Swanson 7” Speed Square

Available here for $12.99

The speed square is an endlessly useful, completely necessary tool for anyone doing any sort of rough carpentry or framing. Most people, myself very much included, just use this tool to make ninety degree cuts or marks or to check the intersection of surfaces for squareness - no insignificant use in the field of carpentry. 

The more advanced uses of the speed square facilitate the mathematically daunting process of cutting compound rafter angles. I once took a short class on advanced rafter layouts and it was the most mentally challenging thing that I have ever waded into.

In addition to a complex rafter layout, which hopefully none of us will ever come up against, this tool allows for many handy, time saving tricks. If you have the time, type “speed square tricks” into the Youtube search bar and delight at the cascade of videos that have been made to reveal all of the wildly useful things you can accomplish with this tool.

Chances are you probably have a speed square. They are often passed down or  acquired for a dollar at a yardsale. All of that said, every hardware store must carry a speed square, and without hesitation, the only speed square the Hardware Store of My Dreams would carry is the Swanson Speed Square. The reason being, Swanson invented the speed square in 1925 and continues to manufacture it in Frankfurt Illinois. It is always a pleasure  to acquire a tool and a piece of history at the same time. The Swanson speed square also comes with their handsome and iconic pocket sized blue book explaining how to use the tool to its fullest capacity.