Doomwolf Posted January 20, 2018 Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 Hi all. I'm making the two-sheet bookcase project from the Guild, and my cuts weren't cutting out square. I check my Starrett 12" combo square, and it doesn't seem to be square any more. Is it fixable or do I now have an expensive paper weight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknown craftsman Posted January 20, 2018 Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 I have adjusted several of my Starret squares by fileing the landing the blade rides on. But one will need a master square to check the progress. Which leads me to the question how did you determine your isnt square? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted January 20, 2018 Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 Use every square in your shop to check against each other. A fixed blade one is most likely to be trusted. See If Starrett will fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted January 20, 2018 Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 An engineer's square will almost always be what you use to verify your square's accuracy. And as Steve said, get in touch with Starrett, they are proud of their tools and will no doubt fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted January 20, 2018 Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 Let us know what you find out please. None of mine have ever been out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doomwolf Posted January 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 The only other square I have is a 4" engineer square, which can't check 12". I tested on a few surfaces doing the old 'draw a line, flip the square, draw another line, see if they match', and it always thickened towards the end. I tested the 4" square at the same time and it didn't, but again, it's only 4" (inset 'that's what she said' joke here). There is a cabinet shop I can drop into next week and ask to check against their squares, which is what I will do before any work will get done on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted January 20, 2018 Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 2 hours ago, Doomwolf said: Hi all. I'm making the two-sheet bookcase project from the Guild, and my cuts weren't cutting out square. I check my Starrett 12" combo square, and it doesn't seem to be square any more. Is it fixable or do I now have an expensive paper weight? http://www.finewoodworking.com/2016/12/02/truing-combination-square 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknown craftsman Posted January 21, 2018 Report Share Posted January 21, 2018 1 hour ago, Doomwolf said: The only other square I have is a 4" engineer square, which can't check 12". I tested on a few surfaces doing the old 'draw a line, flip the square, draw another line, see if they match', and it always thickened towards the end. I tested the 4" square at the same time and it didn't, but again, it's only 4" (inset 'that's what she said' joke here). There is a cabinet shop I can drop into next week and ask to check against their squares, which is what I will do before any work will get done on it. Have you heard of the five cut method? It might be all you need to proceed with your build. Until the unsquare square conundrum is solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doomwolf Posted January 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2018 Never heard of the five-cut method. Do tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted January 21, 2018 Report Share Posted January 21, 2018 If I recall correctly, you take a piece of ply that is 12” or so on each side. Number the 4 sides and set your fence or stop block on your sled to 11”. Then put side #1 against your fence and rip it. Rotate your board clockwise until you have cut all 4 sides. Now move your fence in 1” and rip It again with side #1 against your fence and see if the off cut is exactly the same width on each end. If not, your fence is off by that amount. It’s been a while but I believe that’s the way it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknown craftsman Posted January 21, 2018 Report Share Posted January 21, 2018 Ya coops got it. The amount you cut on each side doesn't really matter it's the last cut you measure the width . It will show how far your miter or sled is off x4. For the test piece I've used just about anything that lays flat Mdf, plywood what ever is flat so the test piece is accurate. Aj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted January 21, 2018 Report Share Posted January 21, 2018 Simple. Take a pic of flat lumber. Plywood is good at least 12" wide and12 long. Set your square on the middle of a straight edge. Strike a line. Now flip the square on the same edge. If the square is true and the edge is true the square will match the scribed previous line. If the square is off so will the line not match the square. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted January 21, 2018 Report Share Posted January 21, 2018 11 hours ago, Doomwolf said: Never heard of the five-cut method. Do tell. Have a look at this video from our host Marc Spagnuolo https://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/videos/the-cross-cut-sled/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doomwolf Posted January 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2018 I was actually using a circular saw and an edge guide, as per the Guild build/I don't own a table saw/I couldn't get one down the stairs unless I took the top off and carried it separately (or got a contractor saw, but I doubt that would work for sheet goods). Having slept on the matter, the issue probably me/layout and not the square, but I'm going to drop by the local cabinet shop and test it against Greg's Starrett to be sure before I do anything else. I'm already out most nights this week anyway, so I'm not really losing much shop time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknown craftsman Posted January 22, 2018 Report Share Posted January 22, 2018 What no table saw? I was way off on this one. I can't imagine how your using a Starret combo square with a sidewinder and a straight edge. Not saying it can't be done. I use a carpenters square and woodpeckers square with a my skill saw and straight edge. Mostly because the parts are coming out of plywood sheets so everything is bigger. Good luck Aj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted January 22, 2018 Report Share Posted January 22, 2018 As I said already it is so easy to test any square. Take a piece to plywood 12" wide or wider. Put your square on it and strike a line. From that exact place simply roll the square 180 degrees from the same edge. If the line matches up and if the edge is straight you have a good square. Because it is starrett, I'd bet on the square. This test takes seconds once you have the right piece of lumber. Framing squares frequently are off. One day I walked into home depot, with lumber on my cart, I walked by the squares. I took their entire inventory of their framing squares for a test and the all failed the test. I have a 24" Starrett try square. It is perfect. On order is a 48" T square...Starett...The T square will be given the accuracy test first chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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