Out of Square

[TheDudester]

I have just discovered that my Irwin Marples 6” Square is about 2mm out over its length.

I discovered this whilst checking my newly purchased Irwin Marples 9” Square.

It is not as if I have lost faith in Irwin Marples squares but unless I can check one I won’t be buying another.

Would anyone recommend an Incra one over an Irwin Marples one?

TheDudester

 

[Alf]

Dudester, do yourself a favour and use engineer's squares. Not as pleasing to look at for the woodworker, but infinitely more accurate. Not being an engineer you don't have to get the hideously expensive high grade ones either.

Cheers, Alf

 

[lurker]

The half way house is to keep an engineers square to check your others against - good for use on saw table & drill press too.

I check my usual squares against a (normally boxed and stored) engineers every so often.

 

[Paul Kierstead]

You could just correct the square. It is exceedingly easy to check a square for accuracy. Take a board with a straight edge, use the square to draw a line, flip the square over; the line should line up perfectly with the previous one.

If you show a pic (even a catalog one) of the square and post a message asking how to fix it, I'd expect a few people will pop up with a reply. Smacking it and filing it seem to common options.

 

[ByronBlack]

I tossed my carpenters squares in the bin - even after trying to persuade them to be square. I use engineers squares almost excusively now and are much better IMHO.

 

[TheDudester]

Dudester, do yourself a favour and use engineer's squares. Not as pleasing to look at for the woodworker, but infinitely more accurate. Not being an engineer you don't have to get the hideously expensive high grade ones either.

I do happen to have a set of engineers squares and will give them a go.

If you show a pic (even a catalog one) of the square and post a message asking how to fix it, I'd expect a few people will pop up with a reply. Smacking it and filing it seem to common options.

I will post a pic later tonight and see if anyone can help.

Thanks

TheDudester

 

[Bean]

Dudester, do yourself a favour and use engineer's squares. Not as pleasing to look at for the woodworker, but infinitely more accurate. Not being an engineer you don't have to get the hideously expensive high grade ones either.

Oh my
please dont assume that something called an "Engineers Square" is anything close to square. I have seen all too many so called squares that were out more than the 2mm you complain of, even before they had been used.
The cheap ones are as always the worst, please check before you buy and dont be tempted by the very cheap ones.

 

[Alf]

I was thinking "not Grade A"... :roll:

 

[Bean]

I was thinking "not Grade A"...

Your right Alf, a workshop grade is good enough, especially those from good makers as opposed to the chiwanise rubbish you find on market stalls.

 

[AHoman]

I was thinking "not Grade A"...

a workshop grade is good enough

Which ones, specifically, are recommended? I've had a hard time finding engineer's squares that are in between dirt cheap and extremely expensive.
-Andy

 

[George_N]

The engineer's squares I bought from Axminster are stamped with a British Standard No. and the degree of accuracy that demands. I've no idea whether they actually perform to that standard or not but they appear to be "square" by the regular test of draw a line and flip the square over to check. I have the 4" and 6" ones as users and a 10" one I keep as my "reference square".

 

[Paul Chapman]

The engineer's squares I bought from Axminster are stamped with a British Standard No. and the degree of accuracy that demands.

I'm always a bit dubious about these standards. They probably mean that a sample met a type approval test at some point in time. Whether the subsequent production all meet the standard is questionable. B&Q sell one that is supposed to meet the standard but it looks like something you would get in a Christmas cracker.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[lurker]

Paul is right on the nail.
Also the tolerances are more for the aid of the manufacturers rather than users.
If it has kitemark then the factory & quality (tolerance) is regularly checked, but otherwise a BS number means virtually nothing.


Jim - ex BSI approvals engineer

 

[ByronBlack]

I have the groz one from axminster - perfectly fine for woodworking. I think its another example of how we can all get a bit anal about it all. Aslong as it passes the line and flip test then it should be good enough.

 

[Alf]

Perhaps I should come clean? When I go "not grade A", I do the thing properly. My "high quality reference square" is a Groz. It's all downhill after that - a set of four in a box for (iirc) about £20. They should be a pile of you-know-what, but whether by luck or clean living the bally things are square and the 2" one is a lot more use that I expected.

I'm very sorry - this will no doubt pain all the engineers to their very core. What can I say? Just a slap dash woodworker.

Cheers, Alf

Off to say a dozen Hail Moore & Wrights as penance...

 

[Scrit]

Off to say a dozen Hail Moore & Wrights as penance...

Now don't get me Starretted, you know the Faithfull Lin-ear always swear by (or is that at?) Draper

I've got me coat, just forgot the 'at :wink:

Scrit