March 10, 2004
#33 :: 3-inch carpenter's square
Mystery takes peculiar forms. Sometimes it's the center of war or religious zealotry. Sometimes it's an upperclass strange-o in a deerstalker hat and houndstooth cape poncing about with a magnifying glass. And sometimes mystery glints from your palm as an almost impracticably small, yet completely functional tool. This might have been a manufacturer's sample, or it might have been exceptionally useful in a shop specializing in building miniature balsa-wood architectural models. It is exquisitely machined, with a drop-forged, hand-finished body and a cast-nickel set screw that controls the sharp steel ruler's ability to slide. And it sings - of dado, miter, rabbet, dovetail and joints that might have been.
I've really enjoyed Heavy Little Objects for the objects and (when you're on) you're writing style. I've been doing something similar (not as well) in the DoDads thread at Cellar.org
I believe this is a 3" combination square, not a carpenters square. Sometimes called a machinists square. Great collection, I feel your pain.LOL
Thanks for the mash note, Bruce. Thanks also for the correction - I couldn't picture a world where something this size would be practical, but a machinist's shop makes sense.
As for being "on" - it's rare. Most days I feel as though I'm just slapping stuff up, but every so often, I post something with a little stylistic weight. This ain't necessarily one of them. In any case, I started HLO for myself, and I'll end it one day, before the tchotchkes take over my life. In any case, thanks for reading.
Posted by: mack at July 11, 2004 10:02 PM
My father has one of these. I always fiddle with it when I'm in his shop. It's tiny and cute and I think he actually uses it for joinery. He builds cabinets, and I can see it being useful for marking on, say, the edges of boards.