Love the vid, everything you are saying is stuff I already do as a carpenter. One note about your story: Not only should you never disable the guard on the saw like that, which was your cousin's mistake, another HUGE problem is guys who come up behind a worker with the dangerous tool, which was your other cousin's mistake. Just never do it. In the field, in the shop, wherever. Wait until the guy is done using the equipment, and hollar to get his/her attention. Don't ever walk up behind them. Always let people know you're there before you get close enough to be part of an accident.

I have to say that the quality a video clip that you produce is exceptional. the rate at which you explain things and that clear and concise.The way that you explained things is one reason I subscribe to you. And it's nice for some of us that have never built anything but may now have to build something and try struggling through and make all kinds of mistakes. you live a life that I truly Envy.

A Stanley type 70 " box scraper " made up until 1958 for scraping box labeling off of wooden shipping boxes

When your useing the speed aquar as a saw guide place the base away from you it's easyer to hold plus there's more of the speed square sticking out as you start your cut which helps to keep the saw straight at the start of your cut.

8:56 Thank you for this! This part has to hit as many trade workers as possible. I have done plumbing for over 20 years. I know for a fact that the 'screw the next guy' method is used (intentional, or unintentional) VERY often. In the case of framing, mistakes (or cut corners) like this can mess up more than just the next guy! ...it can mess up EVERY other crew to work in that area! I absolutely LOVE those who take pride in their work and take that little extra step to make sure that their work is right. -chances are, only the people who take pride in their work watch videos like this to learn new things lol Thank you nevertheless!! (subscribed)

when I first started construction i was nearly cut wide open from a skill saw that had its guard wedged back almost the exact way you described. i learned you never walk behind a man while he is using a saw that day.

I've never worked as a tradesman but have always considered myself handy. This little tutorial showed me just how many basic techniques I am unaware of, thanks for the instruction!

I just loved the "make sure it's unplugged ... obviously". I could feel you reading the safety Sally comments ! ^^ Your videos are always amaziung Cody, I've learnt so much and there doesn't seem to be a stop to the list of things I can learn from you ! Keep up the good work !

Thank you for sharing this really good video. I like your humble spirit. You teach really good. Thanks again.

Excellent tutorial on a very useful tool! I appreciate the emphasis on craftsmanship as well. Great job!

I really love your channel. I love the way you're talking directly to us. Watching your videos brightens my day

I love your videos. I'm a man in the real world who lost his father at a young age, you have helped me more than you'll ever know. I've learned more from your videos in minutes than i have in hours of trying to figure it out myself. Thank you!

I often keep my speed square in my back pocket. Also I like the Swanson speed square, because it has deep indentions. The one Wanglerstar has can be hard to read the older and more worn it gets.

My dad used to take the guard off completely. The saw also had a locking trigger (I think it was a Rockwell). So one day he is cutting plywood out on the deck and pulls the power cord out of socket. He puts down the saw and goes to plug it back in and...the saw takes off and cuts deeply into his ankle. He had to be airlifted to the ER.

Its refreshing to hear a man that takes pride in the quality of his work. Too many contractors are worried more about time and money rather than the job at hand. Excellent video !

You are an excellent Teacher. Your (DJ Radio) voice is crisp and clear, the lighting is perfect and I can very easily tell that you are well experienced and like I always say- "There is No substitution for experience." I enjoyed watching your video. Thank you.

Great video, I've been a carpenter for 35 years and still love these videos even though am not learning, I just love my job, it's the best job in the world,,,, work in an office!!!!!! No way 📐📐📐😄

Put pencil on the 48” mark and slide square to the pencil. That’s the way I do it anyway.

years ago I bought a speed square because it looked cool. so I got one of the cheap ones. it's made of a polycarbonate material and here I am 20 years later and it's still in great shape. Why? because it looks cool. Enter KZfaq... I'm finally learning what it's for.. I learned hips and valleys first. Will I ever use it? I doubt it. But your tips I'll use. Thank you Mr WranglerStar!

