Questions and Answers for Empire 7 in. Laser Etched Aluminum Rafter Square

A:  Mine was made in the USA.

A:  No but there are plenty of you tube videos .

A:  empirelevel.com/usermanual - this is printed on the speed square. All kinds of videos and instruction online also

A:  Mark from the pivot line to the middle of the 22 and 23 degree hash mark on the outside diagonal edge where those numbers all represent angles from 0 to 90 degrees. They are labeled in increments of 5. So just draw a line starting at your pivot mark to the angle you’re looking for and draw a line straight through from one point to the other.

A:  Begin by using your square to draw a 90 degree line across your 2x4 next use your square to draw a 45 degree line across the 2x4 measure down from the 90 degree line to the 45 degree line. Make a mark 1/2 way between the two. starting at the original apex, draw a line to the new mark in the center. that will be 22.5 degrees.

A:  Trying to eyeball 22.5 on the degree scale may be accurate enough but if you use the 5 on the common pitch scale (bottom of the slot) that will get you right there, perhaps a little more accurately.

A:  Hold the "pivot" corner on the parallel 2x4. Pivot that point till the 22.5 degrees shows on the long angle line and mark it on the inch scale as in video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAilvHrOTsU

A:  I believe you have your question on the wrong product. This is a rafter square, not a calculator.

A:  Yes, it does square roofs.

A:  Si esta bien

A:  Sure can but a calculator is easier and quicker. Try it.

A:  Haha, you're dang right it can if you're qualified to use it. Your answer is 1.414214 :)

A:  Yeah the blue picks it up perfectly.

A:  Very easy to use for a (speed) square. I like it better than that one.(speed square)

A:  my red laser shows up on mine don't know about the green

A:  Yes it does very well reading a laser off of it

A:  Yes, this model has a scribe guide.

A:  I just bought one last week and it has the scribe guide and the one I got about 6 months ago has it that is the best info I can give you other than that I guess you would have to check with Empire

A:  Mine is a year old and does not have the Scribe Guide as shown on the manufacturer's site. I don't know about Home Depot's inventory.

A:  The numbers are for achieving different measurements, distances, and angles. It just depends on what you are using it for. I'm sure there's a more specific scientific answer. Look it up online. There are some great videos that show all the different things you can do with this square.

A:  In use as a rafter square it will layout for you common pitches for rafter tails and angles as well as for stairs with rise and run. View a utube video on how to use a rafter square to learn how to use it.

A:  Hi Mel, those are for figuring pitch and common. There are some very good YouTube videos that can show you exactly what they all mean and how to calculate them.

A:  The square is used for many things besides achieving a 90 degree angle. It can also be used to achieve angles for example when building a roof truss or figuring degrees on a build that requires other than a perfect 90 degree corner.

A:  The numbers stamped on the reverse side are roof pitches. A "12" pitch roof corresponds to a 45 degree angle, but to correctly cut a rafter to mate with it's counterpart on the other side of the roof you must know the exact angle and that is not as easy to calculate as one might think. Without a rafter layout booklet you're left with guessing...or you can simply read the conversion directly off this square. Other manufacturers do not stamp their squares with rafter info; Empire does and it is valuable info indeed.

A:  I think the newer models have them. They call it a Scribe-Guide

A:  Empire's failed to do their homework. Rip line pencil notches are an essential feature of ANY decent speed square. Cost a bit more to cut, but hopelessly inferior without rip line notches!

A:  The 12" model does. It is the e3992.

A:  Most 7 inch squares don't, for some reason. The 12 inch does. This one does have a notch at 3-1/2 for studs though

A:  The newer model has a Scribe-Guide