How To Use A Speed Square To Cut Rafters

Monday, January 11, 2016

How To Use A Speed Square To Cut Rafters

Other cool features the swanson speed square has a patented feature the diamond cut a diamond shaped cut out on the ruler edge of the tool. The square can be used as a straightedge guide when crosscutting with a circular saw.

Swanson Speed 7 1 2 In Aluminum Rafter Square Do It Best

How To Layout And Cut Hip And Valley Roof Rafters Youtube

12 Rafter Angle Square

Move the square until the table on one side of the rectangular slot in the square is at the right pitch 5 on the top of the board.

How to use a speed square to cut rafters.

A speed square also called a rafter square or layout square has a 90 degree marking edge and a 45 degree marking edge.
A pivot point allows the square to be used as a protractor for marking angled lines.
Then place a torpedo level on the fat base of the rafter square and adjust the square until the level is level and read the pitch on the side of the rafter square.

You can use the speed square to mark an angle such as when cutting a rafter tail by holding the pivot point against the board.
For example for a 712 roof pitch locate the no.
This is used for squaring on a line scribed across the board so that you can then make a perfect 900 line from your scribed angled to the edge of the board.

Scribe along the square side of the tool 3.
2 lay out a plumb cut on a rafter.
How to use a speed square for protracting and pitch the bottom edge has all of your angle markings which allows you to use a speed square find and mark out any angle you might need.

This is the first episode of a series that i am making called construction rocks this series will help teach skills useful when building a house.
7 notch and pivot the tool until that notch lines up with the top edge of the lumber 2.
Put the pivot point of the speed square a small hole marked pivot where the straight side of the square meets the side with the lip on it at the top edge of a rafter board.

Locate the desired roof pitch on the common top cuts table of the tools slot 1.
Top 10 uses of a rafter square aka speed.
Use the table marked common top cut.

Simply move the pivot point against the edge of your board lining up the edge of the board with your desired angle.