After only 20 years I learned how to use a speed square

[dennis thompson]

I have been doing woodworking as a hobby for about 20 years. My woodworking has gone from making furniture for my wife, to making toys for my youngest grandson, to making wooden model cars for my self. My oldest grandson (27 years old) has lived with me for 25 of those years and is now getting his own apartment,. He has asked me to make him a coffee table. Well yesterday I watched a you tube video about handy tools and one demonstrated was a Woodpecker Delve square. When I was trying to lay out the aprons and the legs for the table , it dawned on me how handy a speed square could be. I laid out the legs and aprons in only 5 minutes. So I guess I'm the definitive slow learner, but to be honest, even after 20 years, I learn something new almost every day.
I have a speed square , I'm tempted to get the Woodpecker Delve square, but the cost ($70) is tough for me to get past.

[Jim Becker]

I didn't even own one until recently when I "impulse bought" one at HFT. Handy to have. For folks doing construction work, they are a necessarily. Like anything, "really good quality" comes at a price and like any form of square, some are more square than others.

[Steve Eure]

I bought the Delve square on an impulse, and can honestly say that it is one of the few WP tools I use everyday. It is a handy little square. Of course when I bought it, it was only around $40. Igaging makes a square that is similar in I believe 4" and 7" versions that are handy too. I bought the 7" one and use it often. They are quite a bit less expensive than the WP's.

[Alex Zeller]

I looked at the HF ones and thought could you make one with less aluminum? I have a couple around and use them for more than they were intended. I have a larger one that I use for cutting shingles. But they are name brand. One even has a mark from a circular saw that was made by someone helping me. How, I don't know, but free help usually costs you more than you were expecting.

[johnny means]

I like to use them as single purpose tools. They're cheap enough and being aluminum or plastic are easy to modify.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I always have one in my pocket when framing, and there's one in the shop too. I buy the much cheaper Swanson squares. One of the main functions for carpentry is roof angles based off the x:12 slope system, so these make cutting all those angles possible. In the shop they get used for rough layout. $12 each makes them a bargain.

[Edwin Santos]

I have been doing woodworking as a hobby for about 20 years. My woodworking has gone from making furniture for my wife, to making toys for my youngest grandson, to making wooden model cars for my self. My oldest grandson (27 years old) has lived with me for 25 of those years and is now getting his own apartment,. He has asked me to make him a coffee table. Well yesterday I watched a you tube video about handy tools and one demonstrated was a Woodpecker Delve square. When I was trying to lay out the aprons and the legs for the table , it dawned on me how handy a speed square could be. I laid out the legs and aprons in only 5 minutes. So I guess I'm the definitive slow learner, but to be honest, even after 20 years, I learn something new almost every day.
I have a speed square , I'm tempted to get the Woodpecker Delve square, but the cost ($70) is tough for me to get past.

I have the DelVe square and love it. If the cost is a turn-off, you can get Milwaukee's 4 1/2" answer to it for $11. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauke...Q040/310363529

Not quite all the functionality of the DelVe but much of it is there, and the red color is helpful because you can always quickly find it on a crowded bench.
Lee Valley makes a tiny (I mean tiny) version of their own.

[Stan Calow]

I looked up the DelVe and see it at $120 on Amazon! What is significantly different about it from the handful of cheap plastic or metal squares you can get just about anywhere? I helped a carpenter build a deck last year, and watched him use a square to guide a circular saw for cutting framing and realized it wasn't just for measuring and marking.

[Jim Becker]

I looked at the HF ones and thought could you make one with less aluminum? .

True!!! It's a bit chunky which makes using the various pencil openings more challenging. I wouldn't be happy with it for "serious" work for sure, but it's been handy for certain non-furniture/non-cabinetry tasks.

[Aaron Rosenthal]

I still have my 6” and 12” Swanson squares although I rarely use them anymore. Nowadays even when doing projects around the house like cabinet fixtures I use a 109 year old framing square. Much more accurate than a tape measure, doesn’t need a battery and I’m old and experienced enough to know the scales and use them.

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

I recently learned how to use a speed square too via these awesome youtube clips.

https://youtu.be/QwQ34t9SLhg How to Use a Speed Square

https://youtu.be/y0IcTl8D91Q How to Make a Perfectly Straight Cut in Wood with a Circular Saw

These clips were so informative, I have started at the bottom (oldest) and I'm slowly working my way towards the newest and watching all of them! https://www.youtube.com/user/seejanedrill/videos

[Jim Becker]

Good speed square video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNH_BhjwhV8

[David Buchhauser]

This speed square tool looks very handy for some tasks. I ordered several from Amazon to check them out.
David

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CI4UBN6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

orange speed square.jpg


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0008JF0TE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

aluminum speed squares.jpg

[Frederick Skelly]

.......you can get Milwaukee's 4 1/2" answer to it for $11. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauke...Q040/310363529

Not quite all the functionality of the DelVe but much of it is there, and the red color is helpful because you can always quickly find it on a crowded bench.
Lee Valley makes a tiny (I mean tiny) version of their own.

I have that small Milwaukee square and the slightly larger one. Also have that teeny tiny square from LV. I love all 3 of them.

[Tom M King]

I've built stuff for a living, for 48 years now, and have never owned one. Maybe I'm missing out, but I get by. I do use framing squares for what they will do, and keep a combination square in my tool belt, when I'm wearing one.