Reccomendations/combination square

[beaver]

Hi Guys
I need to buy a new/secondhand combination square, I need it to be reasonably accurate but cant afford Starret/Brown and sharp prices. Any reccomendations available.

 

[Ed Bray]

I've got a few different ones, but my most accurate is a Bahco 16" version.

 

[John15]

I have a Stanley. It's very accurate but the knurled tightening nut won't tighten properly by hand - I find I have to use pliers which is a real pain.

John

 

[Jacob]

Bahco good, and cheap.

 

[Zeddedhed]

I've tried the Bahco and the Stanley ones and find that they don't always lock up properly square - not a problem for site carpentry (they're probably only less than half a degree out) but no use for furniture or fine work.
I ended up buying this one from Axi:
http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ca ... square-set

I've been using it for over a year now and all is well.

 

[RobinBHM]

Ive got a bahco, its pretty accurate and slides smoothly.

For precision marking I always use an engineers square.

 

[geordie]

I got a stanley 1 and like zed says its fine for general site work mine,s still fine after about 8 years

 

[beaver]

Thanks for the quick replies guys, did look at the axminster one Zed pointed out, guess its between that and a bahco.

 

[RossJarvis]

Admittedly I needed to fettle the bedding of this carpenter's square a fine touch (it was out by about 30minutes), but it is chunky and robust and I think the equal of more expensive options;

http://www.emagcloud.com/lineartools/LT ... html#/138/

 

[pcb1962]

Almost any combination square can be made accurate - see this John Heisz video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxrCZd7r6qE
I have five of them, after seeing this video I checked them and 4 were out by varying amounts, now they're all spot on. I didn't use the blade though like he does, I used a diamond needle file.

 

[bugbear]

I think people make a mistake aiming for a super accurate combination square.

For me, the virtue of a combination square is its versatility and general usefulness. As such, it's used too much to stay accurate to close tolerances, even if it was made as such.

My recommendation would be to buy a combination square with good enough tolerances for woodworking purposes, but weighted heavily to ergonomics and handling. This is IMHO best served by a second hand premium square.

And to buy a fixed, ugly (sharp arrised and uncomfortable) engineer's square for when very close tolerance (e.g. machine setup) is needed.

BugBear

 

[Fromey]

+1

I love my Starrett combination square and I'm pretty sure I'm getting a Chris Vesper double square for my 50th (at least that's what my wife has asked my parents to get me). But I agree that if you want serious accuracy, go with an engineer's square.

I think people make a mistake aiming for a super accurate combination square.

For me, the virtue of a combination square is its versatility and general usefulness. As such, it's used too much to stay accurate to close tolerances, even if it was made as such.

My recommendation would be to buy a combination square with good enough tolerances for woodworking purposes, but weighted heavily to ergonomics and handling. This is IMHO best served by a second hand premium square.

And to buy a fixed, ugly (sharp arrised and uncomfortable) engineer's square for when very close tolerance (e.g. machine setup) is needed.

BugBear

 

[PeteG]

Has anyone tried the MachineMart version https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/prod ... n%20square ?

 

[tobyriches]

Was in the same place as you and have just bought a Moore Wright carpenters square.,feels good and is dead on square

http://www.machine-dro.co.uk/300mm-12-m ... tAod32gAgg

 

[bugbear]

Was in the same place as you and have just bought a Moore Wright carpenters square.,feels good and is dead on square

http://www.machine-dro.co.uk/300mm-12-m ... tAod32gAgg

That's a new product for them - it's explicitly a carpenter's square, and the head is aluminium, not cast iron. It's reminiscent of the 1950's when Rabone also made a carpenters square, as well as engineer's combintation square. You often see dealers trying to pass off the old Rabone carpenters square at engineer spec prices.

BugBear

 

[Harbo]

For general use I use a couple of "Empire" ones that are accurate enough and not that expensive. I've also got a very cheap 150mm Bahco one that somebody sold on the bay a while back which is good too.

For reference work I've a set of Metal Engineers squares and one to DIN? Standards I bought from Dicks which is cut from a piece of steel.
I used this when I made my own squares

Rod