularly the grid on it? (Slap it down on a scanner.) I have access to CAD software and a laser cutter/etcher. If I had a good reference, I bet I could make my own ruler. Is there any chance that you could post an actual size image of this hinged ruler, particularly the grid on it? (Slap it down on a scanner.) I have access to CAD software and a laser cutter/etcher. If I had a good reference, I bet I could make my own ruler.

]]> By: Eduardo http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/grading_machines_and_rulers/comment-page-1/#comment-33553 Eduardo Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:17:56 +0000 http://www.fashion-incubator.com/2006/02/grading_machines_and_rulers/#comment-33553 Hi. I'm from Melbourne Australia and I'm looking for the Sunny Young or the Variator grading machine. Can anyone help. Thanks Hi. I’m from Melbourne Australia and I’m looking for the Sunny Young or the Variator grading machine. Can anyone help. Thanks

]]> By: Fashion Incubator » Grading machine patents http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/grading_machines_and_rulers/comment-page-1/#comment-31415 Fashion Incubator » Grading machine patents Fri, 28 Jan 2011 22:14:44 +0000 http://www.fashion-incubator.com/2006/02/grading_machines_and_rulers/#comment-31415 [...] players (Sunny Young and Grad-o-meter). Melita told me about a Swiss machine called the Variator (previous entry) which looked a lot like the Sunny [...] [...] players (Sunny Young and Grad-o-meter). Melita told me about a Swiss machine called the Variator (previous entry) which looked a lot like the Sunny [...]

]]> By: MARY http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/grading_machines_and_rulers/comment-page-1/#comment-25788 MARY Thu, 09 Sep 2010 03:57:29 +0000 http://www.fashion-incubator.com/2006/02/grading_machines_and_rulers/#comment-25788 Hello, We are manufacturers in Melbourne Australia and we are looking for some-one that sells grading machines. I emailed Southstar USA a few days ago but have not had a response. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED Hello,

We are manufacturers in Melbourne Australia and we are looking for some-one that sells grading machines. I emailed Southstar USA a few days ago but have not had a response.

ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED

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