I finally ditched my speed square for a framing square after 12 years

I was on a job site in Austin last month helping frame a new garage and the foreman laughed when I pulled out my speed square to check rafters. He handed me his old framing square and showed me how much more accurate it was for layout on steeper pitches (like 8/12 or more). Has anyone else made the switch late in the game or am I the only one still holding onto the little triangle?

3 comments

3 Comments

taylorshah1mo ago

Foreman laughed when I pulled out my speed square" - man, it's just a tool, not a personality test. Sounds like that guy's got more ego than sense.

karenh561mo ago

Gotta disagree a little bit here. A speed square is a basic tool, but some guys treat it like it's some kind of secret weapon on the job. Maybe the foreman's just seen too many rookies pull one out and act like they're a master carpenter.

michaeld481mo ago

Four years in the trades and I still get weird looks for using a tool that actually works, so I feel you on this one @taylorshah. Speed squares are fast and reliable for basic layouts, and laughing at someone for using one just shows the foreman doesn't respect the guy doing the work. I'd rather trust a tool that gets the job done than worry about what some boss thinks of my setup.