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Question about an old tool I still use. I just picked up roll stock of white lexan and cut it into six different faces for backlit signs I'm working on. We get jobs like this often and the roll stick comes with a jagged edge most of the time, so I still depend on my T-Square when cutting lexan, aluminum, and sintra. The last few years I had trouble finding a good T-Square, I picked up a "Pickett" brand square that has an aluminum 2 foot ruler attached to a plastic "T". I used it to mark my lines to this 33 foot roll of lexan. I noticed this square was actually not quite square. I figured so cuz it looks cheap. It was $40 but only worth 25 cents. I fixed the lines and cut the faces. I remember back in my "Graphics College" days (before I cared about computers) I was using these large T-Squares with a three foot aluminum ruler bolted to an iron "T". They were great and perfectly square. I can't remember what brand they were, but it would come in handy when cutting sign faces for rush orders. I cut materials by hand, not with a "stand up cutter" or table saw, just circular saw and "jig-saw" with different blades for different media.
Anyway, since computers I've had a hard time finding good drawing tools. Does anyone know a good brand "T-Square" and where to get one?
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Hey Curt, that's the sad world we live in now. Squares, shoes, tools even signs are not about quality but about price. A square that would start OK gets dropped on the floor damaging the "made in china" sticker and worst, throwing the square ... out of square!
I can't fix it for you, but I gotta trick. Mark your line, flip the square and mark it again then go half way... you'll be dead on.
'DING'.... ah, my egg-roll's ready, talk to you later & good luck with your "square".
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hahaha, that is so true Rene. Well, looks like I'm gonna have to take it apart and drill new holes to make it square again.. until it falls back on the floor.
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My 4'er's made by Mayes Brothers Tool Manufacturing Co. It's always been spot on...and its "Amurkin" (Johnson City, Tenn.). 'Course, I don't remember ever dropping it.
[ November 03, 2009, 10:29 AM: Message edited by: Terry Baird ]
-------------------- Terry Baird Baird Signs 3484 West Lake Rd. Canandaigua, NY 14424 Posts: 790 | From: Canandaigua, New York | Registered: Dec 2002
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Curt: Try a home improvement store that sells drywall tools. I believe drywallers use a fairly large (3' x 4' or more) steel t-square. Easy enuf to check accuracy at the store by flipping it.
-------------------- Eric Elmgren ericsignguy@comcast.net A & E Graphic Signs Park Ridge, IL "The future isn't what it used to be" -Yogi Berra Posts: 192 | From: PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS | Registered: Aug 2009
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love the Mayes Bros. line of T's, rulers, easy to spot yellow, solid.
-------------------- John Lennig / Big Top Sign Arts 5668 Ewart Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada bigtopya@hotmail.com 604.451.0006 Posts: 2184 | From: Burnaby, British Columbia,Canada | Registered: Nov 2001
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To ensure permnament square, I always cut away rivets and welded, mig for metal and tig for aluminum...built a quick jig to hold it square throughout welding process, when done, I let it cool in jig, holds it's square even after being dropped, if you're not so equipped, any quality welding shop can do the same...
(quick howdy to Eric/BigTop)....
-------------------- Frank Magoo, Magoo's-Las Vegas; fmagoo@netzero.com "the only easy day was yesterday" Posts: 2365 | From: Las Vegas, Nv. | Registered: Jun 2003
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Yep, I use a drywall square as well. They are aluminum and I clamped mine to the substrate with 'spring' clamps and use the widest part of the circular saw base against the straight edge. That puts the 't' part on the far side of the material, away from you. Then you cut the substrate and on through the 't' part of the t-square it may cut off an inch or two). Now you have it customized to your saw. Make your mark, set the cut edge of the 't' on your mark. Clamp it down and cut.
-------------------- John Byrd Ball Ground, Georgia 770-735-6874 http://johnbyrddesign.com so happy I gotta sit on both my hands to keep from wavin' at everybody! Posts: 741 | From: Ball Ground, Georgia, USA | Registered: May 1999
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In addition to drywall squares, I also have a giant .050 Aluminum triangle, the remnants of some letter backs that were cut out on a router. The triangle has a nice right angle and I saved it from the scrap heap.
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5084 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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What amazes me is the common failure to make squares square. Flip the average steel carpenters' square on the hardware store rack and it's off by 1/6" on the long leg. How hard can it be? I always check them before I buy.
Quick howdy back, amigo. You going to Fred's?
-------------------- Eric Elmgren ericsignguy@comcast.net A & E Graphic Signs Park Ridge, IL "The future isn't what it used to be" -Yogi Berra Posts: 192 | From: PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS | Registered: Aug 2009
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Totally relate Eric, and it doesn't stop there, new(?) auto parts that don't fit, electrical products that burn up shortly after first use(shoddy craftsmenship to blame), ever had a hard Stabilo in hot weather?, and speaking of square, very few new cars come off a assembly line square and it's not some plan to sell more tires, it's just "status quo" of doing things...oh well..........sigh
Fred's? You bet......
-------------------- Frank Magoo, Magoo's-Las Vegas; fmagoo@netzero.com "the only easy day was yesterday" Posts: 2365 | From: Las Vegas, Nv. | Registered: Jun 2003
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