Engineers squares

[Kent]

The best ones i have found are the new 'old stock' Moore and Wright that turn up on ebay very regularly. Had some brand spankers just needing the dried out oil cleaning off them. We have to check ours against a calibrated square every 6 months - even with a bit of abuse they always stay true.

I like that "new old stock" meaning I suppose they buy them in from the cheaper manufacturers? Simply re-branding them!

Abuse? yes, people need to get real here dropping onto a solid floor from an 800 high bench is perhaps more likely to damage one than an odd little tap with the stock end to bring a leg into dead true or popping a bit of light spatter off that's effecting the Square check 1/2 hr saved in one week will buy a new square anyhow

 

[Richard.]

I like that "new old stock" meaning I suppose they buy them in from the cheaper manufacturers? Simply re-branding them!

Abuse? yes, people need to get real here dropping onto a solid floor from an 800 high bench is perhaps more likely to damage one than an odd little tap with the stock end to bring a leg into dead true or popping a bit of light spatter off that's effecting the Square check 1/2 hr saved in one week will buy a new square anyhow

I'd never make it in business and above would be a small part of the reason why (along with many more) I'm too fanatic about things. I am one of few that would hunt high and low for the chipping hammer or scraper for hours. I refuse blind to use a 10mm spanner on a 3/8 nut. And god help anyone that uses anything out of my box to hit something with (baring a hammer). Nope I'd never make it in business at all as my priorities would be in the wrong place.

 

[Kent]

Richard,
Its just a case of application, severity and consequences. I used to get rollicked for hitting drawing sizes smack on when I was in the machine shop, rather than using half tolerance as a target and working faster as an example . Perhaps those that fully weld out everything when stitches are just fine or even better? Chasing a midges privates has its place and let me assure you I do keep some high quality measuring gear in the house when required for such a thing, mostly its not and clients don't appreciate delays and a massive bill for say a gate that is within a single mm of square when you can wind out far more on the hinges. If having an eyeball is good enough that is what it gets deciding what is appropriate is the key, we cannot work to turbine tolerances on digger buckets but shouldn't ever turn out sub standard work

 

[hotrodder]

Not engineers squares but combination squares... i bought a cheapy once, not through choice, i needed a longer ruler for my Mitutoyo but couldn't get one locally and couldn't wait so it was cheap tat or nothing. Besides not being very square the head was a fraction of the weight of a good quality brand and soft so easily marred. The locking screw didn't actually lock the ruler unless done up stupidly tight at which point it'd jam. It's sole redeeming feature was that the ruler fitted a Mitutoyo head, unfortunatly according to the Mitutoyo ruler cheapnese mm are shorter

 

[MattF]

I'd never make it in business and above would be a small part of the reason why (along with many more) I'm too fanatic about things. I am one of few that would hunt high and low for the chipping hammer or scraper for hours. I refuse blind to use a 10mm spanner on a 3/8 nut. And god help anyone that uses anything out of my box to hit something with (baring a hammer). Nope I'd never make it in business at all as my priorities would be in the wrong place.

Kent put it well. In most regards, there's a time and a place, where one or the other suits best, or where something is plainly not possible within reason. On the square front, I'm another one who point blank refuses to use a square for other than it's intended purpose, regardless of circumstance, but certain tools will get used for tapping something in or out, for example, at a push when necessary.

There's being particular, (or OCD, as people love to call it), and there's being particular. Simple logic and reasoning dictates that some things won't fall apart or fail to function if used outside their intended scope, regardless of what the less logical part of the mind is saying. I'm finnicky as hell and refuse to back down on certain things due to their never being any need or excuse for doing so, but reality and simple logic also exist. Perfection is always the target, but it has to be metered by reality.

 

[Richard.]

I totally agree Kent I've been in a fab shop for a number of years and I know what needs to be done. Getting it out the door puts bread on the table. I'm a bit OCD with imperfections. And stuff that ain't right haunts me for ages. I've got what some might say a good working attitude buts others would say not.

 

[Richard.]

Not engineers squares but combination squares... i bought a cheapy once, not through choice, i needed a longer ruler for my Mitutoyo but couldn't get one locally and couldn't wait so it was cheap tat or nothing. Besides not being very square the head was a fraction of the weight of a good quality brand and soft so easily marred. The locking screw didn't actually lock the ruler unless done up stupidly tight at which point it'd jam. It's sole redeeming feature was that the ruler fitted a Mitutoyo head, unfortunatly according to the Mitutoyo ruler cheapnese mm are shorter

That's because they are milimotures HR not mm, completely different scale of measurement only found on cheapenese measuring equip.

 

[Richard.]

 

[Richard.]

Before you say the end has been cut off. Which one do you trust

 

[MattF]

I'm a bit OCD with imperfections.

Just particular, not OCD.

And stuff that ain't right haunts me for ages.

You're not alone there, though quite obviously, starting a sentence with "and" isn't on your 'just not right' list.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

View attachment 68770
Before you say the end has been cut off. Which one do you trust

I am guessing, as the rule is so battered, its much loved and so is correct whereas the tape looks new so is crap!

 

[Richard.]

I am guessing, as the rule is so battered, its much loved and so is correct whereas the tape looks new so is crap!

I thought that. According to the forum I robbed the pic off guy bought the rule in a job lot and the tape was correct rule was not. Shocking.

 

[MattF]

What make was the rule?

 

[eSCHEn]

You know the saying, give someone an inch and they'll take twenty three twenty fourths

 

[Gareth J]

I was very surprised to find a poundland 600mm steel rule I bought once to be pretty much bang on against mitoyo verniers. It's not mega straight but did the one off job I need it for and I still use it. Better than expected for £1.

 

[Brad93]

Oxford tools mime.are.from.Cromwell's. Also have a seriously old 12" Moore and Wright but that's not square no more

 

[Henrik]

I was very surprised to find a poundland 600mm steel rule I bought once to be pretty much bang on against mitoyo verniers. It's not mega straight but did the one off job I need it for and I still use it. Better than expected for £1.

Doesn't surprise me tbh, as I'm guessing the tools made to bang out cheap rules etc are still made with cnc, so no reason they shouldn't be fairly close

I only have reasonably priced rules myself, but I've got a reasonably accurate vernier by the old Swedish manufacturer Arboga. It's far nicer to use the posh set than the other cheapies I have, as it has "nicer" moving parts etc, but for a ruler without any moving bits; meh!

 

[Kent]

Tape measures are notorious for not passing calibration! But then again they ain't meant for totally accurate measures
Laser measures are bang on but tend to bounce off the wrong thing. Tapes have a lot of faults with the sliding stop. Rules wear on the end. Squares get burs on the very corner etc
Oh and bad workmen blame thier tools lol

 

[Richard.]

Tape measures are notorious for not passing calibration! But then again they ain't meant for totally accurate measures
Laser measures are bang on but tend to bounce off the wrong thing. Tapes have a lot of faults with the sliding stop. Rules wear on the end. Squares get burs on the very corner etc
Oh and bad workmen blame thier tools lol

Mine consistently get a bo#l##king. They spend there lives treading on eggshells poor things.