I recently agreed to build a couple of bedside tables for a buddy of mine.
He wanted something constructed of cherry to match his bed.

He wanted to pay me fair market value but I insisted that he just pay my
lumber bill (with 50% extra purchased so that could be picky about grain
selection and still be left with a modest bonus to my inventory.

Since I would not accept "payment" he bought me a the 12" Starrett
combination square with the center-finding and protractor heads as a "tip".

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...96&cat=1,42936

I have never owned a good combination sqaure before. This thing is sweet.
It's heft and action are flawless, and the etching is crisp making it very
(very) readable.

I have found that I use it as a marking guage in conjunction with a making
knife. I can set the gauge at, say, 1" and easily "split the line" etched on
the rule. This was not possible with a cheap combination square as the head
would not lock really well, and the graduations were tougher to read in
chrome.

The only problem I have found with useing the combination square is this way
is that it is a bit back-heavy when marking a small offset like a 1/4". This
got me thinking that I would really get enjoy using a smaller double square
for many of these tasks.

Starrett makes a 4" double square for about $50. I am sure that the
readability and overal build quality will be essentially identical to my
combination square. Lee Valley makes a 4" DS that "appears" very similar.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...79&cat=1,42936

Could anyone who has ever touched one of the LV units offer an opinion as
to how it compares to a Starrett?

Thanks,

Steve

Stephen M wrote:

Could anyone who has ever touched one of the LV units offer an opinion as
to how it compares to a Starrett?

I own the 12" Starrett set, a 6" combo Starrett, and two 4" Lee Valley
doubles.

The 6" is my daily driver. This guy and a saddle square live in my
apron at all times. If the 6" is ever damaged beyond repair, I think
I'd have to have a proper, public burial for it. G

I use the 4" units and the 6" as marking gauges all the time. The 4"
models are _very good_, with slightly less of the "feel" of the Starrett
6", buy they were significantly less money. I'd say the LV models lock
the blade as well as the Starrett.

All that said, I'd buy all of them again.

Barry

Barry,

Thanks for the 1st hand asessment. That's exactly what I was looking for.

You certainly have a well-equipped stable. Why two 4" double squares? I
would think that with the the 6 you hould still save 2 "settings" at a time.

-Steve



"B a r r y" wrote in message
. ..
Stephen M wrote:

Could anyone who has ever touched one of the LV units offer an opinion
as
to how it compares to a Starrett?

I own the 12" Starrett set, a 6" combo Starrett, and two 4" Lee Valley
doubles.

The 6" is my daily driver. This guy and a saddle square live in my
apron at all times. If the 6" is ever damaged beyond repair, I think
I'd have to have a proper, public burial for it. G

I use the 4" units and the 6" as marking gauges all the time. The 4"
models are _very good_, with slightly less of the "feel" of the Starrett
6", buy they were significantly less money. I'd say the LV models lock
the blade as well as the Starrett.

All that said, I'd buy all of them again.



Barry

Hope I am not intruding here. Have studied the classic metrology tools
and while they have a million uses, some are difficult to execute.
Holding and marking for example. Maybe have a look at my T-square. Will
rest on stock as narrow as 5/8" square, leaves your other hand free for
marking and positioning. See http://www.patwarner.com/t_square.html
link for more.

Nice design, Pat. Next time I have an extra $60, I might order one.....

Stephen M wrote:
Barry,

Thanks for the 1st hand asessment. That's exactly what I was looking for.

You certainly have a well-equipped stable. Why two 4" double squares? I
would think that with the the 6 you hould still save 2 "settings" at a time.

-Steve

Squares are like clamps. G

If I have 2, I need to hold 3 settings, if I have 4... Of course, one
still needs to have a decent blade extension to mark across the board.
Then there's depth....

Let's not go down bevel gage street.

Barry

Stephen M wrote:
I recently agreed to build a couple of bedside tables for a buddy of mine.
snip


I have several, but my favorite is the 6" Starrett double. I find it
more useful than the combination square 95% of the time. I don't mark at
45º often. However, I had a local shop owner @ Beaumont's tools actually
call & order a satin chrome blade for it. The standard blade is steel
without a finish, and prone to rusting. That was several years ago - as
they do tend to last. But I would check first.

"Stephen M" wrote:


Starrett makes a 4" double square for about $50. I am sure that the
readability and overal build quality will be essentially identical to my
combination square. Lee Valley makes a 4" DS that "appears" very similar.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...79&cat=1,42936

Could anyone who has ever touched one of the LV units offer an opinion as
to how it compares to a Starrett?

Thanks,

Steve




I've never used the LV square, but I have a more or less identical one
that has become the most used square I own. get it, you won't regret it.

--

I have wondered about this for a long time, but didn't want to ask. I have a double square, but can someone explain the advantage of it over a combo square? Am I missing some uses for the second side that I can't envision?

thanks-it was time to get enough courage to ask this question.