Had to choose between a T-square and a level for a tricky cut

I was up on a ladder in this old house in Richmond, working around a window that wasn't square by a long shot. Decided to use my 48-inch level instead of the T-square because I figured the bubble would keep me honest. Ended up cutting the board three times before I got it right, but the level saved me from a huge gap on the top. The homeowner came in and asked if I was building a ship in a bottle or something. Anyone else ditch the T-square when things get weird?

2 comments

2 Comments

angelas787d agoMost Upvoted

The 48-inch level was smart for plumb and level on wonky old houses, but you're mixing two different tools there. A T-square is for laying out 90 degree angles on boards, not for checking level across a window. Sounds like you needed a straightedge or a combination square to scribe the cut, but the level did double duty well enough.

jamie7947d ago

My last house was so crooked I used a 48-inch level to check if my coffee was level before I drank it. That thing saw more double duty than a paper towel at a barbecue. You're right though, a T-square is for square cuts, but when you're dealing with a hundred year old frame that's shifted three inches, you just grab whatever works. I've definitely grabbed a level to scribe a line more times than I care to admit, and it's a miracle I haven't leveled a window frame with a framing square yet. Who else finds themselves mixing tools just to get through a wonky old house project?