When is a square - not a square?
Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 6:58 pm
The answer; altogether too often. This year I "bit the bullet" and upgraded my precision measuring tools - not that my old ones were that precision anyway. First, I purchased a set of engineer's squares and was quickly able to determine that none of my old squares were really "square". I had several carpenter's framing squares, one of which I had used to align my crosscut sled. It was really out of square.
After seeing the Wixey digital angle gauge on one of Nick's sawdust sessions, that was my next purchase, closely followed by Shopsmith's dial indicator gauge. Wow! what a difference these tools make. After re-aligning my Shopsmith, bandsaw, and joiner my woodworking results have improved greatly. It is so much easier to join and glue truly square boards.
I've never put much money into my combination squares in the past so I treated myself to a Starrett. I have since found another quality combination square, made in Milwaukee USA, by Empire Tool ([url]http://www.empirelevel.com)[/url]. Especially useful has been their 6" pocket combination square #e255. It only cost $7.78 and is very accurate, and handy as all heck to have in my apron pocket, although I don't use it for machine set-up..
Lastly, I bought a Vertias 50" aluminum straight edge that is accurate to .003 inches over it's entire length. Once you have your table precisely at 90 degrees and parallel to the blade, this straight edge will assist you in getting the table extension level with the table. It is also useful in aligning a roller stand with the joiner's outfeed table as a support for joining long boards. Not only is this straight edge more accurate than the common aluminum "yardstick" but it will stand upright on it's own base, eliminating the need for a "third hand".
After seeing the Wixey digital angle gauge on one of Nick's sawdust sessions, that was my next purchase, closely followed by Shopsmith's dial indicator gauge. Wow! what a difference these tools make. After re-aligning my Shopsmith, bandsaw, and joiner my woodworking results have improved greatly. It is so much easier to join and glue truly square boards.
I've never put much money into my combination squares in the past so I treated myself to a Starrett. I have since found another quality combination square, made in Milwaukee USA, by Empire Tool ([url]http://www.empirelevel.com)[/url]. Especially useful has been their 6" pocket combination square #e255. It only cost $7.78 and is very accurate, and handy as all heck to have in my apron pocket, although I don't use it for machine set-up..
Lastly, I bought a Vertias 50" aluminum straight edge that is accurate to .003 inches over it's entire length. Once you have your table precisely at 90 degrees and parallel to the blade, this straight edge will assist you in getting the table extension level with the table. It is also useful in aligning a roller stand with the joiner's outfeed table as a support for joining long boards. Not only is this straight edge more accurate than the common aluminum "yardstick" but it will stand upright on it's own base, eliminating the need for a "third hand".