You didn't mention that the speed square is often used for transferring your layout over both plates. Additionally, when you use the speed square for laying out plates you can quickly account for the thickness of your lumber by using the scale that runs along the side of the square that you hold against the lumber. Also the speed square is handy for finding angles. If you need to find the pitch of a roof, take a 2x6,8,10 and lay it on edge on the slope of the roof. place your square on the board with the pivot point to the high side of the slope. Place your torpedo level on the square and pivot the square till the torpedo reads level, and read your angle.

Never touched one of those things in my life, but I absolutely love learning about this stuff

"When you're cutting corners and doing shotty work, you're passing along the aggravations and your shotty work is making other guys work miserable". Perfect comment! Too many don't take pride in their work they just cry and complain why the aren't getting paid more then they are. I just point to their work and ask "You think that work justifies a pay raise?" then they get pissed and walk away.

I got a Swanson speed square for Christmas. Actually, I traded in a gift from my wife from the Farm & Home store (with her permission and encouragement) and got it. I used to have one (not sure whether or not it was a Swanson) but it got lost somewhere, somewhen. Who knows, maybe I'll find it now that I have a new one. Thanks for the tips, Cody, especially the "saw guide" tip. I have been using my circular saw more often in the past few years. I always avoided using it because I couldn't cut very straight (which I would have overcome if I'd only have used it more often , duh!). I made an 8-foot-long saw guide to trim the boards on a deck I built, so I've used it on sheet goods a lot since. Now I'll be using it for crosscuts more often with the speed square, instead of dragging everything to my chop saw. BTW, when I did the trade-in, i had trouble finding other stuff to equal the credit. I looked at files, and because of your other videos, I didn't get any of them. All the Nicholson files were made in Mexico, all the chisels were made in China (they were out of Stanley chisels, so I couldn't see if they were from China, too), all the axes were from Mexico, etc., etc. I ended up getting a small Stihl folding pull saw, like you recommended for limbing. Thanks for all of the great advice. God bless.

The thing I appreciate about KZfaq and this format is you look like you should be on tv but there isn’t the major over production of half hour show and it puts the power back into people hands. iE you got a clean look that is so made for TV that I probably wouldn’t watch if it was in that format. I actually appreciate that there is just you and your camera and not a lot of hoopla. I’d like to believe that TV is dead but no one has yet done a KZfaq soap opera type show that is as good as tv but one day. And fine sir that everyone of us wishes we had as a dad growing up. I say thank you for all your KZfaq videos and anyone that complains about you should have the decency to have their own channel up first before they bad mouth you.

I can attest to not pining the guard back. I was using a circular saw that had a stuck guard. After the cut it caught my left wrist. Nearly lost the hand. Still have no feeling in it.

youre mighty quick on the draw there cowboy

On the job sites I've worked on, if the board cutter cut a board to the wrong length, it was thrown in the general direction of the guy who it. Hence the board cutter usually learned quickly to accurately cut cut boards to the requested length out of simple concern for their own preservation or quit suddenly for the same reason.

Great! I looked at several other KZfaq videos a few weeks ago-this was much more clear. I've enjoyed Wranglerstar for 2+ years. Many Thanks!!!

lowes carrys Swanson speed squares, its the only one i use

its nice to review the basics from time to time Thank you so much for this. Can you reccommend and electric pencil sharpener the will sharpen carpenter pencils?

I am a retired framer, and I too, am right handed. I use the tape,square, and pencil just like you show here. I called it, procedure mechanics. 👍👍😃

I am also right handed but do it a little different. Learned it from my framing crew days to maximize production.I have my tape in my left side bags. Pull tape with left hand, have pencil from right bag in right hand. Mark the measurement. Put tape back into left bags and grab speed square with left hand. Square mark the spot. Put both tools from both hands back into the left and right bags. Takes me less than 15 seconds to measure, mark, square and put up. That way both hands are moving constantly and no wasted movements. Good video on use of the speed square.

