I have a really nice brass and ebony square (12″), which is not square itself. I am wondering how these square can be adjusted. The blade is joined to the handle with an ornamental brass trifoil, petty standard. I could file the outside edge (easiest) but the inside edge is more problematic. Not sure if that is the best approach. Any thoughts?
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Replies
I read an item on using a center punch to "spread" the blade in the appropriate direction, but that might not work well for the square you have.
Bill
In my experience these are extremely difficult to square. Certainly avoid filing the blade if you can, especially if the edges are parallel since it will be near-impossible without enormous effort to regain this. If you are going to file any thing, then file the inside of the handle (since another way of looking at the problem is that it is the handle that is out-of-square, not the blade).
I would try one of two things.
1. Try tapping the blade/handle until it is squared (obviously in the direction that is appropriate). This is always going to leave you feeling that the square may lose its setting, so check it often (you know how to do this with paper and pencil, right?).
2. Assuming that this is not a collectable item, I would consider drilling out the rivits, pulling the whole thing apart, resetting it with a dab of hide glue or epoxy to hold it in the correct position, then replace the rivits. I make rivits out of blass rod (cut, peen one end slightly, pop it in, peen other end, file flat).
Regards from Perth
Derek
Shoot! I was hoping there would be some arcane solution to this problem! What you write makes sense. I will try the handle tapping route first. The square is collectable, so I will not want to redo the rivits if at all possible. Filing would work if I remember to only use one edge of the blade for measurements. Thanks!
For framing squares:
If the square is more than 90 degrees, then use a punch at the outside corner to force the blade a half a degree or so. Less than 90 degrees, the punch is on the inside corner.Regards, Scooter "I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow." WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
I've done quite a few of these. I have a few thoughts.
1) Don't try to tap anything to fix it. You can stretch material on a solid steel square. That won't work with a square like this. Ditto for dropping it or tapping the handle.
2) Touching the brass on the stock is a loosing proposition because of the way the blade pierces it. You'll never get the two sides the same.
3) By far the best way is to paint the top 1/4" with blue layout dye, scratch in what it should be, then file down almost to the line. The last little bit really needs to be lapped to the line using float glass which may not be accurate enough or preferably a good granite plate.
That done, use a micrometer to determine what needs to be done to the inner edge.
4) After you're done all this, you need to know which side of the blade is truly best. They will never be the same. All squares have tolerances both for blade width and squareness. You may find that most squares' tolerances are really not that tight. .001"/1" is really not that great.
5) How far out is it really and why does it matter to you? Are you building space craft in your wood shop? If you are squaring across a 20" wide board, get your square, put a straightedge on it to reach across the board, then pencil the line. Flip the square and repeat. The lines will only meet on one side of the board. Bisect those two lines with your straight edge and knife the line in and you're done. Oh, and don't work to the far side of the straight edge unless it's a Starrett.
6) If you need a square to set up machinery, you really want an engineer's/machinst's. I don't recommend the cheap chinese versions as they really aren't that square. If you can afford a Starrett get that. I have a PEC which I believe is simialry US made and square to about .0006 over it's entire length.
Adam
My most oft used square and straight edge are both wooden and I can do plenty precise work with them.
Edited 12/15/2008 12:29 pm ET by AdamCherubini
No spacecraft! I do understand that nowadays our home computers are more powerful than the ones that sent the astronauts to the moon initially. A frightening thought!
Your suggestions are the most logical, and deep down I knew that would be what is required, but I was desparately hoping that there was some solution built in by the makers of these great squares!
In my experience most of them are pretty good. Some are only out a few thou over their length. Some are less. If you read the specs for the engineers/machinsts squares, they aren't always guaranteed to be better. I know a lot of woodworkers who use these. I find them not nice to hold. They're thick and heavy, kinda clunky.
I also know a lot of woodworkers who use combination squares and swear by them. I can't imagine that they are accurate.
Adam
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