Carpentry Guides
Layout and marking fundamentals, written for people who cut lumber for a living. No fluff, just technique.
How to Use a Rafter Square: A Carpenter's Guide
What a rafter square does, the four jobs it handles every day, and a step-by-step walkthrough of marking a clean square cut on a 2x4.
Read the guideHow to Mark Perfectly Square Cuts on Lumber
Why square cuts matter, why lines drift when you flip a single-sided square, and the technique that keeps every face in agreement.
Read the guideSingle-Sided vs. Double-Sided Rafter Square
The traditional triangle marks one face at a time. What a double-sided square changes, and when it earns a place in your apron.
Read the guideHow to Mark Boards with Wane or Rough Edges
Wane, bark edges, and rough-sawn stock throw off a square that registers on one edge. Here is how to get a true line anyway.
Read the guideNew to the tool itself? Start with how the Rapid Rafter works →
Mark three sides of 2× stock in one motion
- Marks three sides of 2× material in one motion: both faces and the top edge
- Aluminum body, laser-etched scales, wider scribe
- Patented double-sided square, Popular Mechanics Gear of the Year 2025
Working doubles, LVL or posts? The Pro Base-Plate Kit adds 3″, 4″ and 6″ plates, $59.99. Buy the kit
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