ABC OF THE STEEL SQUARE 



It must not be supposed that the work hero 

 presented exhausts the subject. The enterpris- 

 ing mechanic will find opportunity for using the 

 square in the solution of many problems that 

 will crop up during his daily work, and the 

 principles herein laid down will aid very much 

 towards correct solutions. In framing roofs, 

 bridges, trestle-work, and constructions of tim- 

 ber, the Steel Square is a necessity to the Amer- 

 ican carpenter; but only a few of the more 

 intelligent workmen ever use it for other pur- 

 poses than to make measurements, lay off the 

 mortices and tenons, and square over the various 

 joints. Now, in framing bevel work of any de- 

 scription, the square may be used with great 

 advantage and profit. Posts, girts, braces, and 

 struts of every imaginable kind may be laid out 

 by this wonderful instrument, if the operator 

 will only study the plans with a view of making 

 use of his square for obtaining the various bev- 

 els, lengths and cuts required to complete the 

 work in hand. Tapering structures the most 

 difficult the framer meets with do not contain 

 a single bevel or length that can not be found 

 by the square when properly applied, and it is 

 this fact I wish to impress on my readers, for 

 it would be impossible, in this work, to give ev- 

 ery possible application of the square to work 



