Replies

1. 
   bobl | Jul 31, 2006 07:27pm | #1

   "And then I noticed the series of dots running down the center of the tongue. Anybody know what arcane purpose they serve?"

   yes

    

   bobl          Volo, non valeo

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1. 
   andy_engel | Jul 31, 2006 07:33pm | #2

   Great, thanks.Andy

   "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein

   "Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom

1. 
   bobl | Jul 31, 2006 08:01pm | #3

   glad to help.in case you want to what what they are, they are fractions of a cubit. 

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1. 
   FastEddie | Jul 31, 2006 08:22pm | #5

   fractions of a cubit

   I thought they were related to the black diamonds on tapes.

     

   "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

1. 
   bobl | Jul 31, 2006 08:49pm | #8

   "I thought they were related to the black diamonds on tapes."right, the black diamonds are a cubit apart 

   bobl          Volo, non valeo

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2. 
   Jer | Aug 01, 2006 01:32pm | #25

   "I thought they were related to the black diamonds on tapes"

    

   Or perhaps that little nib thingy on the ends of the old crosscut and rip handsaws.

2. 
   andy_engel | Jul 31, 2006 08:28pm | #6

   As always, your wisdom betrays your great age. <G>Andy

   "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein

   "Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom

2. 
   fredsmart | Jul 31, 2006 08:14pm | #4

   laying out a octagon if I remember right. 

    

    

   http://www.tpub.com/content/construction/14044/css/14044_59.htm

    

   have a look at that.

    

   
   

   ---

   Edited 7/31/2006 1:18 pm ET by fredsmart

1. 
   andy_engel | Jul 31, 2006 08:31pm | #7

   Fred, thanks for USEFUL information. I'm guessing that unlike bobl, you're young, handsome, and virile.

   G,D&RAndy

   "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein

   "Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom

3. 
   john_carroll | Jul 31, 2006 11:03pm | #9

   Andy, It's the octagon scale. There's a brief article about it that appeared in FHB. It's on their online site here: http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuilding/pages/h00104.asp

1. 
   bobl | Jul 31, 2006 11:17pm | #10

   "There's a brief article about it that appeared in FHB."ouch 

   bobl          Volo, non valeo

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1. 
   andy_engel | Aug 01, 2006 12:00am | #11

   I've got to start reading that magazine! I hear it's pretty good.Andy

   "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein

   "Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom

1. 
   basswood | Aug 01, 2006 03:05am | #12

   Also described in Chapter 1 of Workshop Math:http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES.exe?PARTNUM=122-726&ov=4833

4. 
   cliffy | Aug 01, 2006 04:55am | #13

   It is for octagons and if I remember correctly, in a recent issue Rob Turnquist (spelling?) gives a very brief explanation.  In some back issue (way back) i think there is an article about the framing square but i cannot say for certain if that one was in FHB or another publication.

   Have a good day

   Cliffy

5. 
   cowtown | Aug 01, 2006 05:31am | #14

   Andy... you're writing one book on stairs, and want to include everything there is to know about framing squares?

   Fred Hodgson, Townsend and others saw fit to write whole volumes, sometimes even two, on this very thing.

   I dunno if it's doable.

   Eric

1. 
   andy_engel | Aug 01, 2006 06:07am | #15

   No, not everything, and not much detail beyond identifying labels. But I have to talk about framing squares, as they're the essential stairbuilder's tool. And I have to caution folks not to confused by the 10th and 12th scales. If I'm going that far, I have to give a sentence over to each to describe their purpose. At this point, I've mentioned enough oddities that leaving the scales out is just going to make people wonder. So, I'm planning an illustration that shows each side of the square, and just labels the tables. It's not taking up much room, since I'd have pretty much the same illustration to show the 10th and 12th scales.

   Good thing about books is that there's a lot more space than in a magazine. No way could I ever do that much of a tangent in a magazine article. No problem in a book, though.Andy

   "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein

   "Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom

1. 
   basswood | Aug 01, 2006 06:10am | #16

   Did you see my posts on how to use the Framing Square to do your income taxes?

   Edited 7/31/2006 11:17 pm ET by basswood

1. 
   andy_engel | Aug 01, 2006 06:17am | #17

   I did see them, in a cursory manner. But I was tired of that thread and I'm afraid your later posts got as much of my attention as my dog gets from my cat. Nothing personal - just weariness.Andy

   "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein

   "Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom

1. 
   basswood | Aug 01, 2006 06:24am | #18

   Yeah, it was rather silly...and not my idea...I just wanted to show that there are far more applications for those L-shaped things than most realize.Look forward reading your stair piece.I just built a new set of stairs to my basement a couple of weeks ago...the Framing Square was a great help with that.

2. 
   andy_engel | Aug 01, 2006 06:41am | #20

   the Framing Square was a great help with that.

   I should think so. <G>Andy

   "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein

   "Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom

3. 
   basswood | Aug 01, 2006 06:43am | #21

   I think stair gauges are one of the coolest, super-simple, inventions ever!

2. 
   cowtown | Aug 01, 2006 08:43am | #24

   and speaking of tangents....that's one thing a 2$ garage sale slide rule (no batteries eh!) can calculate in a flash.....rise/run etc. and don't forget the starrett stair-tread gauge, long dead , but easily reproduced by use of a coupla Lee Valley story stick clamp sets. You at least gotta give a footnote to Hodgson's tomes. I'm sure you'd agree if your have read them. Eric in Calgary

1. 
   andy_engel | Aug 01, 2006 04:04pm | #26

   Got a title? I'm always looking for old carpentry books.Andy

   "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein

   "Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom

1. 
   cowtown | Oct 12, 2009 09:38am | #27

   andy..just cleaning up some stuff on the list.... If you still want titles about squares and how to use them, I can certainly provide them

   eric

   ecoyle@(nospam)telus.net

6. 
   blue_eyed_devil | Aug 01, 2006 06:38am | #19

   They are used with dividers to create an octogon.

   don't ask me how...I don't rememember. We were required to layout some octogon formwork in carpenter school using them though. it's just too long ago....

   blue

    

7. 
   joeh | Aug 01, 2006 06:51am | #22

   Andy, I hope you're including a chapter on Blue's method for building circular stairs with a stapler?

   Joe H

8. 
   PeteDraganic | Aug 01, 2006 07:36am | #23

   Andy,

   I answered that for you 2 weeks ago and I thought your response was just some kidding around....

   Now I realize that you really thought I was the one making the joke.

   LOL

   From:  PeteDraganic   Jul-17 9:54 pm  To:  Andy_Engel  (15 of 40)    76191.15 in reply to 76191.12  The dots are the "octagon scale".  It is used for converting a square to an octagon. The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits. -Albert Einstein http://www.peteforgovernor.com     View Image Options  View ImageReply View ImageDelete View ImageEdit

   From:  Andy_Engel   Jul-20 10:28 am  To:  PeteDraganic  (31 of 40)    76191.31 in reply to 76191.15  Ahh, thanks. I've also been told that holding the square over your head deflects cosmic rays much like alumuinum foil. Andy "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein "Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom     View Image Options  View ImageReply

   The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits. -Albert Einstein

   http://www.peteforgovernor.com