®

Layout Square

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 Ultimate
Layout Square
The perfect layout tool for
“big” projects.
When it comes to working
with wide boards or large ply-
wood panels, a framing square is
just the right size. The only problem is
that the thin, metal body of a framing
square can be difficult to hold against
the edge of a workpiece.
But this “problem” became the
inspiration for the project shown in
the photo above. The idea was to take
an aluminum framing square and
turn it into the ultimate layout tool.
Now I’ll admit that the result looks
a little bit like an over-sized Swiss
army knife. But after giving this tool a
try in my own shop, it quickly became
one of my favorites.
As you can see in the illustration on
the opposite page, there really isn’t
much to this project. To make it easier
to register the tongue of the square
against the edge of a workpiece, I
sandwiched it between a pair of wood
“cheeks.” Then I added a couple of extra
features — a bevel gauge for laying
out angles (see photos above) and a
slide-out tab to support the square
when using it as a layout tool (see
photos at right).
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Blade in
closed position
CHEEKS. leaves the end of the recess rounded,
To make you’ll have to square up the end with
the cheeks, I a chisel.
started by cutting Next, I mitered the end of each
two strips of wood cheek (see drawings at right). Then
to match the width of I routed a finger grip on the outside
the tongue of my square (11⁄2"). Before face of each cheek with a core box bit.
attaching the cheeks to the square, I also made a small cutout in the short
however, I did all the machining. cheek to make it easier to pull out the
First, I cut a shallow, stopped bevel gauge blade
recess on the inside face
of the short cheek to serve
as a pocket for holding
the bevel gauge blade that
is added later. I cut this
recess on the table saw
(but you could use a router
table). Since the saw blade
Slide-Out Tab. A tab at one end of the tongue
supports the square along the edge of the
workpiece.
©2023 Active Interest Media Holding Co. All Rights Reserved.
 a. LONG CHEEK ¼
(detail 'b' at right and inset photo on ¾ 1¼
previous page). Finally, I drilled a ¾"-rad. ¼
hole and installed a threaded insert ¾
45°
near the end of the long cheek and 7⁄16"-dia.
rounded off the end. 1½ 1¾
The cheeks are glued to the
framing square with epoxy and SHORT CHEEK b.
then pinned in place. I started with 31⁄8 ½" -rad. Locking Knob.
the long cheek. Once it was glued in 1¼ A cap screw is
place, I drilled four holes along the ¼ press-fit into a
inside edge, through the cheek and 45º blind hole in the
the framing square (see detail ‘a’ in 41⁄8 1 center of the
exploded view). To lock the cheek in knob.
place, I used “pins” cut from 16d fin-
ish nails. I drove the pins into the holes BLADE & TAB. All that remains to com- below and margin photo in margin)
and peened over the ends with a ball- plete the layout square is to add the and the other is to make it easier to
peen hammer. Then I filed the pins bevel gauge blade and the slide-out pull the blade out of the recess (inset
flush with the surface. tab. These are both cut from 1⁄8"-thick photo, previous page).
Once the long cheek is in place, you aluminum bar stock. The bevel gauge The tab is slotted to allow it to slide
can add the short cheek. The process blade is mitered at 30° at one end. The in and out. After you’ve made the slot,
is exactly the same. The only differ- other end is cut and filed to shape. you can attach the tab and bevel gauge
ence is that the pins you’ll use here Then a couple of blade with the knob and washer and
pass through both cheeks as well as holes are drilled in ¼" -dia. hole go to work.
the square. Take a look at detail ‘b’ in the blade — one (see inset
photo page 52)
the exploded view to see what I’m talk- is for the knob
ing about. (see details
a. b.
30 º 1⁄8
c. ¼"
threaded
brass BEVEL GAUGE 1
insert BLADE
Blade (1 x 15” - 1⁄8"
aluminum) Square up end of
Tab recess w/chisel

FIRST: Epoxy & SECOND: Epoxy &

pin long cheek pin short cheek
to square, then to square then
SHORT file pins flush file flush
1¼" -dia. CHEEK
plastic knob (1½" x 15½")
(see margin)
Aluminum
framing NOTE: Rout
square 3⁄16“-deep finger
grip w/1”-dia.
core box bit
½

¼" x ¾"
cap screw

¼" washer
SLIDE-OUT
TAB
(1½" x 1½" - 1⁄8"
aluminum)
d. Steel pins are
¾"-rad. cut from 16d
¼"-dia. finish nails
¼

NOTE: Cheeks EXPLODED

LONG are cut from VIEW
1½ CHEEK ½“-thick stock
½ (1½" x 17¼")
¼"
threaded
¾ brass
insert

2 WoodsmithPlans.com SN07812 ©2023 Active Interest Media Holding Co. All Rights Reserved.
 MAIL Project Sources
ORDER
SOURCES • McMaster-Carr
Aluminum Stock . . . . . . 89015K231
3
McMaster-Carr ⁄4” Cap Screw . . . . . . . . 92196A540
630-600-3600 11⁄4”-dia. Knob . . . . . . . . . . . 5532T35
mcmaster.com 1
⁄4”-20 Threaded Insert . 90016A029
1
⁄4” Washer . . . . . . . . . . . 90107A029

Manufacturers and retailers

will periodically redesign or
discontinue some of their items.
So you’ll want to gather all the
hardware, supplies, and tools
you need before you get started.
It’s easy to adjust dimensions or
drill different-sized holes to suit
your hardware.

3 WoodsmithPlans.com SN07812 ©2023 Active Interest Media Holding Co. All Rights Reserved.