Square not so square
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13 August 2015 at 7:47 am #129324
For years I have been relying on Empire square, it’s always been square and today I did a 45° on my shooting board and blamed my shooting board for not giving me a perfect mitre. Planing here and there it finally dawned on me to check my square and you guessed it, it is half a degree out. That half degree made my mitre’s look like sidewinders. What a waste of two hours. Now I have spend $200 on a decent square what’s the bet that goes out of square.
How did you measure the angle? Have you considered using a Lion miter trimmer? I have one and it makes accurate miters, but still have to calibrate it from time to time.
This is what I use.. It’s guaranteed to be accurate up to .002″ over the entire length of the ruler.. I’m not sure it could be more accurate..
13 August 2015 at 11:03 am #129331I used a protractor a good quality one and I know that damn thing is out of square which wasted so many hours of my day trying to figure out exactly what is out, I didn’t know if it was the shooting board, the square or the edge of the stock. I am so pissed that has just set me back I was supposed to have finished this project and had it ready for glue up.. I know when I bought that square it was spot on, I did drop it once and checked it straight away but didn’t think the butt would go out which I just don’t know how it did if that’s what you call it. I really can’t afford to spend that sought of money and anything decent isn’t in my locality so I can’t even check it myself and I can’t trust them to do it for me either. What a waste of a day.
13 August 2015 at 11:51 am #129333Yes I did that but still man it hurts, the chances are I’m going to buy another cheapy till I can afford a decent one.
13 August 2015 at 12:00 pm #129334I too use an Empire combination square, although I have to say I have never attempted to use the 45 on it. I can’t afford a good quality square either, but I was able to bring atleast the 90 degree angle to true following a youtube video. Basically the idea is that with the soft aluminium of cheap squares, you can use the steel rule itself to shave off the high side, and slowly true the stock. If you are 100% certain that this is not the issue with your square, you could still try filing the 45 degree side to true, with a flat smoothing file. Half a degree is not a lot of stock to remove, and worst case scenario, you’ve got a square that still doesn’t have a true 45, but atleast you won’t confuse it for one that does.
PS. The best and most accurate square I own, is a 6″ Combination Square I bought from the local Target or K-mart, for AU$6. Don’t waste a lot of money on a tool you have to fettle yourself.
13 August 2015 at 12:07 pm #129336Just don’t be tempted to try to polish it up on your Diamond Stones. Aluminium doesn’t see to agree with them.
13 August 2015 at 2:47 pm #129344The courses wet’n’dry I had was 400, 250 or less would of been better, there was a hump in the metal and the other there is a hollow. I didn’t touch that side as the ends make contact and it draw a straight line when I did the test. I took as much of that hump as I could but definitely it does need work though it will do for now till I save up some money for a decent one. That’s why Paul don’t be stingy in a good quality square it will last a life time. I’m definitely getting a starrett.
14 August 2015 at 3:29 pm #129368@salko
Salko, there is a trick I learned to true up combo squares. The ruler rests on two slightly raised bumps in the slot into which it rests. You can file down the one that is a little high with either a small file, a stick wrapped with sandpaper or the corner of your ruler. Be careful and don’t remove too much as a half a degree can change in a flash. File a single stroke, then test it. If not good enough, file again and test it again.Just be careful that you file the proper one. Good luck.
p.s., I would rather do this than file the ruler and get it out of parallel with itself.
14 August 2015 at 4:07 pm #129370Thanks for that tip matt but the problems lies with the handle. The handle itself isn’t flat nor aquare its a wonder how I’ve even worked wood with this. Lucky for me I have several engineer squares and after this episode I have thoroughly checked them all and found them to be accurate. That empire square is nothing more than a bin job, it’s not worth my time nor effort into truing it up. I went against my own better judgement when I bought thia and at the time it was square but maybe it really wasn’t but thats bridge under the water now I have made up my mind on purchasing a starret but do I buy new or antique. Obvioualy there is a huge price difference but the quality ia the same unless its been abused. Probably new should be a better option. For now I’ve made some mitered squares to keep me going. A lesson well learned in life. Im so infuriated with them.
16 August 2015 at 10:39 pm #129412I just ordered one from mcmaster carr it’s a forged steel one after the conversion rate plus shipping I estimate this will cost me $276. Amazing how much the Australian dollar has fallen, we have one in Australia for $200 but that is cast iron and they say the forged steel will longer. The wife doesn’t know.
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