# Combination square



## PETERG (27 Jan 2012)

can anyone recommend a decent new combination square?

ive bought 3 different modern combination squares in the past and they awful! the locking nut wears and i end up having to tighten them with pliers the newer hand tools seem to be made of cheap metal which snaps easially

any suggestions?


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## adidat (28 Jan 2012)

You could have a look at this one from workshop heaven, here is a link to mattew right up on his blog. It looks quite nice for a decent price, in the price you get the three objects and a blade and a nice box. the next step up is a starret set which is excellent but you pay through the nose for it.
http://workshopheaven.blogspot.com/2011/10/combination-square.html

Adidat


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## Jacob (28 Jan 2012)

Rabone Chesterman if you can find one second hand.


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## Richard T (28 Jan 2012)

... or second hand Moore and Wright. I got one for £12. Role on car boot season.


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## adidat (28 Jan 2012)

Richard T":1pt4xf40 said:


> Role on car boot season.



+1

Adidat


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## Sawyer (28 Jan 2012)

Jacob":1trbqu64 said:


> Rabone Chesterman if you can find one second hand.


Definitely! I've had one since 1986 and it's still as good as the day it was new - albeit a little scruffier!


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## jimi43 (28 Jan 2012)

adidat":3cv93e7d said:


> Richard T":3cv93e7d said:
> 
> 
> > Role on car boot season.
> ...



Indeed! Though I guess my bootfair "combination square" is a bit OTT!!!







I suppose it depends on what you use it for and the accuracy you need...






Not bad for a tenner.... :mrgreen: 

And STILL SOLD NEW

So....yes...roll on bootfairs!

Jim


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## adidat (28 Jan 2012)

:tongue9:


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## Saint Simon (28 Jan 2012)

I've got 3 Starretts, two off EBay and one new. I think they are very good.
Simon


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## mbartlett99 (28 Jan 2012)

Hi

Starrett, Mitutoyo, Moore and Wright - all top notch gear but bear in mind that second hand squares might not have been treated with respect and they're not all that tolerant of abuse. My dad still has his Moore and Wright 40 yrs on and it still passes calibration.


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## woodbloke (28 Jan 2012)

Starrett from Classic Hand Tools, but be prepared to dig deep into your pockets...I've got one of their little adjustable squares on my Christmas wish list, but it's never materialised yet :-({|= - Rob


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## johnf (28 Jan 2012)

I have one of these bought from a boot fair for a tenner

http://www.trssupplies.co.uk/prod_2156.html


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## jimi43 (28 Jan 2012)

adidat":2itlnxa1 said:


> :tongue9:



Yes Chris...hands up....I guess my example was a little extreme but judging my JohnF's find...I'm not too sure.

As for calibration...agreed Rob...but I tested my little Tesa against my M&W test square and it was spot on. Not sure which should be used as the reference though here!

I suppose they are both accurate enough for woodworking anyway...as one UKW sage is fond of pointing out! :wink: 

Jim


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## adidat (28 Jan 2012)

Not long now jimi until we can go and harrass the half asleep sellers. 

Adidat


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## jimi43 (28 Jan 2012)

adidat":2jrdcq3k said:


> Not long now jimi until we can go and harrass the half asleep sellers.
> 
> Adidat



Five weeks here....and the missus has started to sort the garage and loft #2 out so that she can set up the stall to make me money for my crazy purchases!

Not long now...I'm even booking leave for the whole of March Sundays to ensure I can play with them when I get home!

Can't wait!

Oh...and I have to train "special needs puppy" to be "bootfair dog" too...that might be a challenge! :shock: 

Jim


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## adidat (28 Jan 2012)

Yes i refrain from taking amber, who is the sweetest kindest lab. But loves to play with objects and wooden things, took her to brean barrow in the summer and the first occasion was running off and popping a childs ball, and then she grabed a log from a todlers hand, scary that was. 

Adidat


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## jimi43 (28 Jan 2012)

adidat":iypzo1ew said:


> Yes i refrain from taking amber, who is the sweetest kindest lab. But loves to play with objects and wooden things, took her to brean barrow in the summer and the first occasion was running off and popping a childs ball, and then she grabed a log from a todlers hand, scary that was.
> 
> Adidat



My dear departed Jake did a poo right in the middle of someone's tarpaulin....he didn't go again....(to a bootfair that is!)

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: 

Jim


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## Modernist (2 Feb 2012)

By coincidence I was looking for a 150mm CS as my alloy version is unusable. I noticed a standard Bahco on ebay and bought it for £4.80 delivered.

Cast iron stock, nicely machined with some nice touches like the spring being retained in a recess under the nut and a stainless rule.

