I've read a lot of posts here recently about "double squares", and I've never been able to figure out the advantages of one of these over a combination square. I have both (bought used at garage sales). I have always felt I was missing some use of the double square that would make my world more enjoyable. It is like having something valuable, but not knowing what the value is.
Thanks for your comments!
One advantage is that you can set the blade to length to scribe a fixed distance from an edge - say, for setting out screw holes - and still be able to use the other side as a square. Plus, it's handier in some places where the wider stock of the combination square might not fit. Other than that, though, there is not much that you can do with the double square that you can't do with the combination square.
John Martin
Hey thanks for the replies! It's hard to admit that I have tools that I don't know how to use. I bought mine real cheap in a box of asst. tools at a garage sale. It's hard to pass up a deal, plus I had spotted the double square, and I thought I could learn it usefulness later (who would have know it was years later). I will be able to go to sleep tonight knowing I learned something today. I know I learn something almost every day, but I don't always admit it. Maybe some day someone would start up a newsgroup to help people identify tools and describe their uses.
thanks!
On Tue, 10 May 2005 02:22:26 +0100, the inscrutable toolmiser spake:
Until then, check your local library and some websites. Once you find out what the tools are, you can find more info at the library on each one.
Aldren Watson wrote "Old Ways of Working Wood", and Roy Underhill wrote a library of "The Woodwright's Shop" books which are excellent for handtool use and are full of interesting projects.
More:
The illustrated encyclopedia of woodworking handtools, instruments, & devices : containing a full description of the tools used by carpenters, joiners, and cabinet makers, with many examples of tools used by other woodworkers such as, woodsmen, sawyers, coach makers, wheelwrights, shipwrights, wainwrights, coopers, turners, pattern makers, and whittlers Book Author: Blackburn, Graham, 1940- Publisher, Date: New York : Simon and Schuster, [1974] ISBN: 0671218743 - Description: 238 p. : ill. ; 29 cm.
- Tools and how to use them : an illustrated encyclopedia Book Author: Jackson, Albert, 1943- Publisher, Date: New York : Knopf, 1986, c1978. Description: 352 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.
- Encyclopedia of antique tools & machinery Book Author: Wendel, C. H. Publisher, Date: Iola, Wis. : Krause Publications, c2001. ISBN: 0873416074 (pbk.) - Description: 255 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 28 cm.
- The woodworker's complete shop reference Book Author: Churchill, J. (Jennifer), 1971- Publisher, Date: Popular Woodworking Books, c2003. Edition: 1st ed. ISBN: 1558706321 - Description: 143 p. : ill. (chiefly col.) ; 28 cm.
- The Garrett Wade book of woodworking tools Book Author: Chinn, Gary. Publisher, Date: New York : Crowell, c1979. - Edition: 1st U.S. ed. ISBN: 0690018401 - Description: 191 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cm.
- Mastering woodworking machines Book Author: Duginske, Mark. Publisher, Date: Newtown, CT : Taunton Press, c1992. ISBN: 0942391985 - Description: 245 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.
- Woodworker's hand tools : an essential guide Book Author: Peters, Rick. Publisher, Date: New York : Sterling Pub., c2001. ISBN: 0806966610 (pbk.) - Description: 192 p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm.
- Modern power tool woodworking Book Author: DeCristoforo, R. J. Publisher, Date: Raymond, Miss. : Magna Publications, c1967. Description: 352 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.
- The complete book of home workshop tools Book Author: Scharff, Robert. Publisher, Date: New York : McGraw-Hill, c1979. ISBN: 0070550425 - Description: ix, 438 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.
- The tools that built America Book Author: Bealer, Alex W. Publisher, Date: Barre, Mass. : Barre Pub. ; New York : distributed by Crown Publishers, c1976. - Edition: 1st ed. ISBN: 0517524058 - Description: vii, 212 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.
- Antique woodworking tools : a guide to the purchase, restoration and use of old tools for today's shop Book Author: Dunbar, Michael. Publisher, Date: New York : Hastings House, c1977. ISBN: 0803858213 - Description: 192 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.
- Modern woodworking : tools, materials, and processes Book Author: Wagner, Willis H. Publisher, Date: Goodheart-Willcox Co., c1978. ISBN: 0870062468 - Description: 432 p., [6] leaves of plates : ill. ; 29 cm.
- Carpentry and woodworking; a handbook of tools, materials, methods and directions, Book Author: Haines, Ray Edward. Publisher, Date: New York, D. Van Nostrand Co. 1948 Description: vii, 152 p. illus. 22 cm.
- The insider's guide to buying tools : best of Popular woodworking magazine Book [Do you recognize the author's name?] ;) Author: Self, Charles R. Publisher, Date: Cincinnati, OH : Popular Woodworking Books, 2000. ISBN: 1558705422 (alk. paper) - Description: 128 p. : col. ill. ; 26 cm.
- The woodworkers visual handbook : from standards to styles, from tools to techniques : the ultimate guide to every phase of woodworking Book Author: Arno, Jon. Publisher, Date: Reader's Digest, c1995. - Edition: Professional ed. ISBN: 0762102241 - Description: vii, 438 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 24 cm.
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