WOODPECKERS IN-DEXABLES
When you’re working at the table saw, you need something to help with the layout, which is why we’re wrapping up with these layout tools. These come from Woodpeckers as well, and they have some interesting bells and whistles that make them worth discussing.
COMBO SQUARES.
The tools you see here are essentially just variations of combination squares. That’s not a bad thing, mind you — the combination square is one of my favorite layout tools. There are five different heads that can be interchanged between three lengths of rulers. There are some commonalities between these.
First, a thumbscrew secures the ruler at the proper position. Each head has a pin that can be pressed down to index into holes at the inch marks. The rulers also have scribing notches, which help position a pencil tip directly at the increment mark.
SQUARE & COMBO HEADS.
To dive into the specific heads, I’ll begin with the three simpler ones: the two sizes of square heads and the combination head. These serve the same purpose as they would on any square, yet they do have one nice addition. On the end opposite the ruler, they have a retractable tab. The tab is pushed out to keep the square from tipping as you work along the edge of a piece.
CENTER-FINDING HEAD.
The center-finding head is V-shaped at its front to straddle either the corner of a rectangular workpiece or just the side of a circular one. The ruler runs down the apex of the V, allowing you to quickly find centers, or to measure precisely off of a corner.
PROTRACTOR HEAD.
The final head of the bunch is the protractor, and it’s made to mark out angles. The ruler rotates, with a thumbscrew underneath to lock it in. Common angles can be set quickly using an indexing pin.
These layout tools will run you from $140 to $250 individually. However, I quite enjoyed them. If one interests you, I recommend giving it a try. You might like it enough to get the rest.