I just drilled small holes in my Empire square to accommodate a pencil . And now i have a homemade Swanson square. You can do the same. Its real easy.

The tool in question is what Chuck Norris shaves with...and if it had a guard he would pin it back...

Speed square is definitely a must. Just want to add that as a carpenter of 16 years, one tool that i cannot operate without is a small flexible steel rule. I work in mm and i use a 150mm rule in addition to my tape. its great for very fine work, and also for scribing and taking quick measurements with one hand. I use it all the time when plan reading for scaling and aligning whatever it may be. very small and slides in next to my pencil in my toolbelt so its right there at your finger tips. Once you get used to it, you'll be amazed how often it comes in handy. i cannot think without one :)

I think one of my most favorite tools is the eye level because I spent so much time digging and backfilling basements and other fine grade work. Most guys I work with laugh when I say that but I've had times when my laser would fail on me and I needed something for backup so I found out that Stanley still was making eye levels and selling them at Home Depot and always kept it in my lunch bucket. It's helped me out a lot with all the finish grade work that I do.

When on-site you quickly learn to put your pencil in the hard hat liner. So much easier to grab.

It's hip to speed square...

Bought a Swanson from the USA, imported to UK, great bit of kit. Comes with manual and is very sturdy.

Wow< TWO BIG THUMBS UP! This is probably the best video I have ever seen on the speed square - I have even saved the link it to reference back whenever I might need to review. I think I watched about 6 different videos when I started using the speed square when building garden furniture, Yours is by far the best and I learned more than I knew before - which is probably more than most. Keep these up, they're fantastic!

Cut the line or leave the line is common instruction around here.

I know you skipped over layout purposely, but layout transfer for the top and bottom plate would be a handy thing to know. Great job in demonstration though.

thank you for this video. i a siding guy and I use a speed square everyday. i just wanted to say that irwin also makes a speed square that has scribe notches on it and that i bought mine at aero fasteners for around 10 bucks. i have used a swanson they are nice but this irwin i have was cheap and nearly identical to the swanson. we call the saw guy the cutman and it is true that you dont want to be that guy that has to re cut everything lol.

My favorite boss that I ever had was slow as a turtle compared to other ACM panel companies. ACM is beautiful installed correctly, Hob rarely even let an 1/8th of an inch slide because by the end of row/column/etc it would grow to an half of an inch or more. That being said we never had to return to a job or wait to go home (traveling work) because of something that was on the architect's punch list (End-of-job check list). ACM is the last step, we'd be working on open businesses at times; I can't tell you how many times I cursed an unknown framer, brick mason, sheet rocker, finisher, etc etc. Unfortunately the boss I have now just wants whatever I'm doing done before he is even finished saying it. I miss being able to take my time and do quality work.

Boss...I have cut the board three times and it is still too short....

When are you going to showcase to your viewers one of those board stretchers? Hadn't seen one in awhile.....

Again, I can only thank you. I have done some maintenance carpentering, and helped my father, who was in construction. But I have never known half of what you showed us about that little square. Now for the first time, I will take them seriously.

Got my speed square today as recommended by you and i am not disappointed! superb item of Wrangler Mart....thank you!

It's a box scraper for removing lettering of crates ect

Big fan of your channel. Just one thing, those are actually bevel cuts. Not miter cuts.

hey bro if you hold the square on the other side of he board it gives the uses more surface to rest the fence on, which helps steady saw at start. it slows you to hold the board and square naturally when your bent over cutting a board off the floor. and I've taken a hack saw or my file to the side of those and many other brands of squares while doing layout. my wife and I love you both we are in Gresham Oregon leasing a townhouse and can't wait to start our homesteading lifestyle and you are inspiring. 😀

Recycling tool. Was used to scrape labels or painted brands off crates so they could be reused. Its a Stanley #70, but there was a popular replica the Kunz #70. Some used them to remove paint off the house before putting a new coat on.

