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I finally gave that 'speed square as a saw guide' trick a real shot on a roof in Phoenix last week, and it was a total disaster.
Everyone online makes it look so easy, just clamp it down and zip off perfect cuts. I was doing fascia on a 6/12 pitch in 95 degree heat, trying to save a trip down the ladder. Clamped my trusty Swanson to a 16-footer, went for it, and the whole thing bucked. The square slipped, the saw jumped, and I put a nasty gouge right down the face of a brand new board. Cost me an extra $45 in material and half an hour to re-cut. Learned my lesson: some shortcuts aren't worth the risk, especially when you're 20 feet up. When do you guys actually trust a speed square for a guide, and when do you just set up proper saw horses?
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jamieh7611d ago
What if the real problem was not checking your clamp pressure first?
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river_adams2511d ago
Honestly, that sounds more like a heat and ladder problem than a speed square problem. I use mine as a guide all the time for shorter stuff, like cutting blocking or trimming rafters right in front of me. On a 16 foot board, though, you're fighting the sag and the weight. Why not just mark a line and follow it freehand for something that long? The square is perfect for quick, one-handed cuts when you're already in a stable position.
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ninaw882d ago
Last summer I had to cut a bunch of 14 foot deck boards to length. I clamped my speed square right at the end and ran the saw down it, then just slid the square down the board for the next cut. The key is using two clamps, not one, to keep it from twisting. It was way faster and straighter than trying to follow a pencil line the whole way. For me, the tool works fine on long material if you set it up right.
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