Aluminum Squares

A good square is one tool that’s indispensable in the shop. I use it on just about every project I build. But some squares aren’t all that accurate. That’s why I like the design of the squares. Not only can you customize them to your liking, but they’re adjustable. If they should ever lose their accuracy, there’s an easy fix. Four cap screws hold the blade securely to the handle of the square. If the blade ever gets knocked out of square, you can loosen the screws, adjust it back to 90°, and then retighten the screws. The really nice thing about these squares is they’re easy to build with common shop tools. In a nutshell, you’ll take readily available aluminum bar stock and laminate it to form the handle, as shown at left. Finally, after attaching the blade and adjusting it, you’re ready to put the square to use in your shop.