Cody it apears too be stanley #70 box scraper

The trolls must be learning something not too many thumbs down great video

I am so thankful for this valuable video. I am not a chippy but just love doing DIY projects and this video on how to use rafter square will help a lot.

Bought a couple items off your store. Thanks for these videos. I'm relearning my old skills and restocking my tool set. These help those of us that forgot so much over the years.

I thought I was the only one who swears by the Swanson speed square....

I was always hounded to hold the end of the tapes as it retracted to protect the stop.

I spent 14 years as a remodeling contractor after many years of framing, cornice work and finish carpentry. I want to offer a suggestion for using the speed square as a saw guide. Turn it 180 from how you showed it here. In other words, hold the tee leg away from you and let the pointed end stick past the edge nearest you. This lets you grip the square and board very securely. And the added length on the leading edge helps keep the saw aligned with less tendency to pivot on the pivot if you get what I mean. Try it a few times and it will become your favorite way to guide your saw.

I'm guessing it's an old Stanley plane made for reusing wood boxes, scraping off the old painted names. Just a guess I had to google this one. Cody, you are giving out some great tips, can I add a couple? I always stuck my pencil behind my ear in my ball cap. and my tape in front of my belt, but like you said that's personal preference. Learn to use the speed square and framing square they will save you loads of time!! Take two good tapes to a job site, really two of every essential hand tool you can afford. IF you are working for a contractor get your list of jobs and schedules and go early to each site and take pictures and make notes ahead of time, of whatever your job is, example if your doing trim work go in before the drywall subs and take pics of all the walls pay attention to wet walls and electrical, or hot walls or anything that stands out like capped pipes that were in the wrong place and not marked as a wet wall on the blueprints that you might shoot a nail through and cause a leak . When framing or just cutting period know what leave the line means and cut full or shy. It's also a good idea to take pictures and notes with measurements during remodels or new construction and keep them in a binder with the blueprints even if you're not doing the work. of important stuff; where is that power service line buried and how deep, same with gas and water and sewer lines.

That plane at the end of the vid is actually Chuck Norris's razor.

Top tip for making video " have something usefull or unusual or exciting or interesting to say or display ". 20 minutes video for how to put your pencil in your pocket and how to square with speed square. Bonus "how to draw lines with your pencil". X-citing, pure adrenaline rush

I had no idea how versatile this tool is. Great video

I much agree about personal preference. When I was a residential electrician I had my hand tools in a different location then I do now. Same tools same jobs just a different level of need. It was a conscience decision. Great to see someone speak of such a thing.

Ice shaver....since I'm out of choices,

pretty sure it's a cheese slicer...yep

Thanks for the video, very useful! I did use the speed square recently for the first time and I now I know what I did wrong and what I didn't know about this tool. Many thanks! Will help me with our home construction.

Regarding skill / circular saws watched a TV program many years ago, where a very experienced tradesman/joiner/woodworker/journeyman was trimming down some doors. He made the cut and as a thousand time's before, put the saw down with the blade still spinning. The problem was the guard had twisted and locked back , the spinning blade kicked back off the floor into his leg, lucky for him the man he was with knew how to put pressure on a ruptured femoral artery and kept his cool, the guy survived, please pass this on to anyone with this type of saw,to make sure the guard is doing its job or the blade has stopped spinning(my method) before putting down the saw.

pull shave, used to make wood chair seats.

I thought I had stumbled on a gun slinger video

I did not think this would be as informative a topic as it ended up being, unbelievable how you made a seemingly mundane tool facinatingly useful and above all the practacality of it. Funny thing is I was about to buy one, thank you dor tge tipz

Great info on the speed square. I just started working with wood on small projects around the house and found your various uses of the speed square very helpful and will start using them.

Is this an american tool? I never saw them in the stores here in the Netherlands. I manage with my carpenter's squares, but these are nice. (Would need a metric one preferable)

A cheese peeler? haha Just kidding.

