ABC of the Steel Square and Its Uses

by Fred. T. Hodgson

Brace Measure.—This is along the center of the back of the “tongue,” and gives the length of the common brace.

18-13 25.45 in the scale means that if the run is 18 inches on the post and the same on the beam, then the brace will be 25 45-100 inches.

If the run is 21 inches on both beam and post, then the brace will be 29 70-100 inches.

Care of Square.—Never use emery or sand paper on nickel or black finished squares. When through using put on a few drops of oil. Do not put your square away with finger marks on it; nothing rusts it so quickly as perspiration.”

Fig. 2.

It will be seen that these squares adapt themselves to other work as well as to framing, a quality very few of the combination squares possess, and while combination squares have their special uses and should be in the tool chest of every expert workman, the square pure and simple, like this of Nicholls or similar ones, should never be absent from the “kit” of the ordinary workman, for with it, if he thoroughly understands it, he can accomplish all that is possible even with a combination square. If he is not “posted” the workman should procure some one or more of the many devices or helps for getting bevels, angles, lengths and cuts, for rafters, braces, hips and jacks as advertised by Riesmann, Woods, and others.

Fig. 3.

With these aids and a good true and honest steel square the workman can accomplish almost all that can be done with this tool, or all that he will be called upon to execute by aid of the square.