Hand Tool Restoration - Lufkin Combination Square

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Music - "Tiptoe Out the Back" by Dan Lebowitz
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[@adude7050]

Ggreat job. i love those small combination squares. I had one in both my metal and woodworking shop and they never left my side.

[@357magdad]

I use this one a lot!

[@GeorgeWMays]

Small projects like this are so gratifying. Really like the green. Thanks for the video. Appreciated.

[@357magdad]

Thanks George!

[@ScoutCrafter]

Another awesome restoration!!! 😃👍

[@357magdad]

Thanks! I had fun coming up with my own "post war metallic green" paint job!

[@larrydye3948]

Sweet!

[@vanislescotty]

Enjoyed a 'vintage' 357magdad video.

[@Silverhorn2]

Nice job, love the green.

[@357magdad]

Thanks! It's a handy little square - I use it all the time!

[@adude7050]

Great job I love a small combination square in the shop.

[@357magdad]

Thanks A Dude! It's super handy, I use it all the time!

[@scroungasworkshop4663]

Great resto and good music, what’s not to like. You’ve got me hooked. Thanks Stuart 🇦🇺

[@357magdad]

I'm glad you are enjoying my videos!

[@2dividedby3equals666]

Great job done to a great tool. I love these combination squares, especially the smaller ones!!

[@357magdad]

Lufkin makes a high quality square!

[@sueb4154]

Hi, thanks for the video. I have a 12" that I'm working on right now, but without the sucess you've achieved. I'll try your methods. I too searched for an estimated age of this tool and only found models that had a scribe. Mine doesn't have it either, which makes me think it's older than most. Pre scribe era, maybe? So, great job on the restoration and thanks again for the tips on how I might make mine better ...

[@357magdad]

I'd love to see how yours turns out Sue! [e-mail]

[@donscottvansandt4139]

Very nice !! Love that custom green! I thought it was gonna be too Grey but the green kept its richness.. 👍

[@357magdad]

Thanks!

[@shedmanx3640]

7 months ago I watched this and commented that I have two 12 inch versions of this square. I also thought about cutting one down to 6 inches or so. I did and it’s my most used square in my shed. Thanks for the video and idea.

[@357magdad]

Thanks Shed Man!

[@donscottvansandt4139]

Great music!!

[@357magdad]

Thanks!

[@The_Shiny_Red_Dingus_of_Mingus]

My favourite part isn't the restoration, it's the bit at the end where you finished up using paste wax on the unpainted metal. It's a really important step that a lot of people don't do/show in their restoration videos. Well done!

[@357magdad]

Thanks for watching!

[@littlepaddy7444]

Nice restoration.

[@357magdad]

Thanks!

[@BestUserNameUK]

Turned out great. Loving that green👍🏻

[@357magdad]

Thanks! I had fun mixing up a custom color.

[@ihrescue]

Excellent work 357MagDad. Interesting color mixing for the frame paint. I have an old Stanley that is cleaned up and corrosion removed but I haven't painted it yet. Your ideas on the mix gives me ideas. Wow, after cling up the steel rule on my square as well as a nice old framing square I am convinced these steel rules are some of the hardest to cleanup. Keep up the great work.

[@357magdad]

Thanks for watching! Mixing the Testor's enamels are an inexpensive way to achieve custom colors for small projects like this!

[@theropesofrenovation9352]

I've never seen that particular square. Very nicely done. I liked the green too. There is something about the washing, grinding, sandpapering, polishing and painting sounds that is soothing so you don't need the music. =) Keep up the good work. Good filming too.

[@357magdad]

Thanks for watching and subscribing!

[@timothynewkirk2654]

Dag, I'm Impressed! Nice use of color! Thanks...Newk from Kentucky

[@357magdad]

Thanks Newk! I've had good luck with the Testor's enamel paints.

[@mikayle3028]

I'm Satisfied with your work and Accurate .

[@357magdad]

Thanks! This was a fun project!

[@mentholman3201]

Great work! Looks amazing

[@357magdad]

Thanks!

[@readysetsleep]

The 4 in Lufkin combination Squares did not come with a scribe holder? I thought the 6 in was small, but the 4 inch is tiny!

[@357magdad]

Nope - BYOS (bring your own scribe)

[@travisharper3107]

I has a square just like that I used on the job when I worked at Va.House Furniture in Atkins , Virginia. That place has long since shut down but for almost 7 years i was happy helping make furniture , real hard wood crafts not this bullshit that chips & break in half if you move it . You did a very fine job on this restoration. Hope you post more restored tool video's.

[@357magdad]

Thank you and thanlks for watching! I have a Goodell and Pratt combination square restoration coming up!

[@briansworkshop01]

Fantastic job 👍👍👍👍

[@VeradonaRestoration]

Very nice !

[@357magdad]

Thank you!

[@DirtyShedCreations]

Well done Boss!

[@donscottvansandt4139]

Great tunes Magdad! Though you do seem to have very good taste in music... I like hearing you talk because you tend to give detailed info. ... like grits of paper and products used ... and also another GREAT restoration!

[@357magdad]

Thanks! Mrs Magdad and I enjoy picking out the music!

[@matsandresson4758]

Great job.

[@357magdad]

Thanks!

[@edgarmata7101]

Nice... No flitz thought... Or Chuck

[@357magdad]

This video is pre-Flitz and pre-Chuck!

