Nothing fancy here. Long ago like 4-5 years, I made this tri square specifically for my drill press. I know the light colored wood is Maple but not sure about the darker one. I think it's Walnut. It's assembled with Maple dowels. It's pretty accurate when I hold it next to my machinist square which is dead accurate. In the first photo I'm holding them up in front of florescent lights. No gaps at all. Cold and hot weather hasn't changed it a bit which surprised me a bit. I was thinking over time it would change sitting in my garage cabinets but it hasn't.
Thanks Barbara. I don't have much Walnut. I thought it might be torrefied maple which I have a fair amount. However.. Torrefied Maple has a roasted smell that unmistakable. I agree... it's Walnut.
I made one in HS shop class. It's 54 years old right about now. It never did quit moving, so one day it was good, the next. not so much. I tried to use it for real work back in 1971, but it just lacked even against a POS square from the lumber yard. As I picked up better tools, I found a big clunky machinist square that is dead nutz, and it hasn't budged a bit since I bought it. At my last shop I had it hanging on the wall, since we moved 12 years ago, not sure which box it's stuffed in now, but some day it will pop up. For my square at the tool, for just end cuts, I mostly use those plastic squares you see everywhere. If a person couldn't afford a great machine square at each machine, they are pretty darn accurate, and that plastic of the heavier class stays stable, unless you get it too close to the heat gun. DAMHIKT.
Really nice Rick! Wood squares are really fun to make and use. If you wanted something a little more stable, I would think QS wood would eliminate some of the squirliness typical in flatsawn.
Oldtool Nice looking square. I also made one, a little larger like a framing square, but I've not trusted it much, just hangs in the shop.
Thanks Oldtool! For a while I didn't trust mine either and it sat there looking pretty, unused, and looking lonely. Every now and then I'd checked it and always find it accurate and stable. Then a few days ago I checked it again and still.. it's good. I'm using it now mainly on my drill press. It finally has come into use.
HokieKen Really nice Rick! Wood squares are really fun to make and use. If you wanted something a little more stable, I would think QS wood would eliminate some of the squirliness typical in flatsawn.
Thanks Ken! It was fun to make. Good advise on using QS wood.I don't think I paid much attention to that when making this. But it looks like I may have gotten lucky!
Gary G commented about 3 hours ago Nice little square. The grain looks like Bubinga to me. So does the endgrain. Walnut has open pores whereas bubinga is more like a rosewood.
Gary...I downloaded several wood identifier apps and all except one say it's Walnut. Even had one say it's purpleheart. Go figure. Anyways... the square is very square and hasn't changed in years. I'm happy.
The 4th picture shows endgrain capillaries which defy walnut. Purpleheart has the same endgrain structure as Bubinga. Face grain for walnut is rather open pored whereas Bubinga is more similar to Rosewood and purpleheart.
Black Walnut has a janka hardness about 1010 whereas Bubinga is 2400-2600, being more than twice as hard. However, I’ve had Peruvian walnut from a guy doing gunstocks and it was much darker and more dense than American Black Walnut.
Irrespective of the wood used, it looks great and being square, all the better.
