Starrett Double Square

[Birdhunter]

I’ve got Imperial and Metric Sterrett combination squares in both the 6” and 12” sizes, the 4” double square, and I think there is an 18” hanging on the wall.

I recently added the Starrett 6” double square and I am blown away by its heft and solidness. I’m building a large table and 2 benches. The joints are the Festool 700 connectors plus the 14mm tenons. Making sure the ends of the boards are perfectly square is super critical. Also, placement of the mortises has to be exactly correct. The new square really makes all that much easier.

I don’t like to measure each mortise placements as each one has to be exactly the same.  I find setting a square for each measurement eliminates measurement errors as long as the squares are initially set correctly. As a result, I might have 4 or more squares set to a measurement each marked with blue tape and marked with its use. The blue tape is applied so the measurement is locked in even if the locking knob comes loose.

My new double square is mainly used to check end squareness and mark cutoff lines.its size and heft are perfect for this job.

Sorry for the long post, but I am thrilled with the new square.

P.S. Some of the Starrett squares areabout 30 years old and still tight and square.

 

[threesixright]

Not a clue what a double square is. Get a feeling its not 2x square [big grin].  Picture might be handy! ;-)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hdv]

You're not far off.  It is a double-side square. 90° Angle left and right. It is one of my most-used small measuring devices.

[attachimg=1]

 

[threesixright]

You're not far off.  It is a double-side square. 90° Angle left and right. It is one of my most-used small measuring devices.

Awesome, thanks! Everyday something new  [thumbs up]

 

[Birdhunter]

Thanks HDV for supplying the picture. The rather thick base (through which the ruler slides) gives a solid foundation for checking squareness.

 

[Cheese]

I have two of them in the 4" size, one metric and one imperial. I can't tell you how handy they come in for small sized projects. On my latest project, the Delta band saw dust collector, I used both of them at the same time. The metric one was used to scribe various lines and edges while the imperial version was kept set to a specific distance so I would get uniform spacing on the punched holes for the rivets.  [cool]

 

[pnichols1776]

I just overpaid for the Woodpeckers 6" double square and 12" combo square - really really like them a lot. Woodpeckers blade design is really cool, and surprisingly useful albeit it's only imperial till they figure out how to do it in metric. Find myself reaching for them more and more, the double square has earned a place in an apron pocket.

 

[hdv]

Just like you, I really like some of the Woodpeckers stuff. Even though I know I am overpaying. The fact that many tools of their are not in metric saves my wallet at least a little bit. There are definitely some items I would buy if they were available in metric.

However, their service is incredible! The reason I know that as a fact is not so great, but alas...  [unsure]

Most of the orders I placed had something "wrong" with them upon delivery. Broken acrylic disks, imperial parts on metric items (I kid you not!), wrong number of parts, missing parts, scratches or much worse. You name it, I have had the pleasure to experience it. In the end I even got to feel a sort of shame when I needed to contact them to ask for replacements.

But I got to say, they never ever did make a problem of it. They *always* came through and "corrected" the error or fault. (Thanks Toni!!!  [not worthy] )

I admit it is very annoying that it is even needed, but knowing that I can always rely on their service is a very large part of the reason I still order from them (and still put up with the hassle of all those faulty deliveries). I do not know of many companies that take customer satisfaction that serious. And I really do appreciate it!

 

[ChuckM]

Most of the orders I placed had something "wrong" with them upon delivery. Broken acrylic disks, imperial parts on metric items (I kid you not!), wrong number of parts, missing parts, scratches or much worse. You name it, I have had the pleasure to experience it. In the end I even got to feel a sort of shame when I needed to contact them to ask for replacements.

But I got to say, they never ever did make a problem of it. They *always* came through and "corrected" the error or fault. (Thanks Toni!!!  [not worthy] )

If your experience is a typical one for many WP's customers, WP should review its whole process since fixing mistakes is always a costly element even though it may not be tracked and booked. Doing it right the first time is a win-win for both the seller and its customers, and it saves money for both parties in the long term.

 

[martin felder]

My first combination square was a Starrett 12 inch and it remains a very much used tool.  I looked into metric Starrett squares from my local tool shop down the street (they are mostly into tooling for metal shops) and they were going to order metric... never came in and I did not pursue it.  It would have been easy to just then order online and I think I may do that after reading this thread.

