48 in. Drywall T-Square

A:  Empire Tools was bought by Milwaukee Tools in 2014. For the most part, Milwaukee tools are made in the USA but some tools ARE manufactured in China. Empire Level Mfg. Corp. 929 Empire Dr, Mukwonago, WI 53149 (262) 368-2000 list their products as Made in the USA.

A:  They?re made in China

A:  The sticker said it was made in China.

A:  I don't know exactly but it is aluminum and is very light weight. Probably around 1.5 pound. It is well built. I have used it hundreds of times and it remains tight and square.

A:  The weight of the Empire Framing Square is about 1 pound.

A:  I am uncertain how accurate my old hanging scales are, but it doesn't register a full pound...not much more than 1/2 pound really.

A:  Yes. I think this is so you can use it on drywall that is standing up. If it was the full 4' it would touch the floor and mess up your lines.

A:  It also deviates from square by 1/16"-1/8" per foot, so that probably makes sense.

A:  I suppose it might be 1/16" short but I can't see that as a major problem when marking or cutting a 48" sheet of drywall .

A:  They’re made that way purposely. That way it never hits the floor and throws off your “square cut” on 48” sheet of drywall or plywood.

A:  "It also deviates from square by 1/16"-1/8" per foot, so that probably makes sense." There is no reason to make it out of square. Sure it doesn't need to be perfect, but if you are getting 1/8" off per foot, that's a 1/2" on 4 feet. That's just poor quality control. Yours must be made in China. Always check squares and levels in the store before you buy. Don't be surprised how they vary.

A:  Yes

A:  Its a drywall square. It does not need to be nor is it meant to be the most accurate of measuring tools. 1/16" difference when installing drywall is not going to affect the quality of the seams nor the finished product. Its fine.

A:  Asked by StaightAndNarrow (I'm curious, should there be an "R" in there?) This is not a question! Perhaps your tape measure is 1/16" long. Apparently size does matter! Empire Level Mfg. list their t-square #410-48 Drywall T-Square as 1/8” thick 47-7/8-Inch Long Blade.

A:  Drywall squares are typically just a little shy of 48" for a reason: you do not want the full length getting in the way at the edge of the board in a tight space. You don't need it anyway. And, if you're 1/16 off it does not matter that much in drywall, better a little short than a little long, as you'll be taping the seams anyway. If you cut too long things don't fit. Also, do not measure from the free end, but from the T, and measure at the edge of the marking line. Any pro hanger knows this.

A:  No

A:  I bought one this past week and found out it was riveted out of square, so I returned it for another one. The only other one they had on the shelf was also out of square, so I couldn't buy that one either. The sticker on the square said it was made in China, so they have a quality control issue over there. Thankfully they had made in the USA squares in the drywall aisle, so I bought one of those instead, and it was even less money than the poor quality Chinese ones.

A:  No

A:  I believe that Home Depot will stand behind this product.

A:  There is only a 1 year limited manufacturers warranty.

A:  Thank you for your recent inquiry with The Home Depot. The 48 in. Drywall T-Square has a 5 year limited manufacture's warrant. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you in the future. Thank you for shopping Home Depot.

A:  I would take it back to the place were you bought it, if it was built wrong then the dealer may contact the manufacturer for you. If you got it at Home Depot, and you signed up for the e-mail receipt, they may have a copy of the receipt.

A:  Nose

A:  Empire tools are manufactured by Milwaukee Tool, also known as Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. They have manufacturing plants in China and Germany but says it will keep Empire's production in Wisconsin. The warranty is actually listed on this page under Test and Measurement products and it lists a 5 year warranty. The catch? Prepay postage and insured is required. Since you paid $10-12 for this, you're unlikely to want to pay double that to ship it back. What you're going to want to do is 1. Go to Home Depot. 2. Grab 5-6 new squares and wander over to the drywall section. Stick a square on a piece of drywall, and make a pencil mark at both ends. Turn the level around - I said turn it around, Vern; don't flip it over - so the head is now on the far side of the drywall, and see if your marks are the same, indicating the square is square. 3. Repeat until you find a good one. 4. Buy it. 5. Use your imagination. You have a receipt now, right?