Trustworthy Measurement Tools

[TheyCallMeTex]

Much to my chagrin, the orange, plastic carpentry square I bought for a few bucks at Home Depot is quite off. (I bet yall are surprised!)

I'm new to the craft, and would love some advice here.

What measurement tools do yall trust?

 

[Echd]

I actually am a little surprised. I use the heck out of those cheap speed squares.

If you check out taytools they often have very high quality blemished measuring tools- rulers, squares, center finders, the works- sold with the maker's logo ground off. They are a great deal and should serve your purposes well. I think they are running a 10% discount code as well right now if you follow the links on their site.

 

[cyclopentadiene]

Veritas has a set they put on sale quite often. Much cheaper that Starrett or those beautiful (afraid to use) Woodpeckers but similar quality (I think or at least based on my skill level are very square and excellent)

 

[Craptastic]

I'm a fan of the cheap metal speed squares for most light work. Nothing beats an old fashion framing square for installing cabinetry or building stairs though.

The cheap plastic squares are usually just fine when you buy them. Until they sit in the sun or get left in the truck on a hot North Carolina summer day.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Anytime I can find a used Starrett tool at a decent price I grab it. Hard to beat the accuracy, but too pricey to buy new.

 

[tvrgeek]

I noticed the Bridge City tools have dropped in price a lot. Now only very expensive.

I have a decent 6 inch machinist square I trust as a reference. I only use it as a reference. Got a mid price 12 inch combo with steel head that seems good. I got one of those Japanese style stainless squares that is good. Incra and Woodpeckers are good. Some downplay them but I have had decent luck with iGaging. I have seen positive comments on Pec.

My original Johnson 6 inch speed square is good, but I consider it a carpentry tool, not a woodworking tool.

 

[bob vaughan]

For general woodworking, the combination square design seems to be the most popular. The cheap combination squares run from $8.00 to about $15.00. Most of them are likely to be plenty accurate for beginning woodworking. Your gauging needs to be several times more accurate than your machines and cutting tools.
Machine shop brands like Starrett or Brown & Sharpe slide and lock nice. The blades are hardened to withstand marking scribes. The blades are clearly stamped for easier reading. That level of gauging is simply nicer to use but not necessarily more accurate for the jobs at hand.

 

[Ed D]

I was taught early on to use the same tape measure and the same square throught the entire project, thereby eliminating the difference in the tools themselves

 

[Ed Fasano]

At one point or another, every woodworker who aspires to work beyond basic carpentry needs to be truly confident of their core marking and measuring devices. Layouts, cut confirmations, machine setups and more all benefit from the elimination of the evils of cumulative error(s). The good stuff isn't cheap, but can be trusted and with care, will last a lifetime. Starrett, Veritas, Woodpeckers, Bridge City, Browne & Sharpe are all top-notch brands. On the more economical end of the scale, the PEC offerings are often well regarded. In any case, square is square, flat is flat and an inch is an inch so over-scrimping on marking and measuring tools can lead to frustration. Beginning woodworkers already have plenty of frustrations without marking and measuring errors making matters worse.

 

[tvrgeek]

For general woodworking, the combination square design seems to be the most popular. The cheap combination squares run from $8.00 to about $15.00. Most of them are likely to be plenty accurate for beginning woodworking. Your gauging needs to be several times more accurate than your machines and cutting tools.
Machine shop brands like Starrett or Brown & Sharpe slide and lock nice. The blades are hardened to withstand marking scribes. The blades are clearly stamped for easier reading. That level of gauging is simply nicer to use but not necessarily more accurate for the jobs at hand.

Only thing to watch on cheap combo-s is the head is zinc, not iron so it will wear quickly and go out of square.
Biggest mistake I made was not learning about marking knives and errors from pencils and pens.

Buy at least good so you don't have to buy twice. Then when you just have to have that super nice expensive "just because," you can make that decision.

 

[craftbeerguy]

I purchased a set of three 6" Incra Precision Rules about 20 years ago. Probably my most trusted rulers for small/fine work. I've had several folks just getting into woodworking over the years and ask me what the first tools they should are. I always suggest accurate measuring tools (aside from the table saw).

I bought and returned 3 framing squares from the big box stores a few weeks ago for a large commissioned job. This was after throwing away the two I had. None were accurate. There's one out there called Chappelle. Couldn't justify at $160 even with the raving reviews. But these are the great choices you have when starting out.

