Finding a square framing square...

[El Barto]

I've been having trouble with this. My options are either keep buying cheap ones until I get a square one, or spend more money on better quality.

As this is only going to be used occasionally I don't want to spend a lot. Can anyone recommend a decent 600mm framing square?! Or does anyone have one they no longer need/use?

 

[Rorschach]

Why not just fix one of the cheaper ones? Not too difficult.

 

[El Barto]

Well it'd be nice to buy something and have it arrive fit for purpose...

 

[MikeG.]

As with all squares, the cheap ones can be just as accurate as the more expensive ones. Buy the nearest to square, and adjust it with a hammer and punch. I have a cheap no-name square which I've had for probably 20 years. It probably cost £2 or £3, and I'd have checked it in the shop before I bought it.

 

[El Barto]

How does this hammer and punch trick work?!

 

[El Barto]

https://www.popularwoodworking.com/tric ... r-squares/

Fascinating!

 

[Rorschach]

Yeah it's not too difficult to do. I have also trued engineers squares that were old/badly made. I have a set of squares that are certified but I only use them for machinery setup and checking other items, for day to day use I prefer cheaper ones that I don't have to worry about.

 

[El Barto]

It’s pretty clever. What are the limitations of it though? How much can a square be corrected by?

 

[El Barto]

The hammer and punch hasn't worked for me thus far fwiw. Maybe the square is beyond saving...

 

[Rorschach]

I do rough adjustments with a large fairly fine file.

Engineering squares are usually hardened so they are done with fine wet and dry paper on a flat plate.

 

[novocaine]

if it isn't working you aren't hitting it hard enough to displace enough metal and you aren't doing it in the right place. Only works on steel squares, aluminium doesn't stretch.

this is the best video I've seen on a setting a framing square, it's about 14 minutes in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1S4ZVHDc9A

 

[MikeG.]

...........this is the best video I've seen on a setting a framing square, it's about 14 minutes in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1S4ZVHDc9A

It's about 11 minutes in.

 

[novocaine]

my apologies, it's been a long night. still worth a watch though.

 

[El Barto]

Well according to the video I’m hitting it in the right place and I’m not sure how much harder I could hit it...

 

[owen]

All the last three I've bought from different places have been fine, think my aluminium one is Fischer and that's decent. I've got no need for it to be absolutely bang on because it's a framing square but then I've never noticed them being out either.

 

[Simon_M]

Take a sheet of A3 paper and go to Screwfix. It’s best if you already know they have two or three of their own brand steel 16 x 20 framing squares in stock. I haven’t found one that isn’t square when laid against the “reference” A3 sheet. It doesn’t matter too much, but the edge of the painted “stamped” material can feel rough but a quick wipe with a diamond file fixes it. Or buy the second or 3rd one...

FWIW their own brand rafter squares are also quite good. I think most are bought to be used as a guide when using a circular saw e.g. cross cutting CLS wood. They are also square and cheaper than Dewalt. Their own brand have a sharp stamping so stand “upright”, the two points meet exactly with two of them back-to-back (unlike Dewalt).

 

[Benchwayze]

Sometimes if you have to ask the question, you already know the answer.
My wife used to ask 'Why do you have to spend so much money on one tool?'
Answer? 'So I don't waste any more later on!'

Bite that bullet...

John (hammer)