We needed a ruler to use with the NextEngine 3D Scanner, but it had to have some unusual characteristics. First, it had to be able to show up to 22-inches from the base of the scanner. But it couldn't be longer than 24-inches (the table is too small). Weirdness, right?

Step 1: Design!

Fortunately, making a ruler in Adobe Illustrator is easy as pie! Time-consuming, repetitive pie!

Here's the basics!

(1) Make a box the size of your ruler.
(2) Set your origin point at the corner of your ruler-box -- now your ruler starts at zero on Illustrator's rulers.
(3) Draw a line, and position it at the 1-inch mark.
(4) Using the Move dialogue box, make a copy of that line 1-inch over (i.e., at the 2-inch mark).
(5) Go back and click Copy instead of OK -- don't sweat it: I made the same mistake a few hundred times.
(5) Use the Transform Again command to repeatedly make a copy of the line 1-inch farther over.
(6) Do that same thing for 1/2-inch marks, 1/4-inch marks, and so on -- or until you lose your mind.

Step 2: Scavenge!

Next: Scavenge some wood from the scrap bin! There's gold in them thar bins!

Or, fine, I guess you could go buy some wood at the store. Take your private jet, Rockerfeller.

Step 3: Lazor!

Pop that scrap into the ol' Epilog laser cutter/engraver and go to town.

By which I mean: operate the laser-cutter so that you wind up with a finished ruler. Remember to set the outside edge of the ruler to a 0.001" stroke-weight to make it cut the vector.