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Squaring your Carpenters Square

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Forum topic by GaryK posted 489 days ago 621 views 7 times favorited 17 replies Add to Favorites Watch
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GaryK

9555 posts in 888 days


489 days ago

Topic tags/keywords: squaring square carpenters square

When you first buy a carpenter’s square, chances are the it’s not really square. Well, maybe square enough for rough carpentry but not for wood working.

Squaring them takes only a hammer, center punch, pencil and a piece of plywood (or any piece of wood with a straight edge).

First use your square along the straight edge and draw a line along the full lenght of the square.
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Then flip the square over and draw another one. Make sure that leave enough space that can see your first your first line.

If your lines are perfectly parallel then your square is square.
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If not then you have a little work to do. As you can see from my sample below the lines are closer at the top compared to the bottom.
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Here is where you use the centerpunch. When you punch a dimple in the square it causes the metal to expand slightly.

So for the example above you punch near the outside of the corner (as shown below), it would cause the square to close up the angel a little bit.

Draw your lines again and if still not square, keep doing it until it is square. Make the new dimples next to, but not in the same dimple.

Punching dimples as shown below would cause the part of the square at the top of the picture to move to the right.
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If you lines were farther apart at the top then you need to open up the angle a little bit. Use your punch close to the inner corner instead as shown below.
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Before I forget, there is a little book written in 1883 all about the steel square. Copyright has long ago expired.

I would do a right click and “save targes as”, since it’s about 18megs

Steel Square book

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

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sIKE

1094 posts in 654 days


489 days ago

Thanks for the how to! Read the process before but the demonstration really helps!

-- //FC - Round Rock, TX - "Experience is what you get just after you need it"

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Karson

25871 posts in 1300 days


489 days ago

Thanks gary. Great tip. Instead of living with an out-of-square – square.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

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TedM

1845 posts in 632 days


489 days ago

Thanks, Gary! Appreciate the tip!

-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - http://www.woodworkersguide.com

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Scott Bryan

20805 posts in 722 days


489 days ago

Thanks for the tip, Gary. I really appreciate the info. Including the pictures demoing the process helps to clarify the procedure.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

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Grumpy

14949 posts in 751 days


489 days ago

Great tip Gary. just one thing though, you would need to be sure your straight edge was perfectly straight because you are using opposite ends to align.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

View GaryK's profile

GaryK

9555 posts in 888 days


489 days ago

Grumpy – That why I suggested a piece of plywood. You can’t beat a factory edge for straight.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

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Grumpy

14949 posts in 751 days


489 days ago

Very true Gary.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

View Lee A. Jesberger's profile

Lee A. Jesberger

3709 posts in 879 days


489 days ago

Hi Gary;

I had that back asswards huh?

No Wonder nothin’ around here is square!

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

View Bob #2's profile

Bob #2

3056 posts in 921 days


489 days ago

Good demo Gary.
A little TLC at this stage with a square can reap years of satisfaction.
I am shifting over to digital measures right now and have little to offer for the older style devices.
They are still the mainstay in many shops.

I use one for all my rough carpentry.

Cheers
Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

View Dick, & Barb Cain's profile

Dick, & Barb Cain

7050 posts in 1199 days


489 days ago

Thanks for posting this Gary.

I’ve done this to all of my squares, but I haven’t checked them out lately.

This is a great post for all of the youngsters out there. <;O)

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

View GaryK's profile

GaryK

9555 posts in 888 days


489 days ago

Bob – I have that one and a Wixey. They do come in handy for anything other 90 or 45 Degrees.

Actually a square carpenters square is more accurate for extending lines over a long distance. For example holding a straightedge against the leg of a square to continue a line.

With a digital square (actually not a square) the farther you get away from the end of the tool the more you are off.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

View Slacker's profile

Slacker

177 posts in 601 days


489 days ago

who would have thunk… very cool

-- There are three kinds of people... those who can count, and those who can't

View Bob #2's profile

Bob #2

3056 posts in 921 days


489 days ago

I can’t disagree with you there Gary.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

View Dick, & Barb Cain's profile

Dick, & Barb Cain

7050 posts in 1199 days


488 days ago

That’s one reason when surveying, we used a 300’ tape,

& would try to use every inch of it, for greater angle accuracy.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

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relic

342 posts in 836 days


488 days ago

I can remember watching my dad doing that when I was a kid. Thanks Gary

-- Andy Stark

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Sac

236 posts in 533 days


487 days ago

Wow, Nice tip Gary. I have never thought about how to square up a carpenters square. I would assume this might work on a carpenters T Square also? Mine is aluminum unlike the carpenter squares I have which are steel.

Nice link on the book.

-- Jerry, Set in the foothills of the Smokey's

View Mark Shymanski's profile

Mark Shymanski

1555 posts in 612 days


487 days ago

I have Townsend’s “Steel Square” from 1939, I will have to read through Hodgson’s and compare. Thanks for the link.

Jerry, I think you may want to be careful on a T-square as wouldn’t the peening cause the other side of the T to be moved out of square?

-- ...it's rennovation time!!!

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