New Combination Square
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Tagged: combination square
- This topic has 13 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 2 months ago by Dave.
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Hi Starret-users,
I had it in my virtual shopping cart a dozen times and finally I bought my combination square.
It doesn’t feel as comfortable as I thought but that might be caused by the sharp edges.
I thought about taking the corners off with sandpaper and would guess that it shouldn’t affect the accuracy or am I wrong?
What are your experiences?
Florian
Florian, that shouldn’t affect the acuracy of your square. If you where removing great amounts of metal it might. But to make you feel better about it, scribe a line with it from a good flat surface and then turn it over and scribe a line from the same surface at the same location. If it doesn’t match you’ve got a problem…
29 January 2014 at 12:54 pm #26807Hey Florian
My Starrett just feels more solid than my other combination squares. When I tighten and loosen the rule it is smoother and the blade locks in and feels solid. The markings are easier to read also and gives me the feeling of more accuracy.
Otherwise, the comfort or ergonomic aspects are about the same, I really don’t notice any difference. I am however very happy with my 12″ Starrett combination square, and just recently bought a 6″ with center head. I personally would not be too anxious to start filing or sanding on it. If you are only taking the edge off the corner, then I doubt you would be effecting the accuracy.
This is one of those tools, when I finally broke down and bought it, I don’t loan out and I keep hidden from the rest of the family. I don’t want to come in one day and find my son trying to pry open a can of paint with it.
Hope this helps.
Thanks, guys! It’s in my shop since three weeks and so far I mainly use it as a pencil gauge for marking stock to rip and some measuring. Before I thought it would definitely replace my try square with the wooden stem but I still reach for the latter for any kind of 90 degree marking because it just feels so well balanced.
One of my favorite tools is a 4″ square (adjustable but not combination). It is small and that makes it so much easier to work across edges accurately. More importantly, since it is small, it is easier to use it to probe dovetails, mortises and other joints for correctness before assembling them: If I can see faces have bumps, I know the joint won’t close. This greatly improved things for me. You can use it as a depth gauge to test that the bottom of a mortise isn’t holding up the shoulders and, for that, the blade is small enough to let me test a few places across the bottom but wide enough to not just show a local dimple (as would happen with a narrow depth gauge).
On the other hand, my 12″ combination square is a piece of junk that frustrates me daily and, someday, will enjoy the freedom of flight when I fling it as far as I can. I’d consider using it as a paint stick if not for fear of contaminating the paint. Meanwhile, I’ve been too cheap to replace it.
By the way- square handles definitely differ between brands. Some have additional openings in the handle into which you can squeeze fingers while others have none at all and force you to reach all the way across the handle. This can take an inch off of your reach and make it harder to square across wider stock. I think examining different square handles would be very important for a woman or man with smaller hands. On the other hand, you can put your work onto a bench hook and push against it will using the square. Then, you don’t need to get your fingertips all the way across the stock to secure the square. Instead, you have a thumb on the square handle, pushing it into the stock which is backed by the bench hook and your fingertips are all on the beam of the square (none gripping the unreachable opposite edge of the stock).
Jay-
Two years ago I bought a nice “previously owned” but never used 4″ double square, complete with a second beveled (45 and 60 degree) rule – and I have yet to use it for anything. I already have a nice 6″ combo square, so this may be not a fault of the square.
Seems like the strengths of the double square is that it can be set as a depth gauge on one side while still being useful as a square on the other. Also it can be clamped in a vise – which may be of value to a machinist. I suppose it is more versatile than a try-square, but not as much as a combination square. I suppose the one down-side of the combo square is that you cannot use the inside and outside without adjusting.
31 January 2014 at 12:18 am #26903I have a 4″ double square and I use it frequently. It is handy for small things and I keep it in my apron pocket. I primarily use it as a marking gauge though when I am lining up screw holes along the edge of boards. I usually have one side set at 7/16 and use a pencil to mark the boards, keeping the screws all lined up.
I usually have several of my older squares set up this way when I am working on a project. I pretty much rely on my Starrett when striking a line for cutting.
31 January 2014 at 4:11 am #26915Florian I bought my starret combination square new last year. I agree it does feel a little sharp in my hand at times. Not sure about easing the edges and effect on accuracy. I haven’t done anything to mine as of yet and no longer notice the sharpness that much. I think that the sharpness is a direct result of the extreme accuracy that starret offers and would be hesitant to do anything to alter it.
Not really an answer to your question. Just my thoughts.
Greg, thanks, that’s about what I thought, too. I think I might go half way and ease the edges of the stem while leaving the ruler as it is. Since the square rests on the main body of the stem and not on the edges it should add comfort and maintain accuracy. By the way, that was one of my first and intense feelings of woodworking success when the knifewall finally ended up as a continous line all around 😉
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