The Rapid Rafter Double-Sided Square Puts A Fresh Spin On A Classic Tool
The art of carpentry is as old as time, and as such, many of the basic tools have remained unchanged throughout the centuries. Well, the Rapid Rafter Double-Sided Square is more than just your average carpentry square. We’re taking a closer look to see how its innovative design can help you during your next framing project.
Rapid Rafter Design Notes
The double-sided Rapid Rafter square is unlike your average carpenter’s square. It features all the standard squaring and layout markings you would expect, but has the added benefit of folding open to fit over 2x material. This allows you to slide the square along the top of the board and mark both side with confidence.
The rapid rafter is constructed of durable high-impact polystyrene, and features two metal inserts in the base that let you attach your favorite magnetic torpedo level. This is great for measuring your plumb cuts on the end of rafter tails during your next framing project.
Using The Rapid Rafter
Alright, so you can mark both sides of the board…what’s the big deal? Well, the big deal here is that it gives you options and improves your overall accuracy when making cuts. With markings on both sides, you can work from above or below using a blade left or blade right saw, and even accommodate for wind direction to keep sawdust out of your face. It just makes life a little easier on the jobsite.
Another benefit of the rapid rafter is the ability to squarely mark rounded or damaged materials. If your dimensional lumber has some imperfections along the edges and the square won’t catch, simply open up this double-sided square and use the larger surface area to ensure an accurate mark. Not all lumber is perfect, so this gives you some more options while you’re working.
The rapid rafter is also very helpful when marking square lumber, such as fence posts. Once your post is set, you may need to trim a little off the top to keep the height uniform. With the square open, it can wrap around two sides of the post while you mark your lines, then move it to the opposite corner and repeat your process. Your measurement is going to be a lot more accurate if you only have to transfer your square once, as opposed to moving it four times to mark the sides individually.
Additional Features
Rapid Rafter Price
This double-sided rafter square retails for $24.99 and comes with 1-year limited warranty.
The Bottom Line
The Rapid Rafter Double-Sided Square does all the things you expect from a traditional square, but then it takes things up a notch. The folding design helps save you some time and improves overall accuracy during layout and squaring tasks on rafters and joists.