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Thread: Combination Square Recommendation?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
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    SE Kansas City Metro, MO
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    Combination Square Recommendation?

    I'm looking for a good (but not break-the-bank good) combination square - previously have used the cheap stuff from the Big Box ("Johnson" brand, maybe?) and found it to be essentially worthless and not square at all. Lots of variety on Amazon, but prices seem to be either in the $10-20 range or over $100 for the Starrett.

    Can anyone recommend a good-quality, accurate and affordable combination square?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    Southport, NC
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    Here is some info that may help.

    No matter how much you spend for a device, you still don't know if it is square. I ran a large tool and die shop and we purchased a number of Brown & Sharp and Starrett devices and some of them were not "square". We had "standards" that our quality department periodically had validated by an outside service that we then used to verify the worker's tools.

    One day, one of our designers brought in two plastic drawing triangles he had purchased at a local art supply store. He had them compared to our standards and they were as accurate as the tools could measure. The triangle cost a couple of dollars each. They would certainly serve very well as the "standard" in any woodworking shop to validate and/or adjust other devices.

    An excellent way to validate the accuracy of the plastic squares is to use two squares on a flat surface. Get a $10-12 plastic 30-60-90 drafting square. To prove it's exactly 90°, take two to a glass counter, put the shorter legs on the counter and face the longer legs away from each other and butt them together (like a teepee). If the legs exactly butt, you can assume you have two perfect 90° angles. Using one of the plastic squares, do the same thing using your other tools. Any that mismatch, means that the tool is not square. You can also take the plastic square with you whenever you go to purchase another tool. Keep your "standard" somewhere where it doesn't get banged up.

    Finally, remember that the wood you are using will expand and contract a couple of thousands from one day to the other. Does't pay to get too uptight.

    While we are at it, I also only purchase the cheapest of adjustable squares. I square them with a drafting triangle and an auger file until they are square across 10". And I own a Bridge City square that isn't that accurate. Stainless steel machinist's squares are only square until you drop them. I have had several over the years and each has found a away to drop to the floor.

    The key is to NEVER use your best square on for day to day measuring. Use it only as a reference tool to verify your other day to day tools.

    In a comparison test reported in Fine Woodworking Magazine a couple of years ago, the Stanley 46-123 square was awarded the best value. It's much less expensive than a Starrett and just as accurate.
    Howie.........

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
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    Battle Ground, WA.
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    Marty
    I like my 3 Starrett's, but they are almost 30 years old now. I also have two Bridge City squares (gifts) , but they do not stay square. Sent back twice, ok for a couple of year then out of square again, could be me.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
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    Atlanta, GA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Thomas Hotchkin View Post
    Marty
    I like my 3 Starrett's, but they are almost 30 years old now.
    Perfect example of "Cry Once". 30 years and counting on high-quality tools.

    My Starrett 12"combo and 4" double-square are 2 of the most-used tools I own.
    When I started woodworking, I didn't know squat. I have progressed in 30 years - now I do know squat.

  5. #5
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    I actually prefer the feel of my PEC to my Starett and it was a third the price. I believe Lee Valley, Woodcraft and others have their house brand combo and double squares made by PEC. Here's an example.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  6. #6
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    Oct 2013
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    SE Kansas City Metro, MO
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    I was just looking at the PEC squares on Amazon, all have very high ratings and are made in USA, which is a definite plus.

    Not sure I really need the Starrett quality, but maybe I'll ask Santa...

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    Bulverde Tx.
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    Square quick check

    Quick check is to draw a vertical line on a known straight surface, then flip square over, does the square line up to line? If yes, square is accurate, if no, well you know.......

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    San Bernardino
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    You might take a look at this site for surplus tools. http://store.harryepstein.com/cp/Pro...g/7131-4R.html

    12 inch combination square for $24.

  9. #9
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    NE Ohio
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    I was just looking at the PEC squares on Amazon, all have very high ratings and are made in USA, which is a definite plus.

    Not sure I really need the Starrett quality, but maybe I'll ask Santa.
    The PEC is $59. That's not all that much less than a Starrett.
    There's a ton of sales coming up next week also where you might luck into a %20 or 30% off sale.
    I got my Starrett at Hartville Hardware during a 20% off sale.
    It's one of my luxuries in life I figured I owe myself.
    My granddad always said, :As one door closes, another opens".
    Wonderful man, terrible cabinet maker...

  10. #10
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    Look for TACRO, Staedtler or HELIX drafting triangles. They are very accurate and usually pretty economical to purchase.
    Lee Schierer
    USNA '71
    Go Navy!

    My advice, comments and suggestions are free, but it costs money to run the site. If you found something of value here please give a little something back by becoming a contributor! Please Contribute

  11. #11
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    Feb 2014
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    For anything other than the high-end machinists models, it's a good idea to put your hands on any of the others before you buy one. I don't like to carry one of the Starretts around in my tool belt. For that, I ended up finding a good Craftsman with a stainless steel blade. There were six or seven hanging on the peg in the store. I found one that I liked, and it's been in my toolbelt for, I'm sure, over ten years, and still works just fine. Most of the others wouldn't lock, or wouldn't lock easily.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    Evanston, IL
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    Best price for new Starretts I've found is at Zoro Tools during one of their frequent promotions.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
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    Northwest Indiana
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    I've got 18" and 24" PEC blades, both seemingly very straight. The resolution of the scales is incredibly sharp and very easy to read. My 2 Starrett 12" blades are not nearly as easy to read, but they are probably 30 or 40 years old--so it's not their fault, i could read a lot better then too!!
    earl

  14. #14
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    Sep 2013
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    Wayland, MA
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    My Starrett cost ~$5 at a tag sale, as I recall. It was old when I got it and I've put another 30 years on it, but it still works perfectly. I about broke the bank though when I bought an extra 24" blade for it, but made up for that when I found the protractor head in the box of "free" leftover junk at a church rummage sale. ;-)

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    Northwestern Connecticut
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    For me it comes down to the mechanical part of the square more than hyper accuracy. I use mine as a depth guage a lot, so it has to move quick and stay put. I've tried the $30 Chinese ones at work.....excercise in frustration. Hard to put the ruller on when switching to angle head or center finder, doesn't alwAys stay put, thumb screw locks up and becomes hard to turn, hard to read. No thanks. I have a 6" version from woodcraft, is that a pec? I should have bought a starret here too, was trying to squeeze more value out of a gift card.....soon I'm going to retire that one and get a starret. The thumb screw is hard to tighten and even harder to loosen, and the ruler has moved at critical times leaving me in trouble. Not worth it. For machinist squares I'm more than comfortable with groz, or plastic triangles, or anything that stays square enough for wood tolerances. But if it moves, for me it has to move well and stay put. So try tightening one, take off the bar and reverse it, play with the adjustments. They may all be accurate enough for wood but the devil is in the details.

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