How square is square enough?

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Re: How square is square enough?

Postby Tommy2tone_1999 » Mon Apr 06, 2015 3:24 pm

Trust me if you don't square it up in the build before you lay the floor down, your setting yourself for 100s of hours of extra work and materials to get things to line up straight. Loosen the bolts, square it up with ratchet straps or braces, then tighten it down and recheck it.
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Re: How square is square enough?

Postby dales133 » Mon Apr 06, 2015 4:18 pm

Well said tommy and that gos for just about anything g you build
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Re: How square is square enough?

Postby TNSean » Mon Apr 20, 2015 5:27 pm

I just wanted to add this to the thread. I bolted together a Northern Tool 5'x8' trailer on Friday and I ended up with a 1/4" difference in my diagonal measurements.

Bothered me all weekend. :shock: :lol:

Loosened it up today and got it within 1/8".

What was happening was when I was tightening down the bolts the frame members would move.

If I was going to put together another one of these trailers I would seriously consider putting together a simple jig on a bench top to hold the members in place at the correct locations.
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Re: How square is square enough?

Postby DezPrado » Tue Apr 21, 2015 4:45 am

Agree with everything that's been said, but I'd include checking the long sides are the same measure, as well as the short ends , before concluding with the corner to corners mesurement
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Re: How square is square enough?

Postby KCStudly » Tue Apr 21, 2015 11:01 am

... and while we're at it, check for any twist from side to side: select 3 equal thickness shims; place one shim on each of two opposing diagonal corners; pull a string taut over the shims; and use the third shim to gauge each of the xmbrs (use an additional or thicker shim, if required to adjust for differences in height from xmbrs to main rails). Repeat for the other diagonal. The gap should be the same everywhere (after compensation).

The purpose of the shims under the string is to reveal any positive height. In other words, if you just stretch the string over a surface and it touches everywhere, it does not tell you if the surface is flat or crowned, just that it is not shallow. By using the extra spacer blocks the string becomes a reference that you can gauge from. (BTW, this technique has been used with wire instead of string in large steel fabrication, such as for aligning critical machinery in ship building... like submarine steering and diving shaft hull penetrations and other shafting applications.)
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