The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →A speed square makes repeatable layout lines when its fence is seated firmly against a board edge. Use its long edge for a square crosscut line, its degree scale for an angled line, and its separate common scale for roof-pitch layout. The pitch number is a rise-per-12-inches ratio—not an angle in degrees.
Identify the parts and scales
Speed square, rafter square, and rafter angle square are names used for this triangular layout tool. Before marking, identify the features on your particular model:
- Fence or lip: The raised edge that registers against the board.
- Long edge: The edge used to draw a square crosscut line and, on some models, to guide a saw.
- Pivot: The corner you hold against the board edge when setting an angle.
- Degree scale: Used to lay out an angle in degrees.
- Common scale: Used for roof-pitch layout, generally expressed as inches of rise per 12 inches of horizontal rafter run.
Markings and features vary by model, so rely on the labels and instructions on the square in your hand.
Mark a square crosscut line
- Place the board on a stable surface and identify the edge from which you want to mark.
- Seat the square’s fence or lip firmly against that edge. The square must register consistently against the board for the line to be square.
- Align the desired mark on the board with the square’s long edge.
- Hold the square in place and draw along the long edge.
Mark an angled line
- Set the square’s pivot at the board edge where the line should begin.
- Keep the pivot at the edge and rotate the square until the selected degree value aligns with that same edge.
- Hold the square steady and draw along its outside edge.
This is the degree scale’s job: it sets an angle. Do not use a common-scale roof-pitch number as though it were a degree measurement.
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Read the common scale for roof-pitch layout
On Swanson’s common scale, the number represents inches of rise for every 12 inches of horizontal rafter run. It is a ratio convention, not a degree value. Use the markings and instructions printed on your model when laying out rafters.
Swanson describes its One-Number method as using the common-pitch number as the reference for cuts on a roof at that pitch. Its original square carried the instruction “USE SAME NUMBER ALL CUTS THIS ROOF,” as reproduced in the company’s history. That describes the method; it is not a substitute for following the rafter instructions for the specific square.
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Use the square as a saw guide—with care
Some speed squares are designed to guide circular-saw cuts. Swanson describes the outside edge as a guide, and its 7-inch S0101 product page identifies the heel as a circular-saw guide. If using a square this way, seat it firmly and follow the saw manufacturer’s instructions. Keep the work and tool controlled; a product description does not establish one safe setup for every saw, board, material, or cut.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose a square by the work and markings
Swanson describes 7-, 8-, and 12-inch squares in its product family. Its 7-inch S0101 is aluminum and includes a pocket reference book covering roof pitch, rafter length, stair stringers, and field measurements. Johnson lists a 7-inch aluminum model with laser-etched graduations and a thick saw-guide edge; another Johnson model offers optional magnetic features. These are manufacturer descriptions, not comparative performance tests.
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For instance, the Swanson S0101 product page describes the 7-inch square and its pocket reference. Check that any model you choose has the size, visible markings, and instructions you need for the layout at hand.
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Quick checks before drawing or cutting
- Is the fence fully seated against the board edge?
- Are you using the degree scale for an angle and the common scale for roof pitch?
- For a saw-guided cut, is the square firmly seated, and are you following the saw maker’s directions for that setup?
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