Try/Machinists square question

[James Rogers]

Does anyone make a small (about 2"x3" on inside angle) square in steel or aluminium where both the stock and the blade are the same width (preferably about 3/4"-1")?

[mark esterly]

the starret cross test level comes to mind but it's only 1/2" thick i believe and somewhat small

[Acer Saccharum]

I have a little Starrett, which I think has a 4" blade.


but you know with those little tools.......they can be hard to find.    When I find mine, I'll post the dimensions. It's truly a great little square. My favorite. Next time I need it, I'll end up cleaning my whole shop just to find it.

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

This may be what you want.  I have one of these in the 4" size but I'm thinking of getting one in the 2" size as well. Woodcraft.

http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2084779/38230/igaging-2-precision-engineers-square.aspx

[James Rogers]

So far this is as close as I can find to what I want. If the outside angle length was the inside, I could use it. It is 1/2"round wide and I can make do with that.

 http://www.woodpeck.com/minisquare.html

[Acer Saccharum]

Make one. This is antique, obviously, with 4" arms, 5/32 thick, sterling silver.



One of my all-time favorite squares is a little Starrett #134, which is 2 x 3x 3/8 thick, but....it has bubble levels on three faces. Coolest thing ever for setting things up for milling and drilling/squaring, etc.

[whetrock]

Wow, sterling silver tools... Wonder what the Mrs. would think if I put that on the credit card...

I have made a couple of little squares about like what you describe. The first one was simple, but quite functional. Made out of hardwood. I only had handtools, but was able to get the faces perfectly flat by sanding the legs on a sheet of sandpaper glued to a sheet of plate glass. I used epoxy to assemble the square (so that I wouldn't have problems with glue shrinkage and draw). I pegged the joint afterward with hardwood toothpicks, but that was just for looks.

Could have put brass plate on the inside edge prior to the sanding process. That would have given the little guy more longevity.

The small hardwood version was quite acceptable for squaring plane blades, etc.

[Acer Saccharum]

Sheet iron would work, too. Rivet scabs of hardwood on either side of the short leg, if ye like.

[wilkie]

Take a look at the steel corner braces sold at the hardware stores.  They come in different sizes and can be checked against a larger square and filed to make them square.  I trued up two or three small ones to use as squares for my 7 inch metal shaper and they work pretty well.

[huntinguy]

Look on some of the machinist tool sites , little machine shop , enco  there are many others.
what you are asking for is pretty common in the shops

[Chris Treichel]

A friend of mine who builds and repairs flutes gave me a catalogue for this company that specializes in small tools.  Might have the type of stuff your looking for among micro lathes and mills etc

http://www.micromark.com/?ns_md=cpc&ns_sc=adwords&ns_cn=wk_general&gclid=cndu8oneg7qcfdkd4aod52aaaq

did a search for squares

http://www.micromark.com/SearchResult.aspx?deptIdFilter=0&searchPhrase=square