1. THE SQUARE
The Steel Square is made in the form of a right angle,
that is its two arms (the body and the longue) make
an angle of 90 degrees, which is a right angle.
By referring to the diagram in Fig. 1, it will be noted
that if we connect points "A" and "C" by drawing a
straight line we will have a triangle "ABC," and since
the angle "B" on the Square is a right angle---the
triangle will be a "right--triangle." Therefore the Steel
Square as well as all roof framing is based on the
principles of a right triangle.
A right triangle is a figure having three sides : Base,
Altitude and. Hypotenuse. The hypotenuse is the long
est side of the triangle and is always opposite the right
angle. Fig. 2..
The reference tables
on the Stanley Squares
werecarefully prepared in
accordance with the above
mentioned principles.The
fallowing terms identifying
the different portionsof the
Steel Square should be noted
and remembered
The Steel Square consists of two parts: the Body or
Blade and the Tongue. Figs 3 and 4.
1. BODY. The Body is the longer and wider part.
The Body of the Stanley Standard Steel Square is 24
inches long and 2 inches wide.
2. TONGUE. The Tongue is the shorter and
narrower part and usually is 16 inches long and 1 1/2
inches wide.
3. HEEL. The point at which the body and
tongue meet on the outside edge of the Square is called
the Heel.The intersection of the inner edges of the body
and tongue is sometimes also called the Heel.
4. FACE. The Face of the Square is the side on
which the name "Stanley" is stamped, or the visible
side, while holding the body in the left hand and tongue
in the right hand. Fig. 3.
5. BACK. The Back is the side opposite to the
face. Fig. 4.
The modern Square usually has two kinds of markings
: Scales and Tables.
6. SCALES. The Scales are the inch divisions
found on the outer and inner edges of the Square and
the inch graduations into fractions of an inch . The
Stanley Square illustrated herein has the following
| Face of body | outside edge | Inches and Sixteenths |
| Face of body | inside edge | Inches and Eighths. |
| Face of tongue | outside edge | Inches and Sixteenths. |
| Face of tongue | inside edge | Inches and Eighths. |
| Back of body | outside edge | Inches and Twelfths. |
| Back of body | inside edge | Inches and Thirty-seconds. |
| Back of tongue | outside edge | Inches and Twelfths. |
| Back of tongue | inside edge | Inches and Tenths. |
7. HUNDREDTH SCALE . This scale is located
on the back of the tongue, in the corner of the Square,
near the Brace measure. The Hundredth Scale is " one
inch divided into one hundred pads ." With the aid
of a pair of dividers decimal fractions of an inch can
easil be obtained . Fig. 5.
