I've got the answer Jerry.

[V8Ian]

As to why are houses are built out of square. Because the builders buy their squares from Bunnings.
I bought one today, fortunately I checked it before I used it. Over 200 mm it was 5 mm out. I returned it and was offered a refund or exchange. As I didn't buy it as a decoration I opted for the exchange, but decided to check it before I left the shop. There were four others on the shelf, all of them were equally inaccurate.
For crying out loud, it's a simple tool that has to perform only one function, the QA is obviously non-exsistent; what a waste of time and resources.

I just had a thought, maybe they were intended for Ron. :D

[p38arover]

I just had a thought, maybe they were intended for Ron. :D

Nah, Ian, I'd already bought an out of square engineer's square a few months back from Total Tools. When I took it back, the bloke behind the counter didn't believe me. I had to explain to (and show) him how to check a square. The replacement was ok.

[benji]

I'm showing my ignorance here, but how do you check it's a square, not an obtuse?

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app

[V8Ian]

Nah, Ian, I'd already bought an out of square engineer's square a few months back from Total Tools. When I took it back, the bloke behind the counter didn't believe me. I had to explain to (and show) him how to check a square. The replacement was ok.
As did I.

I'm showing my ignorance here, but how do you check it's a square, not an obtuse?

Sent from my SM-G900I using AULRO mobile app
Draw a line with the square, flip it 180* and compare the line. If the square is accurate the line will be in alignment.

[Toxic_Avenger]

As did I.

Draw a line with the square, flip it 180* and compare the line. If the square is accurate the line will be in alignment.

And here I was trying to remember Pythagoras theorem.

/Nerd alert.

[pop058]

some like pictures :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0liI-4rzpN4

[d2dave]

Two minutes and twenty four seconds to show us that. I could have done it in twenty seconds.

[V8Ian]

And here I was trying to remember Pythagoras theorem.

/Nerd alert.
Whose siggy line says "Keeping things simple is complex"? :D

[vnx205]

Two minutes and twenty four seconds to show us that. I could have done it in twenty seconds.

Exactly!

That is one of my big gripes about such clips.

It's is like the "bogged vehicle recovery" clips that start with two minutes of the vehicle sitting in a mudhole while all his mates stand around scratching their heads and finishes with two minutes of his mates all falling about laughing when something breaks during the recovery.

Between those two there might be ten seconds of the actual recovery..

[CraigE]

Well thanks for that learnt something new this morning. Does explain why a couple of my projects have been several mm out.


As did I.

Draw a line with the square, flip it 180* and compare the line. If the square is accurate the line will be in alignment.

[Bushie]

Two minutes and twenty four seconds to show us that. I could have done it in twenty seconds.

And he's talking cm - so obviously, only going to use it for dressmaking so it should be OK.


Martyn

[V8Ian]

Just went back to Bunnings for a small beading, after-thought on the project, and looked at the squares again. All five have been replaced in the blister packs with staples and placed back on the shelf for sale. Obviously Bunnings have no qualms selling products that are blatently not fit for purpose. :mad:

[BMKal]

I'm hearing you Ian.

I bought a new square from Bunnings last week, and only discovered it was not square AFTER I had cut a new timber shelf to fit across the back wall of the outside dunny I've been doing a bit of renovation on.

At first, I thought it was the building that was out of square (as most are in Kalgoorlie), but after turning the square over 180 degrees and checking the end of the shelf that I had just cut to length, I saw the real problem. :censored:

[jerryd]

Just finished a bathroom renovation and the last job was to install a heated towel rail. Drilled the holes in the walls only to find the towel rail was 22mm out of square and didn't line up with the holes :eek:

Bit of jiggery pokery and it was soon fitted :angel:

[V8Ian]

Just finished a bathroom renovation and the last job was to install a heated towel rail. Drilled the holes in the walls only to find the towel rail was 22mm out of square and didn't line up with the holes :eek:

Bit of jiggery pokery and it was soon fitted :angel:
You should have marked it out with a Bunnings square, it would have fitted a treat. :twisted:

[SG1 Bones]

As a carpenter/builder I've always tried to check my hand tools before buying, the biggest one is levels. I've seen brand new levels (1200mm) be 15mm out. Doesn't sound like much but in the height of a standard house wall that's 30mm. You can see it with a naked eye.

Nathan.

[ramblingboy42]

Well thanks for that learnt something new this morning. Does explain why a couple of my projects have been several mm out.

now Craig.....surely you are expecting this....

A bad carpenter blames his tools......

[p38arover]

As a carpenter/builder I've always tried to check my hand tools before buying, the biggest one is levels. I've seen brand new levels (1200mm) be 15mm out.

I found the same.

[d2dave]

As a carpenter/builder I've always tried to check my hand tools before buying, the biggest one is levels. I've seen brand new levels (1200mm) be 15mm out. Doesn't sound like much but in the height of a standard house wall that's 30mm. You can see it with a naked eye.

Nathan.

I wouldn't think that you would have any problems with Stabila ones.

[cuppabillytea]

And here I was trying to remember Pythagoras theorem.

/Nerd alert.
" The square of the Hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides." Pythagoras...(Expurgated English Version).

[cuppabillytea]

As a carpenter/builder I've always tried to check my hand tools before buying, the biggest one is levels. I've seen brand new levels (1200mm) be 15mm out. Doesn't sound like much but in the height of a standard house wall that's 30mm. You can see it with a naked eye.

Nathan.

To a Shipwright a level is as useful as a chocolate teapot so why does a Cabinet maker need one? Just asking as I am a Nong with wood.
Cheers, Billy.

[SG1 Bones]

I wouldn't think that you would have any problems with Stabila ones.


I've found Stabila ones to be the best, Stanley, Lufkin and other sorts tend to be hit and miss. It's probably not the manufacturing at fault but maybe careless shipping.

Nathan.

[Toxic_Avenger]

Youtuber oxtoolco has some great videos, one in particular shows the level calibration process. Very knowledgeable bloke... with lots of awesome tools and a nice shed to boot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIDL77qt1tI

Skip to 7m30s if you are interested in the abbreviated version

[Saitch]

On a construction site a few years ago I had a contractor query some pegs I had placed at building corners. To cut a long story short, he had purchased a box of half a dozen 50 metre nylon tapes at a bargain price while touring China.
When compared with my 30 metre nylon coated steel tape, his were 115 mm long at 30 metres. They all went in the skip. He was lucky that this was the 1st use he'd made of one!

[SG1 Bones]

On a construction site a few years ago I had a contractor query some pegs I had placed at building corners. To cut a long story short, he had purchased a box of half a dozen 50 metre nylon tapes at a bargain price while touring China.
When compared with my 30 metre nylon coated steel tape, his were 115 mm long at 30 metres. They all went in the skip. He was lucky that this was the 1st use he'd made of one!


That's a classic. Years ago I was working with a builder who bought us all the same tape for that reason. They had to be the same within a mm.

Nathan.