My framing square was lying to me for a year

I was cutting rafters for a shed in my backyard and the angles kept coming out just a hair off. After wasting a bunch of 2x6s, I finally checked my square against a new one at the store. The old one, a hand-me-down from my uncle, was bent at the heel by maybe 1/16 of an inch from getting dropped. I never even thought to check it for true. Anyone have a good method for testing your squares besides just buying a new one?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_linda21d ago

Wow, @sam_thomas, that's a rough way to learn.

nora_walker5721d ago

I always thought you could just eyeball those cuts, but my first miter box project proved me wrong. @sam_thomas is right about the free geometry lesson, it really hits home after a few ruined boards. Now I measure twice and cut once every single time. That little bit of extra math makes all the difference for a clean corner. It turned a frustrating mess into a skill I actually trust.

sam_thomas21d ago

Guess your uncle's gift came with a free lesson in geometry. How many boards did you waste before you figured it out?