# Try-Square or Tri-Square



## Tooldads_apprentice (Aug 25, 2008)

My shop teacher recently told all of us that if we could find out why the try-square is called a try-square and how is it really spelled. I hope you guys can help me out!


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## sbryan55 (Dec 8, 2007)

Either spelling is correct. I suspect that the English version was originally try-square and over time the nomenclature has become "Americanized" to tri-square. But in any case either spelling is correct.


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## gusthehonky (Feb 26, 2008)

Two triangles make a square following the "3-4-5" rule, 90 degrees on each corner. Picture 2 speed squares together if it helps. (Pythagorean theorem)

I don't know if this holds any relevance, I could just be talking outta my arse. "Farting out of my mouth" is more than likely.

or…...

I try to keep things square but….............no matter how hard I try….............


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## rejr (Jun 24, 2008)

I've always read it as 'try' as to check or test. So after a bit of sawing or planing, testing for square


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## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

Check here


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## Tooldads_apprentice (Aug 25, 2008)

yea you can't always trust Wikipedia


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## kolwdwrkr (Jul 27, 2008)

they call it a "try" square because that is exactly what you'll do, TRY. LOL


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

Roy Underhill calls and spells it as "Try square" because you have to keep trying to see if it's square after doing what you're doing to get it square…

He explained it just that way on one of his Woodwright programs…


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## fallguy160 (Feb 11, 2012)

I realize I'm coming in a little (ok…a lot!!) late here, but TRY means : To test; to examine; or to prove. And that's just what you're doing by applying a -try square- to your work… examining and proving its square.


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## Tootles (Jul 21, 2011)

Bear in mind that the jointer plane is also known as the try plane. So I'd say the spelling is "try", not "Tri" (in fact, I've never seen it spelled as "tri" before this post) and that the name goes quite a way back and is somehow related to the reason that the try plane has that name.


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

Tri = shorten version of "triangle" (I think  Since you are getting various answers when the teacher tells everyone, ask him where his definition is from and how he knows his is correct.


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## Tootles (Jul 21, 2011)

I did some looking … this is what I found for the definition of "Try" - "to fit or finish with accuracy". That works for both the square and plane.


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