Hello All!
I read once that carpenter’s squares need to be “tuned”. I followed a procedure where you place it against a straightedge (horizontal) and mark a vertical line up the leg. Then you flip the horizontal leg over (mirror image) and mark another vertical line. If the line overlaps perfectly, the squre is perpendicular. If not, you tune it by taking a punch and hammer and drive the punch into the inner portion or outer portion of where the two legs meet. Is this something that works? I tried it and to be honest, it appeared that my square (recently purchased) was really off and i don’t want to smash it to peices but if it’s wrong it’s no good either.
Is there a better way to tune these or am I off my rocker? Also, I have a small and large “speed square” are these accurate? One other question, is there a reference book or soemthing that explains these “little things”? I can buy a million books on how to build a rocket out of wood but I can’t find one that tells me the small things.
Anyway, sorry for the rant and thanks in advance.
T.
Replies
You already know how to check for squareness, so the only way to tell if your speed squares are, is to check them. These can't be "dinked" to squareness, but you could file them. The carenter's square can be adjusted slightly this way, but if it's way off, you're going to need to file it or replace it. You can always take them to a good machinist, too. They're notoriously anal about these things and they have ways to tune them up that take a lot less time than filing.
BTW, the center punch can also remove the gap in a miter slot on a TS or bandsaw. You dink it evenly along the length and try it out. If it's still loose, repeat in the same spot and re-try. Once it gets a little snug, you can remove just enough for it to move freely, but without the gap. If it gets sloppy again, repeat the process. You'll need to check this for squareness after any adjustments, too. (I know, it just NEVER ENDS!) This obviously doesn't apply if the miter gauge has provisions for removing slop.
I have tried it, works if the framing square is out less than 1/32. Not worth bothering with in my opinion. If you need exact squares, buy either engineers squares or high quality combination or double squares.Starret and three or four other companies make all of these squares. Grizzly,Penn State and others have sets of engineers squares,from 2" to 6" that are reasonably priced and accurate for wood shop machine setup.Starret and other high quality tools will set you back a few dollars,12" combination square about $65.00 to $75.00.With a starret in one hand and a half decent brand in the hand you can feel the difference.The starret stays in the shop,the stanley goes in the tool box.
mike
thanks for all the responses! I'll be tuning them up and if not, heading to a machine shop to really dial in that accuracy;)
Thanks again!
T.
Another thing- DON'T EVER DROP A SQUARE, LEVEL, OR STRAIGHTEDGE! Sorry for yelling, but things are dropped all the time and if they're not checked immediately after, projects have a way of becoming innacurate "for some strange reason" because the fall is frequently seen as less than damaging to the instrument.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
I read recently that storing a true straightedge the wrong way will cause it to deviate from true. Machinists take great care to avoid this problem. I'm not worried. I don't make anything that straight anyway!
That is actually true. To store a good straightedge (less than .001" deviation over the length) you should store it in a padded box w/ a dessicant (moisture absorbant). Doing this will protect it from both impact damage (a big no-no) and corrosion. This is probably a good idea for precision squares, dial calipers and other precision tools as well. High end manufacturers sell appropriate fitted boxes for their precision tools. Midline manufacturers throw decent plastic ones in for free. If you don't have an appropriate box, you can either pick one up, or get some practice with that box-joint jig :-) Jacques
Hello tdinovo, I have an aluminum builders square, and after dropping it several times (something I do more often now) I used my calibrated machinst square to check for squarnest. By center punching (twice) the inside corner of the two legs, I was able to bring it back, but then again, I'm not to fussy with a builders square. However, the calibrated square has a high tolerance. If and when you go shopping for a calibrated square, it they can't tell to what tolerance of the square, "DON'T BUY IT!" My machinist square, is treated like a Royal Baby! .000 Look for something in that area.
In the old days good squares were milled square and the homeowners type were sheared as evidenced by the step visible on the outside edge. Today it is very hard to find a flat milled edge. The old timers taught me to use a small ballpeen hammer(on a steel plate or vise) at the inside junction to spread the arms and at the outside point to contract the arms of the square after droping a line left and right to bring it back to square.
The best that I have seen lately is a japanese stainless rafter square from lee valley and it's a bargin. best of luck, pat
You buy one by Sears and if it is out you return it Carpenters Squares that is.
HM
I agree, I use these tools to pay my bills. If they are out of square I return them or forget to bring it to a job and by another one. I think I have 5
The peining method is true, and does work very well. In olden times every tradesman had to adjust his own tools, and that is just one of many tricks that might be dieing out do to all the new fangled technology that is saving us from ourselves.
I thought that a quick Google search would find us an illustration, but it seems you might have posed a question that hasn't been raised on Google just yet.
you guys are talking so far above my head, I never thought those things could go out of square. its made of metal. whodve thought.
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