All carpenters have a vital set of tools in their toolbelts, and one of those tools is guaranteed to be some sort of square. Over the last few months, my toolbelt has included Kapro’s 353 Ledge-It square, sort of a try square on steroids with some interesting innovations. The Ledge-It, which comes in 8-, 10-, 12-, and 16-inch versions—I tested the 12-inch square—has a cast aluminum handle and a stainless steel ruler with conveniently placed etchings and holes every 1/2 inch (every centimeter for metric) for fluid pencil marking at common angles.
Ledge support. The square has a retractable metal ledge support inside the handle, a small feature with a large impact on how the tool can be used. Without a ledge support, you often have to balance the square on the edge of the wood, and it can be tricky to hold the square still while you’re marking the workpiece. This retractable ledge takes that instability out of the equation, allowing you to make marks along the ruler with confidence. And if you don’t want to use it, the ledge support tucks away inside the handle.
Common angles. As on most squares, common angles are etched on the ruler to make workflow easier and more efficient. In addition to the etchings at 10, 15, 22.5, 30, 45, 50, and 60 degrees, there are holes for pencil marking. I’m a fan of stainless steel rulers on a jobsite for their durability and accuracy, and these etchings offer great clarity and should stand up to everyday jobsite use.
Accuracy. Kapro says that the 90-degree angle on its square is certified. When I checked the square’s accuracy (by marking a line, then flipping the square over on the same edge and marking a second line), I found it to be about 1/64 inch out of square; that’s more than accurate enough for most carpenters. For more accuracy, I would need to spend a lot more money for a square with smaller tolerances. As it is, the 12-inch Ledge-It is priced at $25, a great value for most general carpenters and hobbyist woodworkers. kapro.com
Photo by Tommie Mullaney.
