Rafter or Framing Square

[George Israel]

What's better a rafter of framing square for woodworking on large panels?

[phil harold]

sheetrock square?

but make sure it is square!

[Bill Houghton]

When I hear either term, I picture a flat metal right angle, one leg 24" long, one 16" or 18" long (can't remember), measuring marks on the edges, various tables of information crammed in between the measuring marks on the front face with the short leg held to the right; even more tables on the reverse side. Perhaps I'm not keeping up, and there are variations offered with different tables for each application, or maybe you're thinking of a different tool than I.

I've used these tools for 35 years in common woodworking and never used the tables; they're mainly useful as big squares.

Another layout tool to consider if you're doing a lot of plywood-sized panel work is a drywall square, which will reach all the way across a full sized panel (which a framing square will not; you have to make your mark as far as it will go and then extend the line). The short leg on drywall squares varies considerably in length, brand to brand. This isn't terribly important for drywall, where 1/8" is precision cutting, but you want the longest leg you can get for woodworking.

However (and I have now officially hijacked this thread, on the first response to your question!), if you're doing a lot of plywood cutting with a circular saw, I recommend that you consider one of the guide track systems (for examples, see the listings at http://www.hartvilletool.com/category/817, although I am not specifically recommending them, only offering them as examples; someone - FWW? - recently did a comparison test). These will allow you, with a good blade, to do very straight cuts. Marking a layout line and then cutting to it freehand requires the hands of a surgeon.

[Caspar Hauser]

A Rafter square measures in 1/16th's on the one side and 1/12th's on the other, a Framing square is in 1/16th's on both sides, or at least mine are.

Otherwise same animal.

[Bruce Page]

I was looking for a quality Carpenters square, something above the Stanley, Empire, etc. I ended up with the Lee Valley. I have checked it out using the X-Y tables of my milling machine and it is very accurate. It’s pricier than the Big-Box squares but you get what you pay for.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&cat=1,42936,42944,32587&p=32587

[Luciano Burtini]

Want the ultimate square? Try a Starrett 439.
Very Pricey however.....
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/prodimg/st/big/ST-BLDSQ439-24_big.gif

[george wilson]

I would like to have the Starrett 439,but I'll bet you can't rely on that very small protractor to get the long blade truly square.

If you can find an old framing square,they had the edges ground.All the recent ones are chomped out. I don't know about the LV. Is it ground? Anyway,you should look for old ones with ground edges in flea markets,etc.

Myself,I rely on very large machinist's squares that have popped up in the past used for not too much money. Brown and Sharp and Starretts are good. New,they cost well over $1000.00,though,and they are pretty heavy.

Of course,the big problem with used squares is to look at the corners carefully,and try to make sure they didn't get dropped sometime. If they were dropped off a roof under construction,landing on a wooden floor,it might mot show any damage to the corners,though,but could be out of square.

[Jim Koepke]

Some squares have an adjustment cutout to correct any inaccuracies caused by dropping or banging about in a tool chest.

Here is one page that tells how to correct a regular framing square:

http://zo-d.com/stuff/how-do-i/how-to-check-and-adjust-a-framing-square.html

jim

[harry strasil]

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=40926&cat=1,42936,42944

[george wilson]

I don't care for aluminum squares or planes. Too easily damaged. Jim,I have an old book that shows all kinds of things you can do with a framing square. Unless I go dig it out,I can't recall the name right now. It's from the twenties,or teens.

[Jim Koepke]

I don't care for aluminum squares or planes. Too easily damaged. Jim,I have an old book that shows all kinds of things you can do with a framing square. Unless I go dig it out,I can't recall the name right now. It's from the twenties,or teens.

From this era, there are a few works. Adel's 4 volume set comes to mind with a lot of information.

I also have a PDF of The Practical Treatise on The Steel Square by Fred T. Hodgson published in 1913. It is 314 pages. There are only about 240 pages on the steel square. The rest is an index and pages of house plans for sale.

I think the link can b e found here:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=788276

jim

[george wilson]

It is probably the 1913 book. I'll have to look for it. I do not use framing squares much. As you guys have seen ,I tend to make mostly smaller things than houses.

[harry strasil]

Modern Practical Treatise on the Steel Square by Hodgson, in two volumes, ©'s 1903, 1913, 1917, 1925. I have two sets one was my first wifes grandfathers. 246 pages in Vol.I and 231 pages in Vol. II.

[harry strasil]

from the archives. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=66800&highlight=square+checker

[Luciano Burtini]

I would like to have the Starrett 439,but I'll bet you can't rely on that very small protractor to get the long blade truly square.

You've got to hold one of these things to truly appreciate it. I would have no problem relying on this square and it is certainly more accurate than any of the current generation of stamped carpenters framing squares not to mention the notoriously inaccurate drywall squares. Not on par with an engineering square, but then this is woodwork....

[Jim Carson]

I've been really happy with a Woodpeckers 18" carpenters triangle.
http://www.woodpeck.com/speedsquare.html

They're pricey, but mine came dead-square. This along with a track saw lets me knock out cab parts to final size right quick.

[Dave Anderson NH]

I have 2 framing squares. The one I purchased about 30 years ago is a Craftman and it is reasonably accurate. Probably about .031" out over the 24" dimension. This is fine for carpentry in most cases. My other square was my Great Grandfathers and and is a Sargeant & Co. It is extremely accurate and when I measured it at work on a coordinate measuring machine, the 24" leg was out of square by.0035" and I chose to leave it be. This square tapers down from .165" thick at the corner to .086" thick at the end of both legs. It is a primo example of what good quality tools were like in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when most work was still done by hand.

[Ray Klear]

HI
Mostly lurker
If you want the best framing square get a Sands, They have been around since Moby Dick was a Minnow. All I have used for 45 years

Comes in Copper,Blued,Polished

http://www.krafttool.com/catalog.aspx?cat=37&subcat=39

[Mark Singer]

I use a large "T" square for layout and breaking down panels. It is inexpensive and works well

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31xPHlI4wJL._SL500_AA280_.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.amazon.com/Alvin-STD-ALUM-T-SQUARE-36/dp/B000HF87CG&usg=__LVofVAl0adGyqN4_SwhVUl3GzxE=&h=280&w=280&sz=5&hl=en&start=3&um=1&tbnid=9yfNuMpd7LwdfM:&tbnh=114&tbnw=114&prev=/images%3Fq%3D36%2522%2Bt%2Bsquare%26hl%3Den%26clie nt%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den-us%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1