My new 18 by 12 framing square

[Marty]

Being in danger of falling asleep driving home recently, I stopped into a small antique mall to walk around a bit. Back in a corner booth, I found a small framing square hanging on the wall, marked $1.95. It looked like a handy item, being somewhat smaller than the standard framing square, but larger than the typical small woodworking square. It had a blade 18 inches long by an 1 1/2 inches, and a tongue 12 inches by 1 inch. Very simple markings... sixteenths on the outside, quarter inches on the inside. The maker was marked simply "Sargent." It was slightly thicker at the angle, and had a pleasant patina. I almost bought it on the spot, but figured it probably wouldn't be accurate anymore, and got interested in buying a similar square new. I looked all over, local hardware stores, ebay, and the web, but couldn't find one! I went back and invested the buck ninety five, and brought it home. It was a bit off, but I managed to fix it with the old "hammer and punch on the floor" technique, and it now resides in a prominent spot on my bench. Very handy for when the small squares don't quite make it, and the standard framing square in just kinda big and clunky... No, I'm sure it isn't a valuable antique, but have any of you guys seen one of these?

[Swingman]

You suck ... many of those vintage framing squares, and Sargent was a good one, go for $40 to $200, so you did good!

[Dave]

Guess he should deprive himself of sleep more often. :)

[Larry W]

I have one about that same size. I can't check it right now but it is also a Sargent, I believe, and I probably picked it up at a yard sale. I don't think a new one should be particularly hard to find. AAMOF, pretty sure I've seen comparable size at HF. Here's an Empire sold by Amazon, they refer to it as a "Carpenter's Square"

[Marty]

There y'go... If I'd seen that before I bought mine, I woulda bought one. I love using old tools, but especially for "marking out" tools, precision trumps emotion. Maybe Amazon oughta give you a kickback for posting that. :) It's a really handy sized square if you're building something bigger than a bookend and smaller than a house.

[Swingman]

Yabbut, it just doesn't have that certain cachet of using a vintage tool, from an old American company, found and bought at a good price:

[Marty]

stamped on 'em. Somehow, I love using those.

[Larry W]

enough within their product line. Family owned since 1919, employs 300 Americans at their plant.

[HeyBub]

Sounds like you got a deal.

Best I could come up with is a HF framing square, 16x24 (for $9.95) and five minutes with a metal-cutting band saw or angle grinder.

[Marty]

Geez, I never thought of the hack saw solution... :)

[Larry Jaques]

So who needs a metal-cutting bandsaw? I have one which needs a bushing for the drive wheel. $45, you pick up in So. Oregon.

I bought a Satanley 8x12" square at HF for $5.99 last year. Chromed and actually square.

-- Self-development is a higher duty than self-sacrifice. -- Elizabeth Cady Stanton