Square of Thales

[Lurker]

I was talking to a friend ( who incidentally has an engineering degree) about erecting a workshop he has ordered.
You need a square of Thales says I.
Never heard of it says he
Difficult to explain in a few words so we googled.
The AI thingy on the top refers almost immediately to Steve’s u tube and most of the following references can be traced back to the same source.
Friend is impressed saying , it’s obvious when you think about it, but I’ve never come across that before, how did you find it?
He’s a friend of mine, I say nonchalantly

 

[Mike G]

He’s a friend of mine, I say nonchalantly

But he's been dead for two and a half thousand years.

 

[Lurker]

But he's been dead for two and a half thousand years.

Not THAT one I meant the u tube bloke

 

[Steve Maskery]

Thank you, Lurker. It's been a crap few days and that made me laugh.
And some days I do feel as if I've been dead for two-and-a-half-thousand years...
S

 

[Steve Maskery]

And just for the Bots...

 

[Just4fun]

Funnily enough I had a short time spare in the workshop last month and made one of these after watching the video. Not sure why as I have no immediate use for it, but I found it interesting.

 

[Woodbloke]

Funnily enough I had a short time spare in the workshop last month and made one of these after watching the video. Not sure why as I have no immediate use for it, but I found it interesting.

Same here. Interesting bit of kit but I've never yet used mine - Rob

 

[Doug]

Made one about 5 years ago great for shuttering for foundations & setting out lines for starting corners on brickwork

 

[Mike G]

Made one about 5 years ago great for shuttering for foundations & setting out lines for starting corners on brickwork

View attachment 54082

.....which works great if your lines are at the same level! Mine never seem to work that way.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Can I suggest to anyone who is thinking of making one of these that you make the points long and slender rather than short and fat. That way you will have greater degree of movement, which is handy if you have something tall but narrow, such as a cabinet, to square up.

 

[Mike G]

Can I suggest to anyone who is thinking of making one of these that you make the points long and slender rather than short and fat. That way you will have greater degree of movement, which is handy if you have something tall but narrow, such as a cabinet, to square up.

......and can I suggest that you make and fit the short arm first, and then use it to bring the long arms to their final length. And avoid having any slop in the pivot.

 

[AndyT]

Here's mine getting used, back in March this year

 

[Lons]

Made one about 5 years ago great for shuttering for foundations & setting out lines for starting corners on brickwork

It would never have crossed my mind to use one for brickwork. I always used the 3,4,5 method which is quick, easy and accurate.

 

[Woodbloke]

This is my SofT:



....together with another very 'handy' widget which appears to be a Golden Ratio gauge, again which I've never used...but ought to. It was sent to me by somebody a long time ago from a galaxy far far away - Rob

 

[Phil]

This is my SofT:

....together with another very 'handy' widget which appears to be a Golden Ratio gauge, again which I've never used...but ought to. It was sent to me by somebody a long time ago from a galaxy far far away - Rob

Fibonacci!
I made one and used when sizing up my train round-house many years ago.

 

[shafiq]

Hello everyone, long time no see/speak. Justto reintorduce myself, @duke I think was making good ground on the shed upgrade. But then builder/fitter number one cancelled on me. All bathroom tiles, bath, sink etc already bought awaiting for his big day.

Found bathroom fitter number 2 with a 50% higher quote. He sounded good but it was the gift of the gob. Sacked him and lost my deposit of £1200 and started doing the bathroom myself as I didn't fancy everything falling apart just after his (one year) warranty had expired.

Anyway, @Steve Maskery if I had made one of them lovely items I'd not have been in this little predicament. Tile backer board, boarded around the bathroom. Went slowly and tried to square level everything as I went. Yesterday I text fitted the bath and...

Cos I'd just used my roofers square to check for square at that most crucial bath corner, I ended up with too much run out at the shorter edge!!



In pictures, basically 9mm runout and the tiles that will eventually go on are 8mm. So, have cut out the board and gonna build it up a bit from behind and hopefully get down to only 2mm or less run out!!

Square of Thales... Square of Thales... Must make a Square of Thales!!

