I'm Looking for a QUALITY framing square

[Bruce Page]

Does anyone make a high quality 24” framing square? I’m looking for something better than the $15 stamped aluminum/steel squares from Stanley or Empire. I was hoping to find something by Pinnacle Precision but the largest I can find from them is 12”.

[Bill Houghton]

Starrett sells framing/rafter squares these days, but I don't know if they're actual Starrett productions or made by someone else with the Starrett logo on them. Google "STARRETT RSS-24 36130" for one possibility.

You could, of course, go over the top and get a large Starrett combo square, or, better yet, their builder's combination square (see http://catalog.starrett.com/catalog/catalog/groupf.asp?GroupID=395), which looks to offer great precision with the usual problem of spendiness.

[Jim McFarland]

I don't own one (although I've had in my cart a couple of times and backed out!), but this one from Lee Valley looks nice:
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32587&cat=1,42936,42944

[Bruce Page]

Thanks Bill, I looked at the Starrett last night but I still question how square an $18 square can be, even with the Starrett name on it.:rolleyes:
I might end up getting one and re-machining it square.

[Bruce Page]

Thanks Jim, I think that’s what I’m looking for. The angular accuracy of ±0.001 radian is close enough for what I need. I couldn’t find any specs on the other ones I looked at.
Free shipping too!

[Bill Houghton]

I might end up getting one and re-machining it square.

The traditional method of correcting square on a framing/rafter square is to deform the metal at the corner. Check for square, and then:

a) if it's too open an angle (more than 90 degrees inside), use a hammer and a center punch to peen it a bit at the outside of the corner,
b) if the angle is less than 90 degrees, do the same at the inside of the corner.

I've found this perfectly satisfactory for carpentry purposes. If you're using a framing square for furniture, it may or may not be sufficient.

[Bruce Page]

The traditional method of correcting square on a framing/rafter square is to deform the metal at the corner. Check for square, and then:

a) if it's too open an angle (more than 90 degrees inside), use a hammer and a center punch to peen it a bit at the outside of the corner,
b) if the angle is less than 90 degrees, do the same at the inside of the corner.

I've found this perfectly satisfactory for carpentry purposes. If you're using a framing square for furniture, it may or may not be sufficient.

Thanks Bill. I just ordered the one from LV. I want to be able to use it for furniture and sometimes in the machine shop side.

[Glenn Clabo]

The angular accuracy of ±0.001 radian is close enough for what I need.

Close enough!!!!??? :eek: A Dial indicator on your TS fence!!!!???? :eek:

The curse of a machinist doing woodworking! ;)

[Bruce Page]

Close enough!!!!??? :eek: A Dial indicator on your TS fence!!!!???? :eek:

The curse of a machinist doing woodworking! ;)

Boy, you got that right. That's why it takes me 10X normal time to make anything!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it..:o

[CW McClellan]

Wait till he finds out wood EXPANDS and CONTRACTS

[Bruce Page]

Wait till he finds out wood EXPANDS and CONTRACTS

lol, that’s the crux of the problem. Metal working is a lot easier!

[Bob Johnson2]

Can't imagine you won't check it but make sure you do. Bought what I thought was a top of the line Stanley, at least the price made it sound top of the line compared to the cheapies. Six months or so later... Found out AFTER cutting box sides it was off by at least a 1/16th. I guess for house framing it was okay. The Bridgeport at work took care of it.

[Doug Shepard]

With all those cool toys out your shop, I figured you'd just make yer own:confused::D

[Will Blick]

LV links should not be allowed on this forum...

How many times has someone posted a LV link to a product, you did not realize you needed / wanted it.... so you put it in your cart, and then enticed by free shipping, you go on a shopping spree....argggggg.... this has to stop...

Does LV offer a 12 step program?

HELP!

[Jason Roehl]

Wait till he finds out wood EXPANDS and CONTRACTS

I thought metal did too...not with humidity, but moreso than wood with temperature.

[Bruce Page]

LV links should not be allowed on this forum...

How many times has someone posted a LV link to a product, you did not realize you needed / wanted it.... so you put it in your cart, and then enticed by free shipping, you go on a shopping spree....argggggg.... this has to stop...

Does LV offer a 12 step program?

HELP!
Tell me about it! Along with the square, I ordered 2 of these too! Darned free shipping!
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&cat=1,240,41060,50231&p=50231

[joseph j shields]

Bruce,

I don't know if this will work for you, but I bought a 24" drafting triangle and love it!!

http://www.draftingsuppliesdew.com/mall/itemdetailind.asp?GroupID=10125&Item=3030C-24

They are about $20 and work great for my applications. (I have a couple of different sizes)

I got the clear ones, but found them hard to see, so I spray painted them white (I used the spray paint for plastic) and now they work great!!!

Hope this helps.


-jj

[Bruce Page]

JJ, that would probably work, although I can see where having the scale graduations would be nice to have.

[Peter Quinn]

Darn it, I wasn't even going to read this post, and I wasn't even going to hit that Lee Valley link, but I got curious, and I wasn't even looking for a framing square, mostly because I had given up on them, and now I find I have ordered one! How did this happen to me. Is LV not only addictive but also contagious?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Hi, my name is Steve, and I have a framing square addiction. There are 37 of them in this photo. Seems like every auction I get to, several follow me home.

