How can I flatten the tongue of a steel square so that it is straight? I posted about this before and got one answer but it was insufficient. As I hold the blade in my hand, the tongue pointing away from me, I can see that the blade is clearly bent out, and then back in. Because it is steel, the square is rather thin, and so acts like a spring. How can I flatten it so that it reads true? The usual method doesn't work...
What's the usual method?
Art
bend it. keep trying. it'll break sometime, and then you'll buy a new one. Tom Someday, it'll all be over....
identify the extreme points of the curve and mark them with a sharpie. lay the blade flat on a board of some softwood, bow up. set another shorter board over the blade and whack it with a hammer right on the mark. if nothing happens get a bigger hammer rather than hitting harder.
repeat the process until the bends are small enough.
Bridger
Here is a method that works well on hand saw blades with a bow in them. It does not work with kinks, but works quite well on the full length bows that hand saws get in the hands of novices.
Hold the saw by the handle and slap it on top of a still tank of water. Keep the top of the arch up. I use the horse trough but a pond or swimming pool would probably work.
I have no idea if this would work on the blade of square. Is there a reason that this square can't be replaced like a Stanley stainless steel with full rafter scales? A bent square does not infuse confidence in the user or the observer.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Keep the whole world singing. . . . DanG
straight?
pointing
then
Thanks DanG,
It has been replaced with two "Speed Squares", a combination square, a try square and yea, another framing square (complete with Essex board scale, Brace scale, Hundredths scale, etc.) made of aluminium and thicker. However, I am one of those ornery sunnuvagunz who just won't leave broken things alone if they can be fixed, especially without spending any money. Bent it has only sentimental value, straight, it can be used by the next person who needs to borrow one, or me if I loan all the others out or....etc.
Hey Art,
witness this thread
That thread is about adjusting the angle on a framing square. I don't see how that applies to your OP, but if you're happy with it that's what counts.
I asked my question so I wouldn't waste bandwidth telling you what you may already know but it may be a moot point now.
Art
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