For those who like fine tools...Are Chappell Squares worth it?

[Eric Commarato]

I really love the intended craftsmanship of Chappell Squares from what I see on the internet. Stainless steel construction and deeply engraved lettering. Advertised as the finest square made. And like most fine tools one day the manufacturer might be out of business, and the item becomes more coveted...So I thought it might be worth investing in one. With that in mind, are there any here that own one, and are they really that nice in "person". A good carpenter's square, that is truly square, is a great shop standard for the furniture maker and artisan. These are pricey though, compared to the stamped out Stanley or Johnson variety. The master carpenter square runs in the $125.00 range, almost 8-10 times more than the standard Home Depot or Lowes brands. I thought about checking out the #912, the 9x12, a handy size to see the quality. These are listed at $49 on their website. Also, nobody seems to retail these except Chappell that I have seen.

For those of you who might be unfamiliar with these nice squares, their website is WWW.CHAPPELLSQUARES.COM. They also manufacture rules.

Any information would be appreciated as usual,

Eric

[brent stanley]

Hi Eric, I have one and they're a thing of beauty. Made in USA quality and a treat to use. All the print is legible (though small for some folks I expect) and comes with a manual that lets you know how to use all the features. That being said, a better shop reference for square may be something smaller, though I do use mine for setting mitre fence square to table slot. I'm a timber framer so use it all the time for layout.

[George Bokros]

The Chappell is far less expensive than the Woodpecker framing square and probably as good. I drank some Red Kool Aid and bought the WP square for squaring my track saw track the Chappell would probably served as good. The WP has a thicker blade so that is a plus when squaring the track.

[Ben Rivel]

Yes they are. They are actually the least expensive "worth it" option too!

[Mike Chalmers]

Yes they are. They are actually the least expensive "worth it" option too!I take it you own one?

[Art Mann]

I think you meant www.chappellsquare.com (http://www.chappellsquare.com)


. . . For those of you who might be unfamiliar with these nice squares, their website is WWW.CHAPPELLSQUARES.COM (http://WWW.CHAPPELLSQUARES.COM). They also manufacture rules. . . .

Eric

[Ben Rivel]

I take it you own one?Nope, I went the Woodpeckers route (LINK (http://www.woodpeck.com/psq2016.html)).

[Jerry Wright]

Available on Amazon. (Fulfilled by Woodcraft)

[richard poitras]

I have one and they are good quality and would buy again.

[Roger Nair]

Chappell squares are very fine framing squares, however they depart from the familiar scales and tables and present the need to rethink methods and measurements by making every scale 1/20 of an inch. So one really needs to leave fractional measurements behind. The tables to me are over crowded to my old eyes besides modern carpentry practice has gone computer and calculator based and not reliant on tabulated information. I also believe the uneven sloped roof table to be single case and not to my way of thinking not useful for the infinite diversity of unevenly pitched roof combinations. With some study the Chappell square will solve the vast majority of framing problems. Expensive but a fully competent framing square.

the Woodpecker framing square is not in any sense a carpenter's square more a try square, so I would avoid it.

I would suggest the Shinwa American pattern framing square, it has all the traditional scales but lacks tables of rafter square. So for roof framing a calculator is an appropriate adjunct.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=32587&cat=1,42936,42944&ap=1

[brent stanley]

Also, nobody seems to retail these except Chappell that I have seen.

Eric

AlsoEric, Lee Valley sells them,

B

[Eric Commarato]

AlsoEric, Lee Valley sells them,

B

Thanks, Brent, I'll check out LV. I appreciate it!

Eric

[Eric Commarato]

Thanks Roger! Good information here. I'm familiar with Shinwa's squares, I have a couple of the Japanese Carpenter squares that I bought from Hida Tool. They are very fine and flexible squares. I will check out the more traditional American Pattern square on LV

[Eric Commarato]

Nope, I went the Woodpeckers route (LINK (http://www.woodpeck.com/psq2016.html)).

Ben, those are beautiful squares, but gosh they are pricey! Thanks for the link.

[Eric Commarato]

I think you meant www.chappellsquare.com (http://www.chappellsquare.com)

Thanks for the correction Art, I sometime type faster than I think!

[Patrick Curry]

For anyone with a track saw looking for a square, check out the 24" machinest square from Harry J Epstein. It's a very SOLID square and I thought a great price when compared to Woodpecker. I ended buyin a few other PEC brand layout tools as well. They're all 'blemished' or factory seconds but that was fine with me so long as they're accurate.