I have a number of Woodpeckers tools, and at least for me, I never had a problem with the condition of the product when it arrived or subsequently.  As far as the squares from Woodpeckers, my favorite by far is their T-squares.  As for their fixed squares, the ones I have and do not like so much are the ones similar to the one in the picture.  The thickness interferes with accurate marking, so I do not use it to mark.  I think they are best used just to check for square, and for that  would not nave needed it in imperial and metric.  If I could do over, I would have have more Starretts and less Woodpeckers.  I do not have the Woodpecker combination square, which would offer the best comparison, but I was not in need to one, and in looking at the pictures, I find the Starrett easier to read.

As for double square, maybe that would have been better over combination as I never use the combination for 45 degree or the level feature.  I use other tools for that.

[attachimg=1]

 

[Michael Kellough]

I too prefer Starrett to anything else for any kind of measuring or squaring. Steel beats aluminum and for measuring thin beats thick.

I have a double square but seldom use it. Probably just don’t trust it to be as square as a combination head since the saddle is half as long. Never found a situation where the distance the rule projects on both sides of the double square head is useful so why not just use the combination head. I guess there might not be room for the comb. head on occasion.

 

[Michael Kellough]

A little off point but I like the Veritas Precision Square a lot. Both metric and Imperial.

 

[rvieceli]

Michael a quality double square will be as square as a combination square no matter what the size. There are a few reasons to use a double square instead of a combination square.

As you've noted the smaller size of the head makes it easier to get into smaller spaces.

Since both sides of the head are square to the blade, you can set one side to a measured offset and still have the other side of the blade available to check/mark for square.

Since both sides of the head are straight, you can use a clamp to clamp it against the piece or capture it in a vise.

The smaller size makes it fit in an apron pocket easier.

I'll often use mine to measure the height of a weld filet on a 90 degree joint. I find the smaller straight head easier to work with and see around.

Since the end/top of the head is also flat, it is easier to turn the double square up side down and measure or mark offsets from a base.

Personally I find myself reaching for the 4 inch version more often than the 6 inch

Ron

 

[Birdhunter]

Thanks for all the responses. I did want to say that I have a workshop full of the "red tools" (Woodpecker) and I have never received a defective product. Their BIG carpenters square is unmatched for squaring up the MFT fence and big glue ups.

 

[Cheese]

Michael a quality double square will be as square as a combination square no matter what the size. There are a few reasons to use a double square instead of a combination square.

Just to add to Ron's statement, Starrett claims that their Double Squares are as accurate as their Engineers Squares.

Here's a photo of the Starrett tools I used to fabricate the Delta band saw dust collector.
12" combination square
4" metric double square
4" imperial double square
12" fully-flexible stainless rule that's only .015" thick
70A small scribe for general marking and transferring the exact centers of holes
117A small center punch for then marking the hole centers for accurate punching & hole drilling

[attachimg=1]

 

[Michael Kellough]

I have several full size combination squares and I usually use them just to “keep” distance settings for different parts of a build. Clearly it would be more convenient to use the little double squares for that instead.

 

[ear3]

I'm just curious if this Amazon listing is a mistake -- 24" Starrett blade, code CB24-4R, but in the headline description it says 6R graduation.  There's no such thing as 6R graduation, right?  And since the model number is CB24-4R, this has to be the 4R graduation instead, correct?

Also I figured I ask [member=44099]Cheese[/member] Do the double square heads use the same rulers as the combination squares?

 

[Michael Kellough]

That’s a 4R rule. Appears Starrett never made a 6R (decimal inches) rule that long.

I don’t know if it will fit double square.

 

[Cheese]

There is a 6R graduation Edward, I just don't know if it's available on the 24" combination blade. Every Starrett graduation is not available on every Starrett scale/blade.

OK here we go...the 6R on the CB24-6R is 1/10" top & bottom on one side and 1/50" on top & bottom on the other side of the scale.

The 4R on the CB24-4R is 1/8" top, 1/16" bottom on one side and 1/32" on top, 1/64" bottom on the other side.

I believe the blade used in the 4" double square is the same as the blade for the 4" combination square. Same thing for the 6" double & combination. The 4" blade is a little narrower and a little thinner compared to the 6".

[attachimg=1]

 

[Michael Kellough]

It’s $145 on the Starrett website. I didn’t see it when I looked before but with the stock number Cheese posted it did turn up as a spare part.

I have a 12” 6R that I sometimes use when laying out stuff from cad drawings or from results from a calculator. I can’t really use the 1/100ths marks without magnification but it easy enough (and close enough for wwing) to split two 1/50th” marks.