Tool Advice - Squares

[sumo]

Please forgive me asking something that probably has an obvious answer.

 

I work mainly in plastic and thin woods. 

 

I am pretty ropey at marking out and cutting square lines or scribing. 

 

I need a (set) square that will let me do this easily. I believe it would be an engineer's square, of which I have three (!)

 

I have a flat one from Eileen's. 

I have a strange one with a triangular edge, thicker than Eileen's.

I have a traditional square with a thicker handle than blade, which has a handle to blade gap of 2-3mm. 

 

What I think I need is a square with a roughly 1mm gap so that I can align one side with the plasticard edge and cut along the 'flush' blade. 

 

Hope that makes sense.

 

So is there such a tool or a technique that will help?

 

Thanks.

 

Mike  

[Ian Major]

Sumo,

 

My approach is to cut out the plastic card, cardboard, whatever on a self healing cutting mat. They always have a good straight edge. I line the edge of the item being cut with the edge of the cutting mat then use the engineer's square on both of them. The square's blade will sit flat on the item being cut and if they are both butted up hard to the square you will get a good right angle cut.

 

I too hope that makes sense!

 

Ian. 

Edited September 26, 2020 by Ian Major

[Tony Davis]

I think there's mention on this site somewhere about a device that Iain Rice put together - it's two rulers at 90 deg to each other with a washer which creates space for a piece of plasticard or whatever to fit under

[jonhall]

 

I'm not totally sure I've understood the question, I think you are saying the dimension I've tried to highlight in blue is too big, so if its put down on a surface it doesn't sit hard against the workpiece, and there is potential for a wandering or tapering line?

 

In the scenario (I hope) I've described, I often bring the sheet to be cut parallel to the edge of my cutting mat, and use the extra thickness of that to allow the thinner section to sit tighter to the sheet to be cut.

 

Jon

 

 

 

[sumo]

Thanks so far! Brain in gear!

 

I forgot to say that I had glued a piece of plasticard to the Eileen's square which pretty much worked until it fell off.

[sumo]

3 minutes ago, jonhall said:

 

I'm not totally sure I've understood the question, I think you are saying the dimension I've tried to highlight in blue is too big, so if its put down on a surface it doesn't sit hard against the workpiece, and there is potential for a wandering or tapering line?

 

In the scenario (I hope) I've described, I often bring the sheet to be cut parallel to the edge of my cutting mat, and use the extra thickness of that to allow the thinner section to sit tighter to the sheet to be cut.

 

Jon

 

 

 

 

You have understood it perfectly. I think I need the depth of the blue line to be shorter. In an ideal world. Or, quite likely as self taught, I am doing something wrong.

 

I wondered just now if I should be raising the workpiece to fit?

 

[sumo]

Okay, with you all now. 

 

Cutting mat plus plasticard is still square but thicker. Brilliant. 

 

Derrr.

 

[doilum]

44 minutes ago, Ian Major said:

Sumo,

 

My approach is to cut out the plastic card, cardboard, whatever on a self healing cutting mat. They always have a good straight edge. I line the edge of the item being cut with the edge of the cutting mat then use the engineer's square on both of them. The square's blade will sit flat on the item being cut and if they are both butted up hard to the square you will get a good right angle cut.

 

I too hope that makes sense!

 

Ian. 

Mentioned elsewhere recently. I have a sheet of thin ply with a strip of hardwood along one side. The cutting mat sits on top. I have a cheap flat metal square of 30x20 CMS and this is my default method of cutting Plastikard. Weapon of choice is the Xacto #2.

[stewartingram]

16 hours ago, Tony Davis said:

I think there's mention on this site somewhere about a device that Iain Rice put together - it's two rulers at 90 deg to each other with a washer which creates space for a piece of plasticard or whatever to fit under

 

As suggested by Iain Rice many years ago. Mine is a scrap piece of blockboard, with 2x steel rules (note spelling!) at 90 degrees, with spacing penny washers, and a self-healing cutting mat.

The plasticard (or Wills plastic sheet, which otherwise is difficult to cut), goes under the horizontal rule. It butts up against the vertical rule, and the craft knife is dragged along the edge of the horizontal one. Note that the vertical rule has notches filed in it to give clearance for the knife blade.

This has been rebuilt twice over the years, due to wear in the mat and blockboard. Invaluable tool.

 

Stewart

[sumo]

Thankyou all. I spent a happy Sunday cutting right angles!

 

This forum is so good for this type of support.

 

Mike