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Does anybody know a rule that will work in this square readily available. Starrett 12" was too fat.

Dustyjoel wrote: ↑Mon Aug 29, 2022 5:13 pm Does anybody know a rule that will work in this square readily available. Starrett 12" was too fat.

Is it possibly a 6" combination square? What is the length of the long reference surface? In a small sample, my 12" squares are about 4-1/2" on the long surface that's square to the blade where a 6" combo is about 3". The 6" blade is smaller in all dimensions.

- David

I spat my coffee when I read the title of this thread! Considering (1) the average age of this forum's membership and (2) how uncool younger people think vintage tools are, I vote we change the name of this forum to "Old Square Info Needed."

Ha Ha Ha!
Yeah, I tell my wife that I get reliable info on all things from the [wise old square] "folks on the forum"...

LOL ,,, easy now , some of us might resemble that remark !!

Dustyjoel wrote: ↑Mon Aug 29, 2022 5:13 pm Does anybody know a rule that will work in this square readily available. Starrett 12" was too fat.

I have one of the cheap plastic combination squares (Johnson brand, I believe) that has been with me since the early days that I got into woodworking. I mention this because a couple of years ago I managed to break the screw assembly (part that holds the ruler into the combination square head). I was surprised to get one, from another brand, that fit it perfectly and I got it off of Amazon and it was relatively cheap. IF you are intending on cleaning up/restoring the vintage looking combination square head that you have, I would suggest trying to get a replacement from other sources. Do you happen to know what thickness ruler will fit? My cheap, Johnson plastic combo square has a 2.1mm thick ruler. For comparison, my high end Starrett combo square has a 2.2mm thick ruler and won't fit in the Johnson for example. I assume the size ruler you need is 1" wide, correct? You may want to start with products from PEC (Products Engineering Corporation). They make some good quality woodworking squares at a fair price - the screw assembly replacement that I bought was a PEC part by the way, but I am guessing you can buy replacement rulers from them as well. I would think between Amazon, eBay, etc. you ought to be able to find a suitable ruler replacement that will fit, but it may take a couple of iterations to find one. Hope this helps...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GM ... UTF8&psc=1

https://pec.tools/

RFGuy's post made me think of this possibility. Take your old Square part with you to a hardware/tool store and try some of the cheaper plastic ones to check their metal rules to find one that fits. That may be cheaper than trying to buy metal rules online to find one that fits and ending up with ones that don't fit. Also, it looks like the level bubble is missing on your square casting and a level bubble from a plastic one with the correct size metal rule may work as a replacement for that too.

Russ has a good suggestion of just taking it with to the big box stores and trying out a few rulers in it from other combo squares. Just curious if there are any identifying marks on the combo square head? The pic you posted looks awfully similar to either a vintage Starrett or possibly Stanley combo square of maybe the 1930's era. Just curious about it...

https://www.reddit.com/r/toolporn/comme ... i_made_it/