Engineers Square

[Shedman]

I wonder if anyone could help. I need to buy an accurate engineers square to allow me to set tools properly. Having spent time searching my poor brain has become muddled and unable to process all the information I found!! My request is simple - which do I buy for this? All advice gratefully received!

 

[Digit]

Any decent stockholder/tool supplier will have them in stock.

Roy.

 

[Kalimna]

Cant go much wrong with Axminster. They may not be the most accurate (as Wright n Moore, Starrett etc), but the tolerances in Axminsters are probably better than required for woodworking.

My tuppence,
Adam

 

[MickCheese]

I agree, I have a couple of the Axminster ones a 90 & 45 degree they were just over £5 each I think. I like the 100mm ones.

Mick

 

[Harbo]

Somebody posted about Bacho ones for sale on the bay for £6.99.

I have a set of Axminster ones which are fine and a Reference one I bought from Dicks.

Rod

 

[woodbloke]

If you want to go a little bit up-market, Workshop Heaven have a new range of M&W squares that look good. Having said that, I use the Ax 150mm engineers square which is perfectly acceptable for woodworking, except that I've never liked the quality of the finish on it, so I'll probably be changing to a M&W later on - Rob

 

[Hitch]

Some of the cheaper ones have reasonably small/light stocks, which i'm not keen on myself.

I have numerous engineers squares, all reasonably heavy. One set was own brand ones from J&L Industrial, 4",6"9",12" for not a lot of money, perhaps around £20.

Any markings of brands on the others is long gone, they get a lot of abuse.
I think the Draper ones are lightweight though.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Hitch,

One set was own brand ones from J&L Industrial, 4",6"9",12" for not a lot of money, perhaps around £20.

I just checked on their web site and, unfortunately, they are now £85.

Thanks,
Neil

 

[siggy_7]

I recently bought a 12" silverline square new for £10 - seems pretty square to me (it conforms with a squareness standard but I forget which, one of the less accurate ones - but still plenty square enough for my purposes). In my humble opinion (and I know I'm going to get shot here by people who spend £50 and up on a square) the accuracy from a well-made cheap square is plenty good enough for woodworking, and I would happily stick my hand up and say the accuracy of my work is limited by my skills and technique more than my tools and measuring devices - unless you can say different, spending mega-cash on a super-duper square isn't going to help you very much.

 

[Harbo]

Yes I agree and squares are very easy to check for accuracy.
You can always make your own:

Rod

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Don't forget that on woodworking squares it's the inside that meets a brit standard not the outside (the bit we normally use!).
I don't know about engineers squares- possibly both?

 

[PMK54]

Forget the Trend square unless you have the means to keep resetting it back to square!

I have a Moore & Wright square that I bought back in the 80s, which (according to all my new squares) is still pretty bang on, so as long as they haven't shipped manufacture and quality control over to China, they should be on your list to consider.

 

[Harbo]

I think I read that M&W stuff is made in China but with better (UK ) quality control?

Rod

 

[Cheshirechappie]

If you genuinely need the accuracy of a (proper) engineer's square, then names like Moore and Wright, Starrett, Mitutoyo, Bowers Metrology are the ones to go for. Expect to pay £25 or more for a 6" square, make a wooden box for it and keep it just for reference and high-quality work. A 3" can be useful, too - but it'll cost nearly as much. Anything bigger than 6" will get seriously expensive. Avoid the 'budget' ones, unless you want it as a general-purpose workshop square.

For almost all woodworking purposes, the 'traditional' wooden-stocked square is good enough, but check it carefully when you first get it; and if it's even a smidgen out, ask for your money back.

 

[Shedman]

Thank you all for your advice. It looks like spending a reasonable sum might be in order, although £25 doesn't seem too bad. The advice to keep it in a box looks sound, and gives me another project.

As usual the forum has provided really good advice. Long may this continue!!

 

[Dibs-h]

Just come across these

http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/det ... comparison

which seems to be a cracking price!

Might order a 6" and 4" one today.

Dibs