2-in-1 Extendable Square

Another upgrade!!! I love this angle square with the fold out extension. Draws a clean straight line and with the extra extension up to a foot! This is a great tool for doing wood laminate floors for example Instead of having to flip the square to the other side and match up your first line... Well la! Just fold down extension and one clean line. I am liking this tool. It is heavy duty and not a piece of junk. A welcome addition to my tool arsenal!

This is a great layout square and the extendable ruler makes this even more versatile. The ruler flips out to extend the marking surface to 12 inches. The hinge is very sturdy and when extended provides a solid marking surface without any bumps. The square is made of sturdy aluminum and replaces the plastic one I was using. I prefer the metal version and the addition of the ruler extension is a real plus.

This is a handy refinement of the typical small square, but for some inaccuracy in the measure: 1. The angle tested square against another quality metal square. That’s reassuring. 2. The long (extended) side measurement markings suggest a 12” total length (comprised of two 6” lengths), BUT this assumption is deceptive. These separate markings apparently do not include the ¼” gap of the hinge, so the actual length when measured from the end of the extension to the base of the square is actually 12-1/4” (see picture). I don’t understand why the measurement markings shown on the extension do not compensate for the width of the hinge area, as it is possible to result in an erroneous measurement when the extension is unfolded to measure lengths longer than 6”. 3. The white on black markings (for the un-extended portion of square) are easy to read, but the white on silver markings (for extended portion of square) are difficult to read. 4. The notches provided for marking didn’t seem to be machined sufficiently to place a clean pencil marking on the surface of wood (see picture). Good enough perhaps for rough markings, not so much for precise ones. 5. The folding feature nicely conserved some space in my toolbox. The extension is held in place by small roller catches, but it was easy to fold/unfold the extension by pushing a finger through the body of the square to release the extension from its storage position. (see pictures). I do wonder how these catches will fair under use, or when exposed to glues/mortar/adhesives, as invariably happens when I’m checking the square of my work under real-life conditions? Will they become gummed-up, so that the mechanism becomes inoperable? Fortunately this product touts a lifetime warranty to help offset this concern. Unfortunately, for me the measurement markings for the extended square pose a real concern. I don’t want to waste supplies due to bad cuts attributed to erroneous measurement markings. While I like to think that I would double check my measure with a separate tape, the reality is that won’t always be the case. For this reason, I am hesitant to recommend this product.

I used this Husky 2 in 1 extendable layout square to help in marking the layout for a framing job where I needed to mark a cutting area between framing studs to cut out an area to reframe to add a small air conditioner in a small shed. With the extendable layout you can fold the extension out when you need it and fold it back in out of the way when you don't need it. Over the years I've need something like this where I was cutting a line across something longer than 6" on boards and plywood to mark and this fits the bill. It appear rugged and was a nice addition to this job I was doing and others I needed it for in the past but had to make do without.

The hinged extension is a great idea which can quickly increase the usability of this little square. It is made from chunky aluminum with a black finish and good, clear, easy to read, white markings. The fold out extension is a regular unfinished aluminum color with white markings which makes it a bit more difficult to read quickly. My first impression was “What a good idea.” Unfortunately, that idea is flawed because the extension will not lay flat. The extension was opened and closed numerous times to see if that helped but it did not. This is not necessarily a deal breaker and I can see uses for this tool but it does indicate a failing in the quality control department. I will use this square but I will always be aware of its limitations.

I'm a frequent 6" speed square user. I rarely need more than that but knowing I could extent out to 12" is certainly a nice feature. What really made me happy was when the foldable portion is stored it thickens the edge to match the thickness on the base of my circular saw. Feels very positive when making a cut, I like it. Other than that the numbers are easy to read and things feel very sturdy. I'm a fan. 

This expandable layout square is a great idea. The tool itself feels substantial without being too heavy. The six inch extension easily flips up. There’s a cut out on the underside to facilitate opening. There are three small bearings that hold the extension in place when not in use so it doesn’t accidentally flip open. I definitely recommend this product.

This Husky two-in-one extendable layout square is made of lightweight aluminum, but has the feel of a heavy metal. No plastic parts like some other squares. It's six inches when closed and extends to twelve inches when opened. The extension does not slip open on it's own. You need to push the extension through the back of the square to make it open. It is truly a heavy duty tool that I expect will last a long time.

Layout squares are extremely versatile, and many come with a detailed instruction booklet. Six inch is the most common size but larger ones are also quite common. While the idea of having a fold-out extension sounds good, this extendable layout square fails in several areas. When extended, it is not able to be used with the hinge-side down as it is not flat. With the hinge-side up, the extension does not open flat without holding it down, which means it requires 3 hands to place a mark on the board. Another takeaway is the fact that it ends at a hinge which cuts it off from drawing to a six inch point when that edge is needed. While the scale appears to be accurate, the square I received is off from the edge to the first mark on the scale. I compared the scale with three other measuring devices including a precision ruler, a tape measure, and a different layout square.

There is a saying that necessity is the mother of invention. Someone saw the need to take a 6-inch square and expand it out to 12 inches: but keep the same footprint as a 6-inch square for storage. This metal square feels very solid. The expansion arm will lock closed so it will never flop open when not in use. It opens smoothly and just feels well-made. This will replace my old plastic square that I actually use quite a bit. Thanks to smart packaging, you can open and close the arm to get a feel for it before buying. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this square or give it as a gift.