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the handiest little square

I'm considering my current two 4", two 6", and one 6" Combination Square as a reasonable number. Those things are SO useful, particularly the 4". Sold my 3 Starrett 4" double squares for LOTS more money than I paid for all those and am FAR better off.
Sorry if I pulled my brother in to the vortex.

My two favorite places locally are an aircraft surplus and a REAL hardware store, now know as an industrial supply store. NO prices on anything. If you don't know what its worth, you don't know what you are doing and should just go away. One of the latest items was 2800 #6x2.25" hardened wood screws with an auger point and Torx drive for $12.
 
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Ryan Mooney said:
I think all the 6" are going to want the 4" :rofl:
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I agree Ryan. Those 4" are REALLY useful and handy. Glenn put me on to them. I purchased one and used it a lot. When Glenn or Greg (my other son) told me about the much less expensive place to buy them I added two more 4" and two 6". I think it would be very safe for me to say that I use the 4" four or five times as often as the 6". To me logic says that it should be the other way around, more 6" use than 4".

Anyway they are great and very easy to read. The measurement lines on the squares are thin, sharp and easy on the eyes. My advice is, "Buy at least one." You will be as accurate with one of these 4" as you would be with most 6" or 12" squares.

Enjoy, and I know you will if you buy one,
JimB
 
Well Frank Griz also has one for 21.00
Grizzly H7553

And Starrett has one for 92.xx
Size 4 Starrett Graduated Blade Double Square (1 Each)
Price: $92.48 & FREE Shipping

But this is about a good deal on the PET
5 star rated at that..
 
I've had the same 6 and 12" combination square for years and years. Everything I've tried to make them work smoothly has failed. Each time I use them I swear that I'm going to toss them in the trash.

No excuses now, it looksooks like I'll be using my new gift card :D:D
 
Companies like Starrett used to be the absolute standard of US quality. Their high end stuff still is but has become expensive. I still buy it for an aerospace manufacturing company making extreme high end equipment because of the reputation and the certifications. They have done poorly with their lower end stuff and did not do well having it made elsewhere.
I toured the factory for PEC decades ago and was very impressed. Made in SoCal. They make stuff under a variety of name including much for Fowler and Mitutoyo, who makes some fabulous high end metrology. I stumbled on the seconds being sold by HJE decades ago and bought them for new machinist hires at several high end machinist companies. I probably bought a couple hundred from them and was almost always extremely impressed at the equipment vs. the price. The only time I ever found a second that didn't work perfectly was a run of 12" combination squares that didn't fit correctly in the groove that held the rule. Interesting thing is that they still locked up square and were still clearly worth the small amount they were charging for them. Just not the crazy good deal that they usually had on the others.
Some people still wanted Starrett and the name holds some magic for them. That is why I sold the Starrett items I had left over and bought clearly superior PEC units for far less.
Those PEC double squares are a great deal at $45. Crazy good on "seconds" at $17.50.
I don't know how to value the ones from Grizzly. Clearly not worth $10. Probably not worth buying for free as a precision tool that doesn't work correctly will frustrate you horribly. I suppose they might have some use but calling them "similar" would stretch that term to being silly. My reaction would be like Bob's in that you just want to throw them at something when they don't work right.
Well, they are similar in that they look the same in the picture. Don't feel the same in person. Sure don't work the same. Grizzly makes some stuff well worth the money. This isn't one of them.
 
Thanks guys for the recommendation it was in the mail when I got home. It slides smooth as silk the thumb screw works great and it's square. Best 15 bucks I've spent in a long time!

4 inch.jpg
 
Sliding squares as the type shown in the photograph are handy but not accurate, If one does not tighten the nut firm the angle can be wrong. If you want accuracy General Tool makes a very small fixed Square it is about 3 inches x 4 inches
 
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