Combination Square Parts

[Jim Becker]

While there may be merit in trying to create a replacement piece just because it's interesting, for something like this that needs to work reliably and stay "square", I'd just buy a replacement square of good quality and move on. Using parts from other sources is certainly a possibility, but I suspect there is risk with an exact match and I say that from experience. I have both a Starrett combination square and a smaller Starrett "regular" square. A few years ago, I bought new scales for them as I wanted/needed metric scales. They were purchased from Lee Valley and are excellent. The rule for the combination was an absolutely perfect fit. The one for the smaller square works fine, but is harder to keep locked because there is some slight variability in the casting...it's an older square I bought pre-owned many years ago. The combo was also bought pre-owned, but was in like new condition and a newer vintage. So sourcing parts across brands "could" present minor (or major) fit differences "just because" there's no standard here.

[Mel Fulks]

I had to buy that piece from Starrette , Don’t know if it would fit a different brand. I don’t think it had broken, think I was cleaning and
oiling it ….that’s how stuff gets lost ! The piece was cheap and sent quickly.

[Andrew Seemann]

I have a blemished PEC that I picked up on the Bay a year or two ago. It is a fairly decent combo square. Not a Starrett but perfectly servicable. The main difference from the Starrett is that the gradations are photo etched on the PEC vs mechanically etched on the Starrett, which means they aren't quite as easy to read for old eyes.

I think the "blemish" was a little variation in how dark the gradations were, but I am not certain.

[Earl McLain]

I have a blemished PEC that I picked up on the Bay a year or two ago. It is a fairly decent combo square. Not a Starrett but perfectly servicable. The main difference from the Starrett is that the gradations are photo etched on the PEC vs mechanically etched on the Starrett, which means they aren't quite as easy to read for old eyes.

I think the "blemish" was a little variation in how dark the gradations were, but I am not certain.

I picked up a few blemished PEC double squares from Harry Epstein--wonderful and i have no idea what the blemishes are. (i am addicted to double squares--incredibly handy to me, your mileage may vary!!)

[Maurice Mcmurry]

It shouldn't be too time consuming to make one from a bolt with the appropriate thread size using a hand grinder or a file.

This can indeed be done caveman style (assuming the caveman has a file, a bolt and a few other tools). I used a grade 5 bolt & knew any old steel would be an improvement over die cast.

Here is a snip from a post last summer when I was working with out electricity.
"I spent most of an hour on a rainy day carving a new bolt for FIL’s square that I dropped. A silly undertaking that turned out OK."

[Jerry Bruette]

Well this caveman rubbed a file against a socket head screw this afternoon. Cobbled one together and it works. It's yet to be seen how long it will last.