Purpose of the holes on this Square/Protractor?

JohnB47

What are the tiny holes on the bottom of this item for? Any ideas? If you want you can search for:

Angle Ruler Measuring Tool Square Protractor Woodworking Miter Triangle Ruler

victor2

Checking drill sizes?

accurately scribing at a set distance?

TadleyBaggie

That's the holes above the ones at the bottom. The ones at the bottom all look the same size to me.

marlot

I think you put a pencil or scribe in the appropriate hole, you can use it as a marking gauge. Making it easy to mark up a line eg. 20mm from the panel edge.

i use one of these in the workshop to do much the same thing: https://www.toolstation.com/draper-marking-gauge/p46558

bjorn_toby_wilde

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81946694#Comment_81946694

This ^

Put a pencil in the hole then slide the square along an edge and it will mark a line parallel to that edge.

JohnB47

Thanks everyone for solving that mystery. Scribing holes indeed.

grumpy_codger

I think it's for measuring diameter of drill bits and similar. You don't need that sort of precision for anything else.

stuart45

He means the smaller holes at the bottom. It's just a 3D version of the speed square, which is a useful tool for cutting rafters, easier than the old rafter square with stair gauges.

Section62

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81947247#Comment_81947247

You don't need that sort of precision for anything else.

It allows you to mark a line parallel to an edge with an offest between 4mm and 72mm in 1mm increments. The speed square type normally have increments of 5mm (or 1/4" if you got a USA made one).

For example, it would make it easier to mark the holes for cupboard door hinge screws if, for example, they needed to be (say) 33mm from the edge. Quicker to use this than setting a marking gauge to 33mm.

That said, the accuracy will depend on having a pencil or scriber which is the correct size for the holes in the square, with a point which is concentric, and if the pencil/scriber is held square. If you need mm accuracy then you won't necessarily get it with this tool.

stuart45

It's quite handy having a drill gauge built into it.

Section62

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81947413#Comment_81947413

But does it make a good mug of tea and a bacon roll?