Try-Squares:  For checking that planed stock is square and true.  Plane a true edge, mark it and plane the face true (square) to that edge, using the try square to check as you proceed.  These are habits often forgotten in these days of shrink-wrapped bundles of "PAR" softwood (perish the thought) but for quality woodwork, using hardwoods or sawn timber, these essentials to sound workmanship don't change.

These squares are made to British Standard 3322 (or better, in the case of the Sorby versions) giving a guarantee of accuracy.  The Crown versions feature a rosewood stock with brass facings and hardened, tempered and blued blades securely rivetted to the stock.  The Sorby "Gilt Edge" squares are based on an extruded brass H-beam, into the centre of which the blade is secured by rivetting, giving metal to metal location.  The H-beam is then infilled with rosewood to create a handsome tool that any woodworker would be proud to own.  With brass on both edges of the stock, the Sorby is one of the very few squares where accuracy (better than 0.0005" - half a thou. - per inch of blade) to both inside and outside edges of the stock is guaranteed. We also supply an  Engineer's square.

Dovetail Squares:  Q: When is a square not a square?  A: When it is designed for marking out dovetails. 

Creating perfect dovetails is not easy but is certainly made a whole lot easier if the marking out is accurate.  It is also worthy of note that not all dovetails are created equal: in more compressible, softer, timbers it is recommended to use a lower dovetail angle (1:6) whereas the appearance of dovetails is more refined if they are set at a steeper angle (1:8), as can be the case when using harder timbers.  Hence you can choose our 1:6 square for softer woods (more splayed dovetails) or the 1:8 to add that touch of refinement in harder woods.  But at this price, why choose?  One of each makes a lot of sense!

Multi-Angle Square  A unique marking tool from Crown Tools, featuring a solid brass blade, 1/8" (3mm) thick, with a brass-faced rosewood stock.  The blade is profiled to provide angles of 90, 45, 30 and 60 degrees.  A handy device and one that it's unlikely that anyone in your neighbourhood owns!  In brass and rosewood, it's worth buying just to hang on the 'shop wall, using the handy little hole so thoughtfully provided!

M3 Multi-Function Square

  If you thought that the try square was one of those tools that "always has been, always will be - it just is", then you didn't have the vision of M-Power Tools.  This innovative company have taken a fresh look at the traditional tool, in the light of the wood craftsman's needs, and have brought it into the 21st century with a bang!  The result is the M3 square which not only acts as a precise square - but one that can be re-zeroed when you have dinged it and that allows you to mark two edges of the timber at one setting, regardless of the edge form - but also as a bevel gauge and a marking gauge too!  Incredible!  Take a look and see what the world has been missing - until now!

Also supplied with the M3 square is the M3 Scribe, based on the Tri-Scribe shown elsewhere, but offering the advantage of turning the square into an accuarate pencil marking gauge.  (See illustration, above, right.) And now there is a further recent addition of a concept based around the Tri-Blade whereby a blade can be used for marking out, much in the same way as the Tri-Scribe. Finally (?) there's the 2¾" (70 mm) blade mitre gauge built into the stock which locks fimly into place using its own (re-settable) lever and which shows the attention to detail in the provision of a knurled section to facilitate deploying the blade from within the stock, quickly and simply, when required.

Constructed in England from precision machined alloy castings with Sheffield spring steel blades, and finished with an epoxy powder coating the M3 is designed to give a lifetime of service.  A practical tool for practical people from a very practical company.

Framing and Combination Square:  For those times when only something big will do. This steel framing square at 400mm x 600mm is sure to provide the goods. Really comming into it's own when laying out large geometry such as that of a timber frame structure. Includes full Essex tables, instructions for; rafter cuts, roofing pitches & braces.
When multiple angle are needed quicky, for setting out tenons and mortices, the combinaion square it the tool for the job, with its 90 and 45 degree angles, and an incorporated spirit level this piece of equipment becomes very vesatile indeed.

©1997-2006 P. Hemsley.  The information on this website is the copyright property of Peter Hemsley.  Coeur du Bois and The ToolPost are trading styles of Peter Hemsley.  Whilst reasonable efforts are made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, no liability can be accepted for errors in this information nor for contingencies arising therefrom.  If you are inexperienced in any aspect of woodworking, we would strongly counsel that you take a course of formal instruction before commencing to practice