The Sands has proven to be a good square square, and its easy to read!

[Doug Shepard]

Hi, my name is Steve, and I have a framing square addiction. There are 37:eek::eek: of them ...

Steve
I got yer new theme song right here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_byVtHrGEM

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Steve
I got yer new theme song right here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_byVtHrGEM

LOL! Thanks Doug, I needed a laugh tonight!

[Bruce Page]

That was a good one Doug!


37 Squares!
Wow!

[Paul Demetropoulos]

Woodpecker's has a whole host of high quality, high accuracy, high priced squares. They sell Incra stuff and their own. They sell T squares in 12, 24 and 32 inch sizes, all claimed accurate to .001” over their length.

They have framing squares as well on the site but no carpenter's square.

http://www.woodpeck.com/measuringhome.html

[Rick Lucrezi]

How about the Swanson framing wizard. It isnt 24 inch, but it is accurate and multi use. I get mine out often enough.

[Chip Lindley]

FINALLY! How to *fix* the accuracy of a framing square! Peening it in or out can make a framing square accurate to within a *knife scribed line* over 24". This should be good enough for *just* woodworking!!

[Garth Keel]

I have already ordered the LV framing square (yesterday). Was just browsing the catalog (with free shipping) and all of a sudden the computer was ordering... must be some automatic computer thing :D

[Chuck Tringo]

I have the 24 inch made by Woodpeckers for Woodcraft (Pinnacle) and its great. I prefer it to a framing square bacause of the T which can hook over the lip of what your marking and the pencil holes for marking. And its pretty and black :D


Woodpecker's has a whole host of high quality, high accuracy, high priced squares. They sell Incra stuff and their own. They sell T squares in 12, 24 and 32 inch sizes, all claimed accurate to .001” over their length.

They have framing squares as well on the site but no carpenter's square.

http://www.woodpeck.com/measuringhome.html

[John Schreiber]

The traditional method of correcting square on a framing/rafter square is to deform the metal at the corner. Check for square, and then:

a) if it's too open an angle (more than 90 degrees inside), use a hammer and a center punch to peen it a bit at the outside of the corner,
b) if the angle is less than 90 degrees, do the same at the inside of the corner.

I've found this perfectly satisfactory for carpentry purposes. If you're using a framing square for furniture, it may or may not be sufficient.
This has worked for me. Garage sale square and a bit of pounding and it's perfect. I'm happy.

[Paul Demetropoulos]

Chuck,

How did you decide on the 24" as opposed to the 12" or 32"? I've been trying to decide between the 24" & 32". I'm thinking the 24" would be easier running parallel lines and for genaeral marking but it would be nice to have a 32" square that accurate.

On their site Woodpecker says the squares are accurate to .001, I was wondering if they meant and their marking system or over the length of the square. I called them and they said over the length, that's pretty impressive.

[Gary Herrmann]

Yeah, I buy borg squares and peen them. They're very accurate for awhile, then I drop one and I peen it again...

[Bruce Page]

Yeah, I buy borg squares and peen them. They're very accurate for awhile, then I drop one and I peen it again...

Gary, how do you verify the right angles?

[Gary Herrmann]

Lay the square on your bench with a piece of 8.5x11 paper on it (you can also use a piece of ply you've cut square on your TS if you want a greater degree of accuracy).
Align the horizontal leg with the bottom of the paper or ply.
Draw a line using the vertical leg (the whole length)
Flip the square so the horizontal leg is pointing in the opposite direction.
Get the vertical leg as close to your drawn line while ensuring the horizontal leg is again aligned with the edge of the paper.
Draw another line using the vertical leg.
If the lines converge farthest from you (square greater than 90) peen the square near it's corner. Less than 90, peen it near the inside corner.
I use a nailset and a mallet.
Give it a couple taps, then repeat the process.
Once you think you've squared your square, you can verify it by drawing the lines on top of each other - they'll match up perfectly.

Bruce, I think the first time I did this it took me no more than 15 minutes. Please let me know if I've been unclear in my description.

[Bruce Page]

Lay the square on your bench with a piece of 8.5x11 paper on it (you can also use a piece of ply you've cut square on your TS if you want a greater degree of accuracy).
Align the horizontal leg with the bottom of the paper or ply.
Draw a line using the vertical leg (the whole length)
Flip the square so the horizontal leg is pointing in the opposite direction.
Get the vertical leg as close to your drawn line while ensuring the horizontal leg is again aligned with the edge of the paper.
Draw another line using the vertical leg.
If the lines converge farthest from you (square greater than 90) peen the square near it's corner. Less than 90, peen it near the inside corner.
I use a nailset and a mallet.
Give it a couple taps, then repeat the process.
Once you think you've squared your square, you can verify it by drawing the lines on top of each other - they'll match up perfectly.

Bruce, I think the first time I did this it took me no more than 15 minutes. Please let me know if I've been unclear in my description.
Very good explanation Gary.
Thanks.

