When is a square - not a square?

The answer; Altogether too often. After purchasing a set of engineer’s squares, I discovered that most of my old squares were not “square”. Some were way off.

I then purchased a Wixey digital angle gauge and a dial indicator gauge that fits in my miter gauge slot. After re-aligning my table parallel to the blade, and exactly at 90 degrees, I then aligned my fence parallel to the miter slot within about .003 inches. What a difference this makes. It is so much easier to join and glue boards with edges that are really parallel and square.

Now, apparently on a mission, I “bit the bullet” and purchased a Starrett 12” combination square. I had never put much money into my combination squares in the past, (getting just what I paid for as a result). In comparison with this beautiful tool – actually there is no comparison – I threw away and gave away these old combo squares. That being said, almost by accident, I found an inexpensive combination square, made in Milwaukee USA, that stacks up very well against my starrett. Look for the “Pro” models made by Empire Tool (www.empirelevel.com). They have a combination square with a 16” blade, and another model with a 6” blade that has been a very handy addition to the pocket in my shop apron.

Finally, I purchased a 50 inch Veritas aluminum straightedge that is accurate to within .003 inches over it’s length. I have a small 4” jointer and with this straight edge I can set a roller stand in perfect alignment with the outfeed table. With this set-up I have jointed and glued boards as long as 100 inches. If you don’t have the room or budget for a 6” or 8” jointer this is a way to get the job done, and with very good results. This Vertias straight edge of course has many other uses in machine set-ups. It has the advantage of having a wide base so that it can “stand on edge”, eliminating the need for a third hand. I purchased this item from Highland Woodworking, www.highlandwoodworking.com .

-- "Heaven is North of the Bridge"