Shopsmith Forums

Thanks for all the input I will purchase as soon as I get back from a short Easter trip. I will let y'all know what Indo.

Woodpecker products generally do not disappoint. I have one of their nicer squares. Cost a pretty penny, but very well built, square, made in the USA and that red color actually adds a bit of pleasant flair to measurement and alignment procedures.

John

Claimdude, I saw that set in an email. Very nice.

I agree with Dusty with one addition which is the Wixey digital protractor which I use several times a day in the shop. The problem I have with owning high cost squares of any type is that once they hit the floor all bets are off and mine do hit the floor occasionally. A simple check with the Wixey tells me the story. If it's off then they are mostly adjustable. Adjusting a framing square, especially an aluminum one is very easily done with a punch and then verify it with the digital protractor. I have three or four combo squares in the shop and two of them are the HF cheapos, one 12" and one 18" and they are both dead on. I took the wixey with me to HF and tested them right there before leaving the store but they were both also dead on. I highly recommend the Wixey for quickly checking odd miter angles also. Very versatile tool.
Paul

Masonsailor, I use a precision "123 block" to measure square on smaller squares. However, I am interested in the Wixey that you reference. I thought that was a magnetic angle indicator that needed a stable surface to measure How does one check for squareness of a square with a Wixey? Thanks.

Edit: I guess if I had read your post better, I would have seen it is the Wixey protractor and not the block.

I have the WR 410 protractor. I also have their mini height gauge which is great for dado and router bit height. Love them both.

I have two different sizes of these and like them a lot especially the 4 inch. Dead on as close as I can measure. These are my go to squares.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Blem-Cosmetic-S ... 2347024106

I have several squares from various sources. Several came with used tools I bought some were free with a purchase. Recently, I decided to check them all and get rid of any thing that wasn't square. I got some surprises.

Surprise 1 - I have several 12 inch combination squares. The only one that was square was a free with purchase made in Taiwan kit I got from Grizzly years ago. It was still in the box. I had never used except as a center finder. It was free how could it be good.

Surprise 2 - Harbor Freight yellow plastic speed square was dead on. I've used this a lot mainly for a circular saw guide. I've used clamps on it and dropped it a bunch. My grandson plays with it. He calls it his triangle.

Surprise 3 - An old Stanley try square I picked up out of a bargain bin many years ago. It's beat up pretty bad from getting dropped and used hard. It was my only square for many years. I haven't used it in a long time because it is only designed to be used on one side.

Surprise 4 - I have an almost free Swanson Accur-8 I picked up somewhere really cheap. It's dead on at 90 degrees. I don't know about the other 6 angles. It's made in Sweden. They still make them. https://www.amazon.com/Swanson-AC800-8- ... B0002IGGO4 Made from stainless steel and aluminum.

I have several small engineering squares that are all excelent.

I have a large precision framing square that came with some used tools I bought. Stainless steel and made by Shinhwa it is carefully stored away and only comes out when I need it. Dead square and machined straight edges.

My Incra (http://www.incra.com/measuring_marking-trules.html) T-Rule is accurate.