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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Montmorency Victoria
    Posts
    554

    Default Resquaring a combination Square

    Just discovered that my Empire brand combination squares are out of square.

    At full length the 300mm and 400mm squares are over 90 degrees by about 1mm at the blade's end. No doubt from sliding a lot over the years and wearing down the rear setting.

    Is it feasible to refile the groove (2.4mm wide) square by taking a smidgen off the inside edge .... but before doing so I would like to hear from anyone who has done this and what results were achieved.

    Thanks

    Rob

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    SE Melb
    Age
    64
    Posts
    1,277

    Default

    Use either a file or sandpaper to file down the seat a little at a time. There should be quite a few videos on YouTube

  4. #3
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Woodstock (Cowra)
    Age
    74
    Posts
    3,372

    Default

    ^
    ^
    ^ What he said
    The person who never made a mistake never made anything

    Cheers
    Ray

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Brisbane (western suburbs)
    Age
    77
    Posts
    12,093

    Default

    I'd check that the blade is straight & parallel, too, wear on the blade could be contributing to the problem, but it's most likely wear in the softer stock that's responsible for most of the discrepancy.

    My combination square was a teeny bit off from new, which I didn't discover for a while, too. It was quite easy to correct, though. I used an auger file which has one end with teeth on the edge only. My stock has a small ridge along the bottom of the blade slot in the stock, which made it easier to shave a bit off than working a flat-bottomed slot. As warned, take it slowly & check frequently, removing very little metal in the slot makes a big difference at the far end of the blade. You'll need care & patience to get it spot-on, but if you can get it so any deviation is no more than the width of a fine knife-line, it will be close enough for practical purposes.

    By the time you get yours square, you'll really appreciate why Clenton re-calibratable squares are popular - it's a doddle re-squaring one of those compared with a combination square......

    Cheers,
    IW

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    749

    Default

    Don't just hack away at the seat! You need to determine where the inaccuracy is coming from. It may be the seat inside the head. It may be the rule is out of parallel, or it may be the reference edge of the head. Once you determine where the problem is coming from then you can then look at fixing it.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Perth WA Australia
    Posts
    828

    Default

    Guess it depends on what you define as feasible...

    If you value your time as free or enjoy the challenge yep feasible.

    Me personally i'd be heading to the local hardware supplier of choice.

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