[@gupspad401]

Beautiful restoration, great job! Loved the background music! Who plays it?

[@357magdad]

Tiptoe Out the Back" by Dan Lebowitz

[@tonyholt90]

Lovely job there..

[@357magdad]

Thank you and thanks for watching!

[@62forged]

Nice!

[@357magdad]

Thanks! This little square comes in handy!

[@MrShobar]

Great work. Many thanks.

[@КошмарКошмар-й2б]

Good restoration 👍👍👍👍

[@357magdad]

Thanks!

[@shedmanx3640]

That looks great. I have the 12” version of this square. I had no idea they came that small. I also have a spare one......I wonder if I cut this down?

[@scroungasworkshop4663]

Shed Man X, Don’t you dare!

[@bertalicea2397]

Yes sir very good video! 👍 👍

[@357magdad]

Thanks Bert!

[@Drew_86]

Great job, but I'm wondering is it square? I have an old 9" Goodell-Pratt machinist square which is, believe it or not, still square. I've been reluctant to do much for fear of making it out of square.

[@357magdad]

I checked it with another combination square. They are either both square or both off.

[@Drew_86]

@@357magdad excellent. Another way to check is to put it against a straight edge, your table saw for instance, and draw a line along the blade perpendicular to the edge. Flip the square over and, using the same side of the blade, draw a line next to or even on top of the first line. Any discrepancy will be doubled and should be easy to see. That's usually good enough unless you are a machinist that needs 1/1000" accuracy.

[@Martyntd5]

///but I'm wondering is it square?/// They are easy to tune. The little screw clamps the blade down onto two points of contact inside the handle slot. Check the square using the method you describe using a scribe to mark the lines for better accuracy than a pencil. If it's off ...use as flat diamond jewellers file to take a few passes off one of those points of contact.This will tilt the blade up or down depending on which 'hump' you file down. Go easy and re-check for square often. Rinse and repeat until it's dead nuts on. Aside from a light chemical surface clean, I'd leave your machinist square alone. Anything you do to it with abrasives is likely to make it less accurate and there is nothing you can do to correct it.

[@joeheilm]

Very cool, great job.

[@357magdad]

Thanks!

[@bobbg9041]

Less sanding more Lemon Juice or CLR even vinegar, But Nice job why not repaint the markings darker? paint the whole surface and wipe off end to end let dry and do the other side, scrap the center groove or put wax in it before you paint, the lines will be dark and you will be able to read it better.. I think I would have honed the sides on the table saw also. Looks good.

[@tonylenge424]

Love the way you blend the paint. Is that testor model paint?

[@357magdad]

Thanks! Yes I've had pretty good luck with the Testors paints! I find that thinning the paint with the Testors thinner and applying a few thin coats gives the best results.

[@nightwalker5278]

Impressive, pleasure to watch :)

[@357magdad]

Thanks! It was a fun project!

[@drjoephd]

Did you check to see if it was actually square?

[@357magdad]

She's dead nuts!

[@milanradak269]

Nice job. Did this one not come with a scratch awl in the body of the tool? Great work on the video

[@357magdad]

Thanks! No scratch awl.

[@zartan7779]

Good job

[@357magdad]

Thank you and thanks for watching!

[@tshusker]

Have an identical one (but it's 6"). Any knowledge the age of this? Your logo/marking is the same as mine, and have found very little to nothing on-line to inform of age. Thanks, and good job on the restore.

[@357magdad]

I don't know much about the age either. Lufkin started making combination squares like this after WW1 and I think they went out of business in the late 1960's.

[@TheAnthonySarno]

Subscribed! What grit and type of sand paper did you use? I'm going to tackle my 12 inch lufkin combination square using your video as a guide.

[@357magdad]

Thanks for watching! I think I started with 400, then 800 and finally 1000. Good luck on your project!

[@mercoid]

Lufkin

[@scroungasworkshop4663]

Nice.

[@357magdad]

Thanks! It was a fun project!

[@djevrek]

Flattest thing in shop can be easily anything with peace of glass on it :)

[@357magdad]

Glass would work!

[@allancollins1937]

Any thoughts on checking it for square after all the restoration effort?

[@357magdad]

I checked it the same way I checked my more recent try square project. She's good!

[@wil172921]

Awesom work. What did you put on the rule part near the end?

[@357magdad]

I coated all of the bare metal with Johnson's paste wax to prevent corrosion. Thanks for watching!

[@raynabozny2338]

What no Flitz ?

[@357magdad]

Chuck wasn't around to remind me!

[@stephenkent8903]

A great find and wonderful restoration. I'm not sure I agree with your choice of colors. Im more of a original color restorer. Still a great job!

[@357magdad]

Thanks Stephen! The good thing about paint is that it is completely reversible!

[@robertfontaine3650]

But is it square?

[@357magdad]

Thanks for watching Robert! It is square enough for carpentry work and the rough metal work I do in my shop. You would probably want something more accurate for "real" machining.

[@willwyatt7023]

Saweeeeet!!!!

[@torquemada6781]

really nice work, but for me, I don´t need the music.

[@357magdad]

Thanks for watching! You could just turn down the volume and hum your own tune! LOL

[@cpeterson877]

Music sounds like a 1970's era soft core porn movie soundtrack.

[@357magdad]

LOL!