 

[shafiq]

Here's mine getting used, back in March this year

View attachment 54089

V nice Andy.

 

[duke]

Hello everyone, long time no see/speak. Justto reintorduce myself, @duke I think was making good ground on the shed upgrade. But then builder/fitter number one cancelled on me. All bathroom tiles, bath, sink etc already bought awaiting for his big day.

Found bathroom fitter number 2 with a 50% higher quote. He sounded good but it was the gift of the gob. Sacked him and lost my deposit of £1200 and started doing the bathroom myself as I didn't fancy everything falling apart just after his (one year) warranty had expired.

Anyway, @Steve Maskery if I had made one of them lovely items I'd not have been in this little predicament. Tile backer board, boarded around the bathroom. Went slowly and tried to square level everything as I went. Yesterday I text fitted the bath and...

Cos I'd just used my roofers square to check for square at that most crucial bath corner, I ended up with too much run out at the shorter edge!!

View attachment 58032View attachment 58033View attachment 58034View attachment 58035View attachment 58036

In pictures, basically 9mm runout and the tiles that will eventually go on are 8mm. So, have cut out the board and gonna build it up a bit from behind and hopefully get down to only 2mm or less run out!!

Square of Thales... Square of Thales... Must make a Square of Thales!!

Hello everyone, long time no see/speak. Justto reintorduce myself, @duke I think was making good ground on the shed upgrade. But then builder/fitter number one cancelled on me. All bathroom tiles, bath, sink etc already bought awaiting for his big day.

Found bathroom fitter number 2 with a 50% higher quote. He sounded good but it was the gift of the gob. Sacked him and lost my deposit of £1200 and started doing the bathroom myself as I didn't fancy everything falling apart just after his (one year) warranty had expired.

Anyway, @Steve Maskery if I had made one of them lovely items I'd not have been in this little predicament. Tile backer board, boarded around the bathroom. Went slowly and tried to square level everything as I went. Yesterday I text fitted the bath and...

Cos I'd just used my roofers square to check for square at that most crucial bath corner, I ended up with too much run out at the shorter edge!!

View attachment 58032View attachment 58033View attachment 58034View attachment 58035View attachment 58036

In pictures, basically 9mm runout and the tiles that will eventually go on are 8mm. So, have cut out the board and gonna build it up a bit from behind and hopefully get down to only 2mm or less run out!!

Square of Thales... Square of Thales... Must make a Square of Thales!!

That is a lot of money to forfit, is a large down payment on a job normal?

 

[shafiq]

That is a lot of money to forfit, is a large down payment on a job normal?

Its a complex one Duke. Involves a really stubborn wife (whats wrong with a perfectly functioning but boring looking bath, sink, tiles and the lot I ask ya) and a few tradespeople.

First guy was supposed to be good. Came with a recommendation from my mate who's a part time builder. But that lad couldn't keep his appointments nor did he see any value in keeping his potential customers informed.

Had quoted £1300 with a 7 week wait. But when the time came he was just 'low value'. Told me first that another bigger job had come along and he'd start a few days late. Then stopped answering his phone!!

The chap with the down payment was about £1000 more expensive but the story fit. Had about 80 positive Google (shop bought?? reviews!!) reviews, the gift of the gab/hustle and could start on the timing that my wife was desperate for (ASAP, next week).

Anyway, he was total substandard, dangerous and a repetitive lair who never even saw the value of proper wiring, or covering up live wires. But, once a job has started, I'm thankfully 'common sense' enough to know that its too late getting more quotes now.

Anyway, square (not of Thales) made and all is well. At least I'll have inherited some more skills at the end of this to go use on my woodwork!!

 

[Lurker]

My rule of the thumb
Any tradesman who can start next week will probably be no good.

 

[shafiq]

My rule of the thumb
Any tradesman who can start next week will probably be no good.

Yup, I told her that initially but this one seemed the best of a bunch. Good rule that and from the level of kit he turned up with yet charging us double (which is what made me think it might be feasible that he's actually shuffled some jobs about... especially since he's part of apparently 'a team').

Lesson learnt (well, I learnt that lesson years and years ago, but we never really learn do we despite whats known as 'common sense').