Hi Cody, I have never in my life met a man that can talk as much about 1 tool as much as you do :-)

thank you so much for you very good explanation😃👍i just started working as a framer. the only issues i have so far is that no one has teaching me anything about using the square or any other tool. but i do wish to learn about it. i will follow your videos for guidance. and again thank you so much. greetings from fort worth tx. god bless

"If you're going to pin your guard back, make sure...." No. Rephrase. Never pin your guard back, because that's what an idiot would do. The best carpenter is the safest carpenter. No cut is worth an injury or a life.

you said young guy..what about the girls??? there are a lot in the trade now ya know?? good video..thanks for the tips.

I enjoy your videos. You get right to the point and explain things thoroughly. And you’re cheerful! One suggestion- I love to help people with my tool skills. Please include women because we like to build too.

Now we're on track! Your best practices on use from experience are great. The tools are useless with out knowing how to effectively and efficiently use them.

there are better videos of how to use a speed square. it was painful to watch at times.

There actually are female carpenters! Please just give that fact some consideration and perhaps begin to change your mindset. Do you want female subscribers? I currently am a subscriber to your channel; however, I'd like to see/hear something from you besides men-this and men-that., which is ridiculously outdated and makes you seem behind the times. That makes me wonder if your channel content is likewise behind the times. (To everyone reading this comment, please note that this is not a feminist rant. It's simply a polite request for this channel to move into this century.)

the MYSTERY DRAW-PLANE is a barrel plane. It was used to smooth down protruding corners and edges of the side-slats on the inside circle of the barrell's mouth. After ring-strapping a new barrell, those raised edges of the slat boards often prevented the inside disc of the lid from fitting into its mouth.

I like to watch your down to earth/home videos. I had my husband watch it and he really liked it. You guys are great. Look forward to more videos thank you.

Talk to much..

If you can't afford a hand to hold down the speed square as a miter guide, you can use a quick-style clamp to keep the square in place while you make your cut. I don't need it often, but it is damn handy when I do!

If you are a hat wearer like myself, the best pencil holder I have ever had is in the band of my hat just in front of my right ear. It is a very handy place. It can be found very quickly to make those tricky marks such as getting a wall plumb on a latter. No more reaching down to your tool pouch and possibly taking your eyes off your work.

I appreciate your comments about shoddy work, I could not agree more. we had a foundation that was out of square and level between the top of the foundation and the top of the foundation for the main part of the house was 4 inches. this is not too big of a deal most of the time but in this situation, it was because it cause the framing of the roof off as well, hours were lost because of it.

combination squares are all I use, I own 2, and use both of them everyday. I own a speed square only because I found it on a job when I was doing a punch list. I have never used it.

Great tips Cody.

Thank you Sir ....... I always watch and usually leave with having learned something new ..... and tonight was no exception!!

I love the electric box in the background with the outlet and switch with no cover

I have a Johnny Square that I use, however I never realized until now what the 1/4" graduated indentations were for. That trick for marking the length of boards or sheet goods is genius. Great video as always sir.

Thank you for having the heart of a server. I am a better man for having viewed your video. Way to go by making the world a better place thru your shared experiences. You paid it forward and so shall I .

Excellent! I never knew how to use the angles prior to this video. Thanks!

Was just wondering about the speed square. Thanks!

You are damn right about framers getting those studs straight! If they are lazy they make many other people's lives very unhappy I'm sure others are much more affected by this but it is very upsetting at times for automating homes. One example is when I install in-wall equipment after drywall that fits to the exact dimensions of stud spacing of 16" centered. This often leads me to multi tooling long sections of studs out to make my devices fit, which is time consuming, and also, messy, and noisy in finished homes. Good video!

Awesome tutorial! Very clear. Thank you very much!

Looks like a nice Stanley #45 plow plane on the bench. What an amazing tool. Thanks for the great video. Usually you get just how to use the tool and not a real world workflow example.

Awesome video and information. So thankful