Oversize square wanted

[wow]

I am wondering if anyone makes a larger version of the carpenters square - something like a 4-foot long leg and a 2-1/2 foot short leg? One with good precision would be nice. I looked at Lee Valley, Veritas, WoodPeckers and others with no luck.

 

[dicktill]

If you're looking for a carpenter kind of square (rather than a precision woodworkers one), here's one. Don't have one so I can't vouch for its accuracy.

http://www.amazon.com/CH-Hanson-A-Square-Folding-Triangle/dp/B00004TKDP

 

[mouppe]

I'd use my tracksaw to cut one from a piece of plywood.

 

[wow]

If you're looking for a carpenter kind of square (rather than a precision woodworkers one), here's one. Don't have one so I can't vouch for its accuracy.

http://www.amazon.com/CH-Hanson-A-Square-Folding-Triangle/dp/B00004TKDP

I just bought one of those yesterday. Haven't had a chance to play with it yet, though.

I was really looking for a precision woodworkers one though - the 'L' style.

 

[wrightwoodwork]

There is these from fine tools in germany, accuracy is .5mm over 1m http://www.fine-tools.com/hedue307004.jpg I have one of the alpha squares

 

[jonny round boy]

I use one of these glass cutting squares. It's perfect for putting up against the edge of a board, and then butting a guide rail up to it to get a perfect 90 corner. Available in various sizes up to 2500x700mm.

They also make versions without the cross brace.

I'm pretty sure you can get Bohle products in the US, but they're also made by CR Laurence which is a US company.

Jonathan

 

[peter halle]

I use one of these glass cutting squares. It's perfect for putting up against the edge of a board, and then butting a guide rail up to it to get a perfect 90 corner. Available in various sizes up to 2500x700mm.

They also make versions without the cross brace.

I'm pretty sure you can get Bohle products in the US, but they're also made by CR Laurence which is a US company.

Jonathan

Bohle Products are available in the US to professionals.  They do have a large selection of squares.  Their US website is Bohle America but you can't see prices unless you register and give them a tax id number amongst other things.

Peter

 

[jonny round boy]

I use one of these glass cutting squares. It's perfect for putting up against the edge of a board, and then butting a guide rail up to it to get a perfect 90 corner. Available in various sizes up to 2500x700mm.

They also make versions without the cross brace.

I'm pretty sure you can get Bohle products in the US, but they're also made by CR Laurence which is a US company.

Jonathan

Bohle Products are available in the US to professionals.  They do have a large selection of squares.  Their US website is Bohle America but you can't see prices unless you register and give them a tax id number amongst other things.

Peter

Yes, Bohle will only deal direct with glass processing shops, you won't be able to buy from them direct. If you go to your local glass processor, chances are they'll have an account with Bohle and will be happy to deal with you. Same deal with CRL.

 

[amt]

Anyone use MFS for a square?

 

[semenza]

Those glass cutting squares look interesting. Anyone have tolerance info? Or rough pricing? What they are made of?

Seth

 

[jonny round boy]

Those glass cutting squares look interesting. Anyone have tolerance info? Or rough pricing? What they are made of?

Seth

Seth,

On the tolerance front, the website says:

All Bohle L-squares have better tolerances than those required per DIN 7168 and ISO 286/VSM58400.

I remember when I first thought about using one, I googled all those standards, but couldn't find a definition for any of them. All I can say is that as far as I'm concerned, it's bang on. Not very scientific I know...

Pricewise, I think the price rises exponentially with size (due to the problems of shipping them, I guess) but IIRC they start at around £30, and the size I have (1050x400mm) was around £50. BTW, the sizes on the website are a bit out - it's listed as 1050x400, but overall it's actually around 1100x420mm.

They're CNC machined from 4mm thick compact laminate, then there's another piece of 4mm on each side of the short leg (so 12mm total).

Jonathan

 

[peter halle]

Here is a screen shot - I signed up for an account:

[attachimg=#]

Peter

 

[semenza]

Excellent! Thanks guys. Looking at the 53" for sheet goods.

Seth

 

[wow]

Excellent! Thanks guys. Looking at the 53" for sheet goods.

Seth

Yep - just what I wanted, too.

 

[wow]

Thinking about this some more, I realized three things:

1. I don't like the idea that this is made of phenolic so will be fairly brittle
2. RL may have a point, and
3. I already own an aluminum blade for my TS75

With those things in mind I did some quick layout in my CAD program and came up with these two ideas:

[attachthumb=#]

The whole thing would be made of T6061 aircraft aluminum for weight and rigidity. The legs are 1/4" thick x 3" wide. The solid red area at the bottom edge is a strip that is also 1/4" thick but only 2" wide (there would be one fastened to both the top and bottom sides) to give a solid edge to 'butt' against the material to be cut. If my calculations are correct, the whole thing would only weigh about 5-6 pounds.

I just had this brainstorm (brain fart?) a few minutes ago, so I will sleep on it and see if it still seems like a good idea tomorrow. Any comments, hints, suggestions, questions, or confused looks are welcome.

 

[rmwarren]

Thinking about this some more, I realized three things:

1. I don't like the idea that this is made of phenolic so will be fairly brittle
2. RL may have a point, and
3. I already own an aluminum blade for my TS75

With those things in mind I did some quick layout in my CAD program and came up with these two ideas:

[attachthumb=#]

The whole thing would be made of T6061 aircraft aluminum for weight and rigidity. The legs are 1/4" thick x 3" wide. The solid red area at the bottom edge is a strip that is also 1/4" thick but only 2" wide (there would be one fastened to both the top and bottom sides) to give a solid edge to 'butt' against the material to be cut. If my calculations are correct, the whole thing would only weigh about 5-6 pounds.

I just had this brainstorm (brain fart?) a few minutes ago, so I will sleep on it and see if it still seems like a good idea tomorrow. Any comments, hints, suggestions, questions, or confused looks are welcome.

My initial thought is that is going to be a very 'spensive chunk of aluminum.

If your main purpose is to use this to setup a guide rail for cross cuts then I don't think it needs to be full length. I made a T square for this purpose from 2" by 1/4" bar stock.

Simple to make and it is adjustable to dial in to 90 degrees, the holes in the long leg are slightly oversized. I only recently added the Incra track and adjustable stop to make repeatable cuts, it also provides the lip to keep the square sitting on the edge of the material being cut.

Just a thought.

RMW

 

[amt]

Once my order for Woodpeckers SuperTrack arrives, I plan on making a square out of it.

 

[Alli]

Thinking about the woodpecker Supertrack, it made me wonder about the Festool MFS Router template. I wonder how accurate/suitable would it be to use 2 sections bolted together and used as a square? At least it would have another use as a template guide.

Probably wouldn't be accurate enough but worth a mention

 

[amt]

Check out Jerry Work's article on the MFS.  He shows that it is close enough to use as a square.  That's what inspired me to try the same thing with the Woodpeckers Super Track.

 

[wow]

My initial thought is that is going to be a very 'spensive chunk of aluminum.

I could make multiple sizes out of one sheet of aluminum that I could pick up for less than $100. The fact that I could cut it to be a perfect 90 (versus adjusting it to be so) seems like a plus, but perhaps a slightly adjustable solution would make more sense. I will think about that.

Did you use a CNC machine or mill to make yours, or did you 'free-hand' it with a drill press and hand tools?