[Erik Frederiksen]

I got one of those $20 Starrett framing squares. The first one I picked off the shelf was fine.

[Lyle Merdan]

Oh great. I joined this forum for the laser engraver stuff... Dad does woodworking and may have me addicted as of last weekend.

Then you go an post a link to "LV" and now I'm finding stuff that I could use.

THANKS A LOT! I can kiss the next couple paychecks goodbye.

[Steve Vaughn]

Oh great. I joined this forum for the laser engraver stuff... Dad does woodworking and may have me addicted as of last weekend.

Then you go an post a link to "LV" and now I'm finding stuff that I could use.

THANKS A LOT! I can kiss the next couple paychecks goodbye.


Just find out what kind of soft drinks your UPS and FEDEX guys/gals like and you'll be o.k. Don't fight it...feel the force.

:D:D

Steve

[Bruce Page]

Oh great. I joined this forum for the laser engraver stuff... Dad does woodworking and may have me addicted as of last weekend.

Then you go an post a link to "LV" and now I'm finding stuff that I could use.

THANKS A LOT! I can kiss the next couple paychecks goodbye.


:D Yer preaching to the choir :D

[Denny Rice]

Hi, my name is Steve, and I have a framing square addiction. There are 37 of them in this photo. Seems like every auction I get to, several follow me home.

The Sands has proven to be a good square square, and its easy to read!

Steve, I'm sorry this post is making me laugh very hard......37 squares huh? Maybe you need to be sent to the D.I.Y. clinic to be checked out....LOL

[Chris Padilla]

I have the 24 inch made by Woodpeckers for Woodcraft (Pinnacle) and its great. I prefer it to a framing square bacause of the T which can hook over the lip of what your marking and the pencil holes for marking. And its pretty and black :D

I have the 24" T-Square as well but mine is red. :D It works very, very nicely. I have the 24" because that is all they had available and so far, I haven't come across a need for 8 more inches. :)

[John Schreiber]

Lay the square on your bench with a piece of 8.5x11 paper on it (you can also use a piece of ply you've cut square on your TS if you want a greater degree of accuracy).
Align the horizontal leg with the bottom of the paper or ply.
Draw a line using the vertical leg (the whole length)
Flip the square so the horizontal leg is pointing in the opposite direction.
Get the vertical leg as close to your drawn line while ensuring the horizontal leg is again aligned with the edge of the paper.
Draw another line using the vertical leg.
If the lines converge farthest from you (square greater than 90) peen the square near it's corner. Less than 90, peen it near the inside corner.
I use a nailset and a mallet.
Give it a couple taps, then repeat the process.
Once you think you've squared your square, you can verify it by drawing the lines on top of each other - they'll match up perfectly.

Bruce, I think the first time I did this it took me no more than 15 minutes. Please let me know if I've been unclear in my description.
You can also use the trick above to check the square in the store. Take a couple of squares over to some sheet stock and check them there before you buy.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Steve, I'm sorry this post is making me laugh very hard......37 squares huh? Maybe you need to be sent to the D.I.Y. clinic to be checked out....LOL


this is embarrasing, i was organizing the shop this afternoon, and actually found two more...:o

[Chuck Tringo]

Ive actually only used it twice so far for some house stuff (back when I lived in the house I own :() Ive been doing more smaller pieces as of late and I tend to reach for my starrett a dozen times a day. I do have a few larger project ideas so I might have to blow the dust off of it soon.


I have the 24" T-Square as well but mine is red. :D It works very, very nicely. I have the 24" because that is all they had available and so far, I haven't come across a need for 8 more inches. :)

[Greg Sznajdruk]

LV links should not be allowed on this forum...

How many times has someone posted a LV link to a product, you did not realize you needed / wanted it.... so you put it in your cart, and then enticed by free shipping, you go on a shopping spree....argggggg.... this has to stop...

Does LV offer a 12 step program?

HELP!


You think thats bad I live within easy driving distance of LV home office and retail store. Every time I back out the car the LOML wants to know where I'm going.

Greg

[Will Blick]

Greg, I feel your pain.... your wife has good reason to be suspicious every time you leave the house, she is a smart women.

Unfortunately the LV web site has become so nice, the victimization is now spreading to those who otherwise would have to drive thousands of miles to a LV store.... arggggg..... their ought to be a law!!

The Purchasing Agent at LV is must be an addict himself (or ex-addict) I say this because, the selection and pricing is often too hard to resist. They know where our weaknesses lie.


And that damn catalog should be stopped too, its like a high-end yacth catalog, but yet it contains hammers n chisels? I leave it on my coffee table....guests that do not have a wood working bone in their body can not stop looking at it.... I think the "tool porn" phrase coined here at SMC is dead-on accurate to describe the affliction.

Thanks Rob :-(

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

with a peening punch (rounded tip) you can make any steel square dead true.

Lay it on a surface registering off one side, scribe the line along the leg that passes into the surface. Flip it and do it again. If the scribed lines are non parallel then your square is out by that deviation. Take the peening punch and a hammer and peen the square in the part of the L corner that the leg is leaning inward. That'll stretch the metal and push it right.