Try square

[Charlie Buchanan]

Saw a blog entry recently about making squares out of shop scraps and decided to give it a shot. The photos show the result. The grip is mahogany and the blade is beech--both quartersawn. The pins are walnut dowels. It has a couple of coats of shellac sealer then steel wool before finishing wax.

The blade is just over 1/8 in thick and the grip is a bit under 1/2--hey they were scraps after all.

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[Henry W]

looks great Charlie. How do you like using it?

Henry

 

[Charlie Buchanan]

looks great Charlie. How do you like using it?

Henry

Fun to hold. I have just used it enough to get it squared to a single line. Got to be careful with the knife, however. Beech is pretty hard but not that hard.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Very nice, Charlie. I need to start doing something creative w/ all my scraps.

 

[Jeremy Scuteri]

Nice!

 

[GeorgeM]

Nice square Charlie.

 

[Mr Woodie]

Nice, but I wouldn't use a knife on it.

 

[pviser]

I love your work! Aside from being a beautiful and useful product of your handiwork, the lightweight wood is much less likely to damage your workpiece than, say, a perfect steel Starrett square.

 

[Hmerkle]

Charlie,
How long did it take you to make it?

Is there a Square class / workshop idea there somewhere?

I have never done it, concerned that if I couldn't get it square, without help present - how would I fix it?

 

[Charlie Buchanan]

Charlie,
How long did it take you to make it?
Since I had the scrap stock already correct thickness it only took an hour to make the joint and the end shapes and sand it. A half hour to fit the joint and glue up. Probably 2 hours total over a couple of days as I waited for glue and finish to dry,

Is there a Square class / workshop idea there somewhere?
Don't know of any. But the the principle is the same as making any lap or bridle joint come out square: start with square stock and cut the shoulders square. You need a good square to make a square.

I have never done it, concerned that if I couldn't get it square, without help present - how would I fix it?

You square it as you dry-fit the joint. Make sure register faces of grip are parallel and the blade sits tight and square. When glue is dry check against a good reference square. Double check by the mark and flip method along a straight edge. If it is off square then plane the blade edge with a very fine-set shoulder plane to take off material just where needed. If it goes out of square in a few years it is easy to adjust--its wood.

 

[Charlie Buchanan]

I got an email today advertising a Schwarz article and plans for download from PW shop here. It is a similar but larger square.

http://www.shopwoodworking.com/download-project-andre-roubos-try-square?source=igodigital

 

[merrill77]

Hmm. Even _I_ don't need plans to build a try square.

I like yours, Charlie. The pics are more than sufficient

 

[Rick M]

John Heisz made some one piece try squares from plywood, want to 'try' that someday.

I made one from oak and plexi for the kids but like it so much I use it myself all the time.

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