Straight-Edge Tools
Having a straight-edge that can make both 45-degree and 90-degree angles is essential so that boys can make straight lines on materials to make straight cuts. If they do not have have a straight edge then they could use a measure tape and mark in two separate spots then connect them by drawing a straight line between the two marks. Then they can cut along that straight line to make a straight-cut. But if they have a straight-edge that can make a straight 90-degree line it is much better.
I learned to use a combination square in high school shop class which can make both 90-degree lines and 45-degree lines which are useful in creating joints.
I received this combination square from Gmarket which included a free mechanical pencil that works well as a carpenter pencil.
However, when I checked this combination square with another framing square, then I discovered it was not in alignment. It shows a lot of “daylight” when held against another square and straight-edge. This is a significant amount of misalignment and this could mess up every project for a boy if he uses a faulty combination square like this.
I also tried a second straight edge to confirm that the combination square was out of alignment so there was two different tools used to confirm it was not “square” as it should be. (The image above moved a bit as I took the image but when it was held carefully in place against this straight edge, it does show this combination square is not “square” just as the other framing square also revealed. Therefore, I returned this faulty combination square which was also chipped on one edge. It was of much lower-quality than the combination squares I used in my youth in shop class.
This is called a “Rafter Square” or it could also be called a small “Framing Square” because carpenters use these when building houses to determine the pitch of the roof they are making. But in our case we just want a simple straight-edge for boys to mark a straight 90-degree line or a 45-degree line if they need to cut material to create a joint. The cost of this “rafter-square” is only 6,200 KRW but is a better price than the combination square that costs 14,700 KRW (plus shipping). This “rafter-square” is one solid metal-cast piece so there is nothing that can become lose or become misaligned. It is for this reason that it is a good choice for boy-projects since it is inexpensive and solid and accurate and will last a lifetime.
This “rafter-square” is small sized and easy to carry and store but can make straight lines on material for 90-degree and 45-degree markings. When buying tools it is sometimes better to get something solid metal-cast like this which has a better price and is more accurate than the adjustable combination square.
One-Time Purchase
As with most tools these can usually last a lifetime if they are taken-care of well and are not abused or destroyed by neglect. This is especially true with durable “metal-cast” items like this simple “rafter-square” which has no moving parts and is sturdy and not easy to bend by accident.