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Thread: Why Do You Own A Try Square?

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    Dickinson, Texas
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    I like try squares, but use primarily combinations squares.
    I have both as well as an 18" wooden square I built.
    It is the Popular Woodworking square. I also have three
    Carpenter framing squares.
    Last edited by lowell holmes; 05-26-2017 at 7:09 PM.

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
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    SE Michigan
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    I have both as well. My 6" machinist square is my go to for checking square and scribing lines. My combo squares are used more for measuring/marking guides and for any material over 6" wide. Don't know why, really. The 6" tri square just seems to feel better in my hand, I guess.

  3. #18
    4" and 6" adjustable squares and a couple machinists squares on each of the two main benches in the shop, Starrett and other combos with 12" and 18" blades, medium and large try squares, a brace of carpenter squares, and one 10' x 5' folding square for really big stuff (plus a nice master square for checking the smaller tools against). I really don't want to lay out or square up something like a large piece of casework with a 4" adjustable square, and I don't want to check square on an edge with my framing square or combo square with 18" blade. My primary consideration when selecting the measuring and marking tools for the job is the scale and nature of the work.

    When I see advice that suggests that this or that tool is never going to be either necessary or desirable, or only the smallest or largest size of something is useful, I mentally append the following: "...if you only build the sorts of things I build, in the materials I use, work in the precise manner that I work, and have the identical tool set which I possess....otherwise, please treat my guidance as very general in nature and of varying applicability to your specific situation."

  4. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Koepke View Post
    Various combo squares do not seem as handy to use as fixed try squares imo.

    When working with 1X12 a large framing square is often used. Of late a pair of stair gauges on my small framing square have been useful to jerry rig a larger try square.

    If a 14" try square shows itself to me on a rust hunt it will come home with me if it is within my budget.

    Maybe tomorrow a picture of the square line up from my shop.

    jtk
    Jim,

    I beat to it , let's see yours:



    All but the five on the far right live on one of the shop benches, usually where they are needed most of the time. The ones that are used the most are the Woodpecker try squares and the little 75mm Vesper with the 6" double square getting a fair share of love.

    ken

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Princeton, NJ
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    I've moved from working commonly with a double square to working more commonly with a try square for all of the reasons that Stan mentions. For critical squaring, I find the try square is really hard to top.
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Perth, Australia
    Posts
    9,467
    I have a bunch of squares .. I am a real sucker for marking tools. But these are the ones that get most use ...

    Layout gauge for ... well ... layout ...



    7" Vesper square for medium work, and 4" Vesper square for small joinery. These are essentially beautiful (and highly accurate) machinist squares ...



    Lastly, 3" Vesper double square. Usefule for checking squareness of joints, amount other things ...



    What can I say - Chris is a mate and he is the best toolmaker around.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Williamsburg,Va.
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    12,402
    I have several Vesper squares. The result of getting into trading with him while he stays here, getting lessons sometimes. I have HAD quite a few duplicate machine tool things, most of which he now has. Trouble is,Chris makes everything that is graduated, graduated in metric. Derek: What is your little Vesper square graduated in? Looks like inches!! He hasn't had those when he was here. But, it's been a while. I have urged him to make inch grad squares for here in the USA, where he often comes to sell his tools. I don't recall when B&S went out of business. Fragments are still there, like the B&S dial calipers, but, who knows where they are made now.

    As for regular use squares, my 6" Starrett is used a lot. I have best quality American made old time squares, such as Brown and Sharpe up to 24" beam. No longer made. I've been lucky to get such fine, precision squares, etc.,an EL MUCHO lower prices than they SHOULD cost. But, at $2,000.00 for the large squares,I would not have them.nor the granite master squares to check them with.

    I'll admit that the really large squares are very heavy, and would easily ruin a wooden project if dropped, so I'm careful. Not often a need for such large squares. But,I also have a machine shop. I have a few Starrett combination squares, but cannot trust that they will stay as accurate as fixed blade squares.

    BTW: to the OP; nice little squares you've made. Derek too!. When I was in costume,I made squares like those myself, but left all of them at the Musical Instrument Maker's Shop, so as to not strip it of tools. I could always make more, but I have no need. I do wish I hadn't left my pear wood square with ebony edges there. It had a 24" beam. They never did get their own tools bought and made (which was what they were supposed to do!)
    Last edited by george wilson; 05-26-2017 at 9:39 AM.

  8. #23
    As an occasional woodworker building functional household items and small boxes I use my combo squares most often. Especially the 6". I have a speed square, framing square and a new, yet to be used, Japanese square, which I had no reason to buy. I will use it as a set up tool.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Columbus, Ohio, USA
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    3,441
    I often use the combination square when I need to adjust the length of the square. here are two examples:


    • Scribe a vertical line while cutting pins on a dovetail and the board is in the vice and my squares are too long.
    • When I want to use it to set a distance. I can set it to be 3 inches and then mark multiple things quickly at 3 inches from a face.
    • Use to determine the depth of something.
    • My combination squares usually have a 45 degree angle built into the for when I need that.


    I am more inclined to use a try square for the other tasks, such as:


    • Is my table saw blade perpendicular to the table.
    • Is the end of that board square.
    • Did I grind my chisel square to the edges.


    Now, why might I want a double combination square? Well, that is a bit trickier other than to say a 4" double combination square has a slightly smaller profile than my combination squares that have a 45 on one end. Any thoughts on that?

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Putney, Vermont
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    1,042
    In the machine shop we were taught to use a combination sguare for rough layout of lines, and angles, and finding the center of squares and rounds. I use it for laying out accurate centers for holes and lines within .005 and repeatability between parts.
    The smaller try squares were used for squaring stock on the mill and sometimes off the grinders.
    The larger Starret Master Squares were used in critical checking of finished parts and checking precision tools and machines.

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
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    USA
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    How often does everyone actually check their squares for squareness. No point assuming they are correct is there??

  12. #27
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    Longview WA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pat Barry View Post
    How often does everyone actually check their squares for squareness. No point assuming they are correct is there??
    For me it is kind of like checking the fence and depth stop bolts while using a combination plane. Most simple is knifing a line and flipping the square for a quick check. This is usually good enough for most of my joinery.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Here is a picture of most of my squares:

    A Squre Group.jpg

    On the left are a 6, 8 & 12" combination squares that do not see a lot of use.

    The speed square is also seldom used for anything but rough work outside the shop.

    The wooden square at the top is fat enough to sit on a piece being sawn to help keep a saw square vertically.

    The Odd Jobs is used mostly for pencil scribing a line for rip cutting.

    The frame squares are used for situations where the try squares are not big enough.

    The small all metal try square is used to check edges for square. It is almost always on the bench during a project. The other try squares are usually on the bench in relation to the width of the wood being worked.

    The thin triangle is sometimes used for drawing.

    jtk
    Last edited by Jim Koepke; 05-26-2017 at 1:32 PM. Reason: the thin triangle...
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  14. #29
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    Jim,

    Eighteen squares

    I only have Eleven squares, you beat me.

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
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    I don't have the room on the bench right now......aybe later. Some of my handles are made of Rosewood and Brass.

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