Brass and Cocobolo Square

[Lars Thomas]

As I eluded to in an earlier thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=36090), I have been working on a small brass and Cocobolo square. The blade is 4-3/4 and extends exactly 3". Between the cocobolo and the brass it has some nice heft to it. It is finished with a few coats of BLO (per Dave Anderson's suggestion on another coco project).

Thanks for looking. Lars

[Mike Wenzloff]

Very nice, Lars!

I do love the pairing of Cocobolo and brass. Very nice.

Take care, Mike

[Mark Singer]

Lars, Just wonderful!

[Gary Herrmann]

Beauty and functionality. What more can you ask?

[Tom Sontag]

Seeing beautiful tools like this make me want to rush out to the shop and start making.

Most awesome.

[Alan Turner]

Wonderfully attractive. Would you mind sharing how you made it. Did you set its squareness off of a know square? Or is that sqarity? Only a lexicographer knows for sure.

[Lars Thomas]

Alan, the square was made by attaching (screwed) the blade side (only) face to the cocobolo. The assembly was clamped to a 'saddle' the I have that rides my table saw fence. This 'assembly' was them carefully pushed across the blade (while wearing a face shield). Since I wasn't sure about cutting brass on the table saw, the cut was made with a old thin kerf cross-cut miter saw blade. I made the ~3/4" deep cut in two passes. The Brass was then added to the other side. The brass faces are drilled and counter sunk. Ideally, after countersinking, the screws would sit a hair proud. Sand/file the screw heads flush.

After cutting the blade to length, I epoxied the blade into place. I masked areas where I didn't want epoxy to go. While drying, I clamped my square to a known square . After it dried, I drilled out the holes for the brass rod. The rod was inserted about 3/4 of the way and then super-glued from both sides before hammering home.

Alan, as for how sqaure is it. No light is visible when held up to my commercial high-quality square. If you make one like this, you'll see that it pretty hard not to make it square. After all, the blade sits in a flat dado, tight against the brass facing.

Alan, this would be a good project for your school if you had little half-day session or as a primer in tool making.

[Alan DuBoff]

That's a beaut' there Lars.

Hat off and all that good stuff...

(with the gitties in the shop making Mom a heart shaped cutting board today! ;) )

[Brett Baldwin]

Very good looking square Lars. Machinist squares might be super accurate but they sure don't have the warmth of yours.

I read a dead simple way to put a reasonably perfect 90 degrees on this sort of square. Have a jointed board (or piece of MDF) ready to use. Epoxy the blade and set it in the kerf. Set the blade to where you think it is square. Set the base against your flat edge and draw a line. Flip the base to the other side and draw another line. If your blade is square to the base, the lines will be perpendicular. If they aren't, adjust the blade as necessary before the epoxy sets up. Once you achieve 90 degrees carefully set the square down and let the epoxy cure. Recheck after cure then drill holes for the brass pins. This can be used to check any square.

[Matt Meiser]

Beautifull tool! Thank you for the explanation on how to build it as well.

[Alan Turner]

Alan, the square was made by attaching (screwed) the blade side (only) face to the cocobolo. The assembly was clamped to a 'saddle' the I have that rides my table saw fence. This 'assembly' was them carefully pushed across the blade (while wearing a face shield). Since I wasn't sure about cutting brass on the table saw, the cut was made with a old thin kerf cross-cut miter saw blade. I made the ~3/4" deep cut in two passes. The Brass was then added to the other side. The brass faces are drilled and counter sunk. Ideally, after countersinking, the screws would sit a hair proud. Sand/file the screw heads flush.

After cutting the blade to length, I epoxied the blade into place. I masked areas where I didn't want epoxy to go. While drying, I clamped my square to a known square . After it dried, I drilled out the holes for the brass rod. The rod was inserted about 3/4 of the way and then super-glued from both sides before hammering home.

Alan, as for how sqaure is it. No light is visible when held up to my commercial high-quality square. If you make one like this, you'll see that it pretty hard not to make it square. After all, the blade sits in a flat dado, tight against the brass facing.

Alan, this would be a good project for your school if you had little half-day session or as a primer in tool making.

Thanks, Lars. I have taught a tool making course before, but it did not include a square. We made marking knives, a mallet, a scratch stock for beading etc., and winding sticks. It was 10 weeks, once a week, 1 hour per class or so, but they always ran over. I did enjoy it, and the students, some of whom are still students, still use these tools.

I will think about your square for inclusion.

[Steve Clardy]

Very nice!!!
Reminds me, I need to get busy on my stairsaw.
Going to use lacewood for the handle.