Why bother with the vintage stuff which may have had a hard life


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## nanowire (2 Feb 2012)

Modernist":7o3a4fg2 said:


> By coincidence I was looking for a 150mm CS as my alloy version is unusable. I noticed a standard Bahco on ebay and bought it for £4.80 delivered.
> 
> Cast iron stock, nicely machined with some nice touches like the spring being retained in a recess under the nut and a stainless rule.
> 
> Why bother with the vintage stuff which may have had a hard life


I have the 300mm one and I am pleased with it. It is square and although I don't have a Starret CS to compare with I do imagine that it is good enough for my needs. 

Will probably also by a 150mm since some times the 300mm is a bit unhandy. Does anyone know if the 6" and the 12" have the same head or if the head of the 6" is smaller?


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## nanowire (2 Feb 2012)

nanowire":muhm1wr0 said:


> Modernist":muhm1wr0 said:
> 
> 
> > By coincidence I was looking for a 150mm CS as my alloy version is unusable. I noticed a standard Bahco on ebay and bought it for £4.80 delivered.
> ...



http://extranet.snaeurope.com/loadImage ... fix=normal
This image seems to suggest that the 6" is indeed smaller


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## Modernist (2 Feb 2012)

Indeed it is, very handy altogether.


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## bugbear (3 Feb 2012)

Modernist":5lwqro41 said:


> By coincidence I was looking for a 150mm CS as my alloy version is unusable. I noticed a standard Bahco on ebay and bought it for £4.80 delivered.
> 
> Cast iron stock, nicely machined with some nice touches like the spring being retained in a recess under the nut and a stainless rule.
> 
> Why bother with the vintage stuff which may have had a hard life



I don't think that's the usual price - nice one!

BugBear


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## Modernist (3 Feb 2012)

If anyone else is tempted here is the link

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/310323241165? ... 1899wt_702


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## Karl (3 Feb 2012)

Cheers Brian - just ordered one (which i'd been meaning to do for a while!)


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## Richard T (4 Feb 2012)

Minus postage that's £2.91 .... who's making these?


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## Sawyer (4 Feb 2012)

I like the look of that square: Bahco stuff looks pretty good to me, generally.

Came accross some of the chisels a while ago and they seemed alright.


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## davem62 (4 Feb 2012)

hi yes the 6 inch does have a smaller stock, hth dave


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## Modernist (4 Feb 2012)

CORRECTION

To be clear the price did not include carriage and the total cost was £6.69 delivered.

Still seems good to me.


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## humblewood (4 Feb 2012)

Best price seems to be £6.45 at the mo (and even includes VAT!). 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bahco-CS1...UK_Measuring_Tools_Levels&hash=item588f4dd6a5

Every little helps :lol: 

Bob


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## János (4 Feb 2012)

Hello, 

the head of this Bahco square is not cast iron, just injection moulded/die cast light alloy. I have a cast iron 300 mm Rabonne from the 1980s, and that is a decent one. This Bahco looks identical to cheaper Stanley tools, except for the paint colour.

Have a nice day,

János


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## Hitch (5 Feb 2012)

Couple of notes on these...

I bought a PEC set about 12 years ago, still okay generally, but needs a new set of pins. It got a tough life used in a fabrication shop. Protractor cracked, but welded up, still passed calibration.

One of the other lads bought a clarke set, around the £30 mark, all cast, looked okay. Eventually found out the radial square wasn't ground well enough to be even, and the protractor was about a degree and a half out.

I left mine behind once, desperatly wanted it, so popped into Toolstation, and bough a S*****line one...... only a couple of quid..... but the numbers were all put on back to front!


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## PETERG (7 Feb 2012)

thanks i might buy the Bacho one to tide me over until car boot season starts again


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## Tony Spear (7 Feb 2012)

jimi43":11v56e9t said:


> adidat":11v56e9t said:
> 
> 
> > Yes i refrain from taking amber, who is the sweetest kindest lab. But loves to play with objects and wooden things, took her to brean barrow in the summer and the first occasion was running off and popping a childs ball, and then she grabed a log from a todlers hand, scary that was.
> ...



My favourite was a lovely Springer, who unfortunately I lost to Cancer when he was not yet 5.
He wouldn't take anything from a hand except for mine and the Wife's. His stratagem was much more sophistcated than that - he used to resort to pitiful pleading. It was hilarious to watch him at the Cricket ground at teatime, sitting in front of a toddler about his size, with one paw in the air, just hoping that his luck was in! Sometimes you'd wonder where he'd got to and looking around you'd spot him steadfastly walking round the boundary following some little Kid with a packet of crisps, hoping that something might fall! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:


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