Big Square More Than Expected

[Jim Koepke]

Joe O'Leary's post on finding a 'Good Square at Reasonable Cost' re-awoke my search for a large try square. My ebay searches of many items now are down to two subscribed searches. The two do not include a search for squares. So with a little time to spare some of it was spent searching for squares on ebay. Imagine my surprise to actually find a couple of large try squares listed. Usually there may be a listing for a 12" but the blade may be 12" which includes the part held in the stock. My bid for the large square was set to less than what my calculations for the parts to build one would be. Lucky me, it arrived in the mail today:

380776

It didn't look that big in the pictures. The back on this one is rounded. It may not be good in a big corner. That's where a framing square shines.

My drawing board will likely have to come down to give this one a test. Then see how it does on a 1X12.

For some reason, at least in thought, the idea of making one is still on my round tuit list.

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

Glad you found one Jim.
Question: Can you "tune" a big tri-square for squareness, like you can with a framing square?

Fred

[Bill Houghton]

Good find!

Years ago - back in the black-and-white-photos years - Foine Wooddorking did an article on squares. The article discussed how Starrett jigs its engineer's squares up before soldering the joint, and how the quality control folks tested them for square. Then, later in the article, the author described his tour of the Stanley try square production facility. He asked his tour guide how Stanley corrected for out-of-square conditions, and the guide grabbed a sample by the stock and, holding the stock vertically, whapped the far end of the beam on the workbench, and demonstrated how he'd moved it slightly. I suspect every reader, like the article's author, was shocked; but I subsequently tried it on a try square, and by golly, it works. I think what happens is the metal in the rivets moves slightly.

I'm not recommending you do that, Jim; the more conservative method is filing the edges of the beam, testing, filing again. Just mentioning it.

[Roger Nair]

The old try squares I've found 14" and 16" were severely worn on the outer portion of the blade and there was also looseness on the rivets. The rehab is yet to begin. I believe the squares were used by carpenters for transferring layout from story boards with an awl.

[lowell holmes]

https://www.amazon.com/Johnson-Level-Tool-CS10-Carpenter/dp/B00C7CGM42/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1520523877&sr=8-3&keywords=johnson+framing+square

I have a 12"x 8" square similar to this. I have no reason to do it, but you could add wood to make it a bit more stable to use.
I have many many squares. I bet you do also Jim.

[Jim Koepke]

I'm not recommending you do that, Jim; the more conservative method is filing the edges of the beam, testing, filing again. Just mentioning it.

This is my preferred method with a try square.


I have many many squares. I bet you do also Jim.

You would win that bet depending on the definition of "many squares." With try squares even when trying to not get duplicates somehow there are three of one size. My wife, Candy, can sometimes make use of the spares.


The old try squares I've found 14" and 16" were severely worn on the outer portion of the blade and there was also looseness on the rivets.

This one doesn't seem very worn. There is a bit of pitting on one side. The rivets seem tight. There are six of them and they are about 1/8" size.

Yesterday was a trifecta, first the saw, came home to see a package from LV by the driveway and later the square was in the mailbox. Almost a tool overload, but not quite.

jtk

[Patrick Chase]

Years ago - back in the black-and-white-photos years - Foine Wooddorking did an article on squares. The article discussed how Starrett jigs its engineer's squares up before soldering the joint, and how the quality control folks tested them for square. Then, later in the article, the author described his tour of the Stanley try square production facility. He asked his tour guide how Stanley corrected for out-of-square conditions, and the guide grabbed a sample by the stock and, holding the stock vertically, whapped the far end of the beam on the workbench, and demonstrated how he'd moved it slightly. I suspect every reader, like the article's author, was shocked; but I subsequently tried it on a try square, and by golly, it works. I think what happens is the metal in the rivets moves slightly.

"Concussive maintenance" a pretty common approach to fixing squareness issues. I think a lot of us have done it at one time or another :-).

[Bill Houghton]

Yesterday was a trifecta, first the saw, came home to see a package from LV by the driveway and later the square was in the mailbox. Almost a tool overload, but not quite.
Trying to get my head around the concept of a tool overload and failing.

[James Pallas]

Jim, I've read somewhere that squares are made to index on the face edge only, so the rounded back. Nice square you found with the tab. Looks very much hand fitted at the pin plate area. Let us know how it trues up.
Jim

[Bill Houghton]

Jim, I've read somewhere that squares are made to index on the face edge only, so the rounded back. Nice square you found with the tab. Looks very much hand fitted at the pin plate area. Let us know how it trues up.
Jim
Traditional brass-bound squares were considered reliable on the brass-bound edge; most of them were bound on the inside edge of the stock only.

I have some all-metal Stanley squares; more stable, and pretty in their own way.