Colen Clenton's Try Squares

Interesting principle  , Thanks.

mihai

Dave wrote:

They are expensive tools but I would imagine they are a once in a lifetime purchase.

A great try-square indeed, but I would go broke if I used that logic on everything I purchased.

Perhaps I am cheap, but I consider this a luxury tool. It is clever and certainly solves the problems that plague typical try-squares, but there are other lifetime tools (like a Starrett Combination Square) that offer the same accuracy and are much less expensive.

In one of Jim Kingshott’s videos, he recommends the use of a Machinist Square instead of a traditional Try-Square to combat issues of inaccuracy. That would be cheaper as well.

Dave wrote:

Scott, I didn’t mean to suggest people purchase that lol. I use the inexpensive engineer squares lee valley sells.

Heheh. I didn’t assume as much Dave.

In a related note, I purchased a 12″ Craftsman square (after testing it for square) a while back when I was feeling particularly cheap, but recent testing of this Craftsman, another vintage 6″ Disston try-square and a 12″ wooden square made by DONOVAN revealed that none of them were truly square. I then noticed that the Craftsman square’s blade was bowed along its length. Obviously not a hardened rule. At that point I started to suspect that my marking technique might be causing the inaccuracy. Next I tested my 6″ Starrett and vintage 9″ Starrett, and they were dead on accurate.

My conclusion: Crappy squares are worthless, whether $5 vintage or $20 new. Buy a decent square with a good reputation (i.e… PEC, Starrett, Brown & Sharpe), and make sure the rule is hardened steel.

Hi,@ rroselavy , dave : The tool has its (huge)price ; The idea , instead -it’s priceless. Thank you.