Finding a square square..

UKworkshop.co.uk

Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

PDW125

Established Member
UKW Supporter
Joined
3 Jun 2022
Messages
92
Reaction score
67
Location
Nottinghamshire
Looking for an engineers square that is - as the title says - square, to use a reference for the rest of my tools. Recently found out my sliding square is out, and there’s no way I would trust my framing squares for setting up saws so where does everyone get their engineers squares from ..?

Probably looking for two, one in the 75-100mm range and one in the 175-225mm range.

Recommendations please !
 
cb07ce9b-71ba-5302-b9a6-22370d49008a.jpeg

Cheapest Soba ones available at Axi although they don't mention that, and just marked as an 150mm engineers square for around a tenner, nicely machined and seems bang on to me.
Probably about the minimum length for any practical checking of other tools.
 
Hooked on Wood over on YouTube has a video - number of in his China Tools series - on squares he has reviewed/tested AND uses for his work. Has an engineer's he uses to check the status of the others. Maybe check them out... if youdon'tmindbuyingfrom "Banggood"?
 
Looking for an engineers square that is - as the title says - square, to use a reference for the rest of my tools. Recently found out my sliding square is out, and there’s no way I would trust my framing squares for setting up saws so where does everyone get their engineers squares from ..?

Probably looking for two, one in the 75-100mm range and one in the 175-225mm range.

Recommendations please !
Any engineering square from an engineering supplier will be fine for setting up woodworking tools. They will likely be far squarer than the surfaces you are aligning are flat. They generally will have a tolerance of 0.0001“ or thereabouts for setting up metal lathes etc. where the tolerance really does have to be accurate or the parts won’t fit together.

However, good idea to get some good squares to rule that out as the cause of the problem. Chronos are generally cheap and good. Take a look on their website if you haven’t already.

edit - beware the ”holding up to the light” test if you do that. A square doesn’t tell you how far out you are. The human eye easily detects a light source behind a square at way less than 1 thou. So if you order a square, get a set of feeler gauges too. Sorry if you know this.
 
Last edited:
I bought one of these Fishers squares from Woodworkers Workshop for exactly this purpose. I only use it as a reference square and otherwise it stays safely wrapped up in its box. I asked them to double check it’s squareness prior to sending it out.
 
I bought one of these Fishers squares from Woodworkers Workshop for exactly this purpose. I only use it as a reference square and otherwise it stays safely wrapped up in its box. I asked them to double check it’s squareness prior to sending it out.
What did they check it with?🤔🤔
 
Not sure if this was aimed at me, as Axi sell their own branded ones also, and maybe others also,
I bought the cheapest one and it came in a red cardboard box with foam.
Looking at that photo, whether it's the camera or not, but they kinda look rough to me compared to what I received.
Could take some more shots of mine, but it don't look so good at the moment as it has oxidized in my damp shed.
I couldn't fault mine, every surface was well milled on all faces, everything really crisp and still had the sharpish edge on all edges, which is nice as you know everything was spot on when machining, and one can decide how much beveling they want themselves.
Literally a mere glance of the lapping plate would be sufficient to satisfy anyone if they deemed things a bit uncomfortably sharp on the fingers.

Great tool, mind you an 150mm engineers square for someone who hasn't used one before is a dangerous tool for the unwary!
should anyone sight down their bench they must be aware not to poke their eye out!
as these sit nicely upright on the bench, so best to allocate an area of the bench away from the work.
Good job I've still got a head of hair, as I've probably a scar if I hadn't.
Did I mention that every surface were nice and crisp😀
 
The edge of the blade in a sliding square doesn't ride on the bottom of the groove in the handle. there are little tabs its tightens against that you file down to true the blade. ie just fix the sliding square you have. takes a minute to do aslong as you have a needle file to hand
 
I was looking for a reasonably priced large try square. I thought the Shinwa might be worth trying but they state better than 0.1mm per 100mm. I thought that is quite a lot over a 60-90cm square.
 
Someone I know recommended the Axmister Engineer's Squares, does anyone here use them? I'm in the market for a square.
 
Back
Top