 

[tvrgeek]

Framing squares are not expected to be dead on from the store. They get knocked around, so it is up to the user to square them as needed over their life. Just need a ball-peen hammer. They are for FRAMING, not cabinet of furniture making. It only takes a couple of seconds and any strait plywood edge to get them within a hair over their length. Now the little speed-squares should be pretty good, though I put a couple Empire back to back on a table saw top and they did not match. Swanson do. But still, fat, not smooth edges, and big fat markings: Carpentry tool.

I think I may order some Bridge City. Not because I need them, but because they are so nice and I can. I bought a cheap machinists 4 inch, and it was not square. The mid-price 6 I got is a reliable reference, but it only comes out of the case for reference. Some of the squares from Woodpeckers have a nice lip so they can lay flat without flopping. I like them too. People raved about the Incra 'tiny T" so I bought one. I think I have only used it once to measure, but handy for setting my TS fence height. How handy a tool may be could depend on if you wear an apron or smock.

Double checked. my iGaging combination squares do have an iron head. I have a 12 and a 6.

 

[bob vaughan]

I recently had a similar run in with my three framing squares. None were accurate like wanted them to be. I ordered a Starrett framing square from Zoro. I got it and checked the accuracy. Dead on. My old framing squares will either go to habitat or the recycle bin.
While the Starrett is a framing square and very similar to other framing squares, it is not the precision like their machinist grade tools but great for woodworking casework.
For what its worth, the Zoro description: G4855481, Black Steel Rafter Square, 13.37 24"x16"

 

[tvrgeek]

Again, framing squares are intended to be adjusted. You do this by peening inside or outside at the corner on the flat. Best practice on a cheap one. It's easy.

Of the top end try squares, Incra, Bridge City, Woodpeckers, I think I would go W-P stainless 6 inch as the one to grab most of the time. Not that any number of under $30 ones may not be just fine. I wish B-C still made the rosewood and brass like by adjustable square. No more accurate, but so nice to use. Waffling. The iGaging 6 inch wood/brass/steel is only $22 but out of stock. Good specs.

 

[JMcanoe]

I use a steel machinist square for calibrating tools (table saw fence, etc). One combo square I like is made by LaSquare. The wide base is handy in that it stands upright on its own and works well on odd shapes (tubes, etc). It's a little pricey (about $85 on Amazon) but made a good Christmas gift. https://lasquaretools.com/product/combination-square-builder/

 

[chris_goris]

I make them on the CNC if I need something more than 12". But this is rarely. Guys... its wood, it moves, twists and does what it wants over time. About the only thing I check with any regularity is my jointer fence and mitresaw. And thats only If something isnt gluing flat. Ive done it twice since owning it (12" powermatic) and determined it was operator error, most likely fatigue. Similar results for the saw.

 

[Mike Davis]

Guys... its wood, it moves, twists and does what it wants over time.

My work is kinda loose to begin with so starting with good layout and a square table saw helps me keep it in the middle of the road.
But I mostly cut each piece to the one before. Don't know how these guys cut all the parts then assemble.

 

[JNCarr]

Chris beat me to it --- the accuracy of even a very moderately priced rule is way better than the stability of the wood. Cut a piece in the morning when your shop is cool and dry, then cut the same piece in the evening after a day of 85 deg humid weather and they wont be exactly the same size by upwards of 1/100th of an inch. So in reality, an inch is not an inch and flat is not flat except for a brief moment in time. IMHO, what's most important is a square square and reasonably priced rules with markings that these old eyes can see.

 

[TheyCallMeTex]

I really appreciate the perspectives here.

@tvrgeek the framing square I bought was plastic so I don't think it'll adjust itself

I'll keep an eye out for the brands listed here, the same ones seem to be coming up over and over, so that's good.

I feel like I need a masterclass *just in measuring*. (First lesson, don't forget the width of the saw blade!)

Thanks for all these great suggestions yall!

 

[Hjanes]

I recently had a similar run in with my three framing squares. None were accurate like wanted them to be. I ordered a Starrett framing square from Zoro. I got it and checked the accuracy. Dead on. My old framing squares will either go to habitat or the recycle bin.
While the Starrett is a framing square and very similar to other framing squares, it is not the precision like their machinist grade tools but great for woodworking casework.
For what its worth, the Zoro description: G4855481, Black Steel Rafter Square, 13.37 24"x16"

I've had the Starrett framing square for some years now. It's square. Using it a few years back I found the inch calibration from the inside corner of the square to be off. The first and succeeding inch marks were a consistent 1/32 or 1/16 in further from that corner reference point. The outside scales were accurate. Figured I got a second. So I don't use the inside scales, nor make any close measures with that big device. It's squareness and size is handy, though.