Carpenter/framing squares?
Question:Any good websites that describe how to read the square, and that give good directions for building steps?
Answers:
To be honest the power of a carpenter's square dates back to the Roman Empire. They used it extensively in construction but of itself it is useless. The true power of the "Framing square" was in the formula given by Pathagoras which states
a^2 + b^2 = C^2, or in layman's terms
The square of the Hypothenuse of a triangle will be equal to the square of it other two sides.
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For steps, for example, you have a step and a riser. If you measure the step then the riser and allow them to be 'a ' and 'b' in the formula. Then the Hypothenuse must be equal to the square root of this value.
The hypothenuse of the steps is the distance between the upper corner of the riser to the outter corner of the step.
Note: you need to imagine your triangle going in from the step, up along the riser, and back down to the step again. It is this connection between the riser and the step that is not really there - you need to imagine the hypothenuse, in other words.
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Example, if the step is 10 " and the riser is 8" then:
a^2 + b^2 = c^2
(8^2) + (10^2) = c^2
64 + 100 = 164
The square root of 164 = 12.80 inches.
For the steps to be totally plum, the hypothenuse must measure 12.8 inches.
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The framing square is a quick way to get the measures for your 'a ' and 'b', and a pocket calculator lets you determine in a few moments if you are at true plum.
You should really learn much about triangles and the associated formulas as they apply to the building trades - this is one big thing you will never regret, in my opinion.
(the order of 'a' and 'b' don't matter as long as 'c' is understood to be the hypothenuse in all cases)
Furthermore, the framing square is a quick way to determine if you have a true 90° angle, which is perfect for you squares, rectangles, etc. Even a circle can be determined to be true or not.
If you place the corner of the framing square in the center of the circle, like the romans did, then the distance along both legs of the framing square to the outter edge of the circle in both directions must be equal.
You simply read along each leg of the framing square as if it were a ruler. This gives you the measure on that plane. The two planes intersect to form an angle, and this is where the formulas of triangles.. and other goeometric / mathematical formualas come into play.
Talk to a lumberyard... Some interior steps start with a pre-made base that you just put the riser boards on -- the shape is done for you. I don't know what it's called tho.
diynet.com covers just about everything! Have fun!
www.bobvila.com ( How to read framing squares)
I had the same question about stairs a few months ago. I went and searched for "building stair" and got a bunch of sites. Sorry I can't remember any of them.
go to your library they have stair building books that tell you how to build a simple set of stairs to very complicated
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