Perfectly Aligned 90 Degree Ruler?

[Ingrid H]

In woodworking there are combination squares that mark a perfect 90 degree line and I want to know if there are commercially made items are made for leather.

My idea is to make one of those rulers and have it pushed up against the table so that way you can push a piece of leather with a straight edge into it to mark up a 90 degree line. The ruler will be mounted onto the table so it doesn't move and can move down or up to fit different thicknesses.

Has anyone here tried to do something like this. It seems like It would work and would like your thoughts on it.

I'm a carpenter by trade so I own squares from about 3" to 48", and they come in handy in my leather working. Unless you are going to tack your leather to a table, you don't really need a table. Just cut a straight edge onto your leather and use that edge to square off from. I use a 6" combination square like in the photo you added for laying out stuff on straps.

Drafting tables are square and you can use a t-square with them... If you wanted to get really fancy you could do a drafting board with a parallel rule. A parallel rule runs on cables, so it can lift off the surface of the board (to accommodate the thickness of the leather), create parallel lines and serve as a base to square off of. I still have two drafting tables from before the days of using computers for architectural design. I never thought about using them with leather. Thanks!!!

[RiverCity]

In woodworking there are combination squares that mark a perfect 90 degree line and I want to know if there are commercially made items are made for leather.

My idea is to make one of those rulers and have it pushed up against the table so that way you can push a piece of leather with a straight edge into it to mark up a 90 degree line. The ruler will be mounted onto the table so it doesn't move and can move down or up to fit different thicknesses.

Has anyone here tried to do something like this. It seems like It would work and would like your thoughts on it.

To do what you are suggesting, I would get a standard carpenters square, drill 3 holes, one on each end and one on the corner say 9/32". Get some 1/4 20 t nuts, short compression springs( compressed they need to be thinner than the thinnest leather you plan on using) fender washers and some 1/4 20 thumb screws. Use the square that you drilled are your template to mark your table. Drill the 3 holes in the table for the t nuts. Hammer them into the table from the under side. Put your springs over the holes. The square sits on this with fender washers over the holes, then the thumbscrews through everything into the t nuts. The springs keep the square above the table surface, and can be tightened down to whatever thickness leather you are working on.

All of that said, its not needed, the square works fine as a stand alone tool. But you can certainly engineer something cool that might work great for you!

Chuck

Edited November 21, 2014 by RiverCity

[papaw]

I use a drywall tee square at one time I had it bolted down on cut table with 10 oz. leather washers used to raise it to slide leather under, but always in the way when needing more space.

[Colt W Knight]

I mostly use the acrylic drafting squares, but I also use metal scales and wood working squares.