# machinist's square - size for equipment setup?



## rossn (Dec 18, 2018)

I'm looking to buy a machinist's square for setting up my tablesaw, jointer, etc. What size(s) do you find most useful? Trying to decide between ordering 1 or 2, versus a set like the grizzly. I find when I buy sets, I often don't use all the pieces. FWIW, I would like to do some more metalworking in the future.

Thanks!


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## redlee (Apr 11, 2016)

https://oneway.ca/products-category/miscellaneous/Multi-Gauge

Why not this , can also be used as a height gauge for Saws, Routers, set your planer and jointer knives.
And its dead square.


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

I use a dial indicator and home made jigs to hold it for different applications. The Oneway is nice and will work but a bit expensive for me.


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## TungOil (Jan 16, 2017)

I like a 8"machinists square.


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

The machinist square I use most is the 3". For the angles on table saw blade and jointer fence, I use a Wixey digital readout gauge.


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## Mainboom (Jan 24, 2019)

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/ott-45-90-ss-gauge-block-no-case-woodpeckers

new from woodpecker.. there is another one they make as well . this is nice but cost…personally I just us a combination square for my table saw and bandsaw. But I only use that combination square for the purpose of setup. I do have a 2 inch machinists square I use for my scroll saw got it on amazon


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## rossn (Dec 18, 2018)

Thanks, all-I'm really glad to hear about the alternate tools and their versatility. When looking up the woodpecker gauge, I also saw the Delve Square, though it isn't available currently. That 45/90 gauge block and Oneway are very nice, though certainly spendy! I will keep them as an option, and for the moment may start with a 3" square, as it's only about $12. I've also heard that the plastic drafting tools go a long way.


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## Andybb (Sep 30, 2016)

I know I'm gonna get the wrath of some so I apologise in advance.

I'm one of those folks who say "square is square" regardless of the cost. My avatar is a homemade square on top of my $100 Woodpecker T-Square. I bought a set of these. They are square too and so is the plastic speed square I got from HF. Not saying that expensive tools aren't good also. (i.e the $100 I spent on the Woodpecker square and don't regret). I use the WP as a reference. Square is square here and in China.


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

I too have purchased very few woodpeckers tools ( because of the high price ) , and use them mostly to check everyday tools. Don't want to chance dropping a woodpeckers tool.


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## JohnDon (Mar 14, 2015)

Cheap, accurate square: CD jewel case.


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## jonah (May 15, 2009)

I use 4" double squares for layout mostly, 6" combination and machinist squares (PEC cosmetic seconds from eBay, mostly), and a 12" combination square.

6" is really the sweet spot for machine setup IMO.


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

I checked a couple CD cases. You just added that for a joke, right? I guess they would be ok for framing a shed. IF you use foaming poly glue to fill the joints. The hardwood you are using costs more than a good machinist square! I guess we all needed a laugh.


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## Andybb (Sep 30, 2016)

The cd case is apparently no joke. Not to hijack the thread….I must need meds because ibewjon's post about the cd case made me think because my first thought was it's laser cut so I did a non scientific experiment.

Each of the tools are (appear to be) dead nuts square to my reference, the Woodpecker TS-24. Actually the cd case had that perfect fit like it and the TS24 were long lost laser cut brothers. Probably the best fit of all. On the right side is a cd case with a Toledo carpenters square on top. On the left side are a 12" HF triangle, 2 $2.99 imported 3" squares, 1 homemade 4" square and a HF 12" sliding square all topped off with a Woodpecker 6" rule. I figured that if there was any deviation it would be amplified exponentially by the 8 edges of a total of about $12 worth of cheap tools. When I stacked the WP rule on top it all it slid dead nuts up against that cd case without any visible gap.


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## CaptainKlutz (Apr 23, 2014)

> I m one of those folks who say "square is square" regardless of the cost.
> - Andybb


+1 when dealing with dimensions less than a foot, cheap or expensive - they all seem to create same results for me? Sweet spot for WW machine setup is 4-6 inch square. 
I use Wixey digital angle gauge to set TS blade angles as the blade bends under pressure and it is hard to get enough blade extension to use regular square.
YMMV


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## robscastle (May 13, 2012)

Nothing beats a speed square for costs and flexability, and it does just about everything,
closely followed by a a small japanese square for setting the disc sander at 90 deg and checking the table saw blade, after that and anything in between a digital angle box.

Otherwise the already existing calibration markings on mitre gauges and saw setting angle are hard to beat.

Not forgetting the calibrated eyeball, ....if it looks square it usually spot on square.


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## jutsFL (Nov 1, 2018)

I bought a couple sizes from this brand on Amazon very cheap. They are VERY solid, and accurate per anything I can measure against. Highly recomend for the price point!

Kinex 4033-12-015 6" Tall x 4"... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079R76GLB?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Kinex 4033-12-007 3" Tall x 2"... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079R7C8DY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

I have Starrett squares and other precision measuring tools, but in order to minimize wear and tear on those tools, I use them to make setup blocks from hardwood and plywood. These setup blocks are then used to set fences, miter gauges, spacers, etc. I even use them in metalworking as expendable jigs.


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

You might consider getting a couple 3-2-1 blocks, especially if you plan to do metalworking in the future. You can use them to check for square and also use them as a base for other jigs with the threaded holes. They stand up much better on their own than a square, too.


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## Marpel (Aug 10, 2017)

Not as fancy as a machinists square, but not as simple as a CD case - my brother works at a shop that mainly does aluminum specialty products (fabricate and welding aluminum stock). As a result, they have a lot of various sizes of aluminum stock laying around.
A couple years ago I noticed they had a number of various sized cutoffs of right angled aluminum stock - from 3/16, 1/4 or 3/8 thick-walled and from 1 inch through to 6 inch wide (and, of course any length).
I measured the squareness of the corner with a machinist square they had on site and every one was bang on square. I had my brother cut me off some lengths (some 2 inches while others are as long as 4 or 5 inches) of a couple different sizes.
I now use these for many tasks - setting up a saw blade square to the table, clamping two boards square to each other for gluing/screwing (where each board is clamped to each leg of the metal - makes sure they are square and the size of aluminum supports the project) and I even have clamped the aluminum to the end of a wood piece as a guide to flush-chisel a tenon shoulder perfectly square (just keep the flat side of the chisel against the flat side of the aluminum). Available from any metal sales store and pretty darn cheap. And if they drop and get damaged, easy to replace.
Marv


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## moke (Oct 19, 2010)

1-2-3 blocks are great for woodworking too. I have used them on all of my WW tools at one time or another. Handy and cheap too!


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## Andybb (Sep 30, 2016)

> 1-2-3 blocks are great for woodworking too. I have used them on all of my WW tools at one time or another. Handy and cheap too!
> 
> - moke


Absolutely. However, as a heads up I've heard that they are the one thing that you might spend a little more on as some of the foreign ones are not quite perfect. Then again, that's for machinists who deal in tenths of thousandths.


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## dschlic1 (Jan 3, 2013)

I have a 6" machinist's square from PEC Tools. I use it only for setting up my tools. Very reasonable price, but sometimes I wish I had a larger one, never smaller. Machinist's squares bigger than 6" start to cost real money.

I would not buy a square for setting up tools that did not come with an explicit squareness tolerance. This is something that many squares are missing, including Woodpeckers. With no specified tolerance, you do not know what your are getting and also have no recourse if the unit is out of square.


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## brtech (May 26, 2010)

Woodpeckers specs their squares:
"Our manufacturing process insures the 1281 Square is accurate to within one thousandth of an inch or less along the full length of the tool."


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