As an editor, she has polished and perfected an array of pieces for diverse readerships and audiences. Read More » If it is level, the string will rest on the 45-degree mark. If not, you’ll know precisely how unlevel the item is. A smart collection of books, magazines, electronics kits, robots, microcontrollers, tools, supplies, and more This aluminum speed square is popular among reviewers, with one person writing that it “draws a clean, straight line and with the extra extension up to a foot.” It’s a perfect tool not only for roofing, but for wood laminate floors as well. Instead of flipping the square to match the first line, you can “just fold down the extension” for a single clean line. Speed triangles are used as a combination square, try square and framing square in one. A roofing square is used to mark out cuts for rafters or any angle between 0 and 90°. You can also scribe lines and use the square to guide a saw across a board. Speed Squares Users

According to one customer,“this square is really nice as it is easy to read from any angle.” Many reviewers appreciate the wrapped markings and the contrast in colors, making reading the square clear and simple. Another customer wrote, “I have used every framing square imaginable over the last 30 years. These are now my go to squares and they are holding up very well.” Tip – Be sure to use a sharp pencil (not a carpenter’s pencil) for this. Many speed squares feature a sawtooth along the ruler edge which is very helpful.

A speed square is actually a triangle! It needs to be light, durable and accurate. Only the highest grades of aerospace aluminium alloys are used to make the best speed squares. Speed Square Dimensions A free program that lights children’s creative fires and allows them to explore projects in areas such as arts & Albert J. Swanson invented the A Speed Square in 1925 as a carpenter's layout tool. He later founded Swanson Tool Company to produce it. [3] Today, Swanson Tool Company still manufactures and distributes the Speed Square and other carpentry tools from its headquarters in Frankfort, Illinois. Now let's talk about roof structure and the speed square. This is what a house structure looks like, not to scale, but it gives you the picture. This roof has a 6:12 pitch meaning that every 12" of run, there is 6" of rise. That pitch correlates to the angle of the rafter that hits the ridge. This 6:12 pitch is a 26 1/2° angle. If the pitch was 12:12, the angle would be 45°. Here's how you would line up the speed square to create that angle. The numbers labeled as common are your pitches, so number 1 would be 1:12, 2 is a 2:12.....ours is 6:12, so tilting the speed square until we get to 6, now you have the right angle you can mark and cut. I'm not sure how well I can explain the birdsmouth section in words, so I am going to refer you to the video at the top which this part starts at 17:30.

Other Cool Features– The Swanson Speed Square has a patented feature — the diamond cut, a diamond-shaped cut-out on the ruler edge of the tool. This is used for squaring on a line scribed across the board so that you can then make a perfect 90° line from your scribed angled to the edge of the board. The tool is an isosceles right triangle with a ruler on one equal side and a fence on the other. It is marked with the word Pivot at the right angle point and displays Degrees on its hypotenuse, Common and Hip/Val markings on its midsection. Size:The right speed square size will depend on the task at hand and the materials being used. Sizes are available from less than four inches to as large as 12 inches. A professional speed square collection may have one in each size, or consolidate with an extendable square. Speed squares can be used to measure the pitch of a roof and to lay out angles from 0 degrees to 90 degrees. Features offered Membership connects and supports the people and projects that shape our future and supports the learningas a protractor, for easily finding and marking various common angles, especially roof rafter pitches and angles for stair stringers (the vertical supports on a stairway). Readability:A high visibility speed square is a must for any job. Whether it’s changes in lighting or flipping the square from left to right, it needs to be readable at any time. Look for a rafter angle square with a strong color contrast between the scale and the markings, and markings on both sides of the tool. In particular, laser-etched markings will last the longest. Whether measuring angles or marking straight lines on dimensional lumber, the speed squareis the tool to get it all done. Also known as a triangle square due to its shape, this tool is an excellent tool for woodworkersand craftspeople, both professionals and hobbyists alike. It plays the role of protractor, saw guide, line scriber, and even precision level. It helps provide accurate measurements and easy rafter seat cuts.