INCRAGSQR5 Guaranteed Square 5" Precision Square

A couple of reviewers had issues with this tool. I don't!I own several Incra products and I am very pleased with this square.They (Incra) think things through when they build something. When I first took this tool out of the box I was immediately impressed with the fit and finish as well as the "heft" and the overall feel.(Anyone that uses hand tools knows what I mean.)Like other reviewers, I too like the way it stays put when you lay it on a board. Overall I like the accuracy that Incra products provide.Between my "Original" Incra jig, center finder rule, bend rule, 6" T rule and SE1000 miter gauge my work comes out square and true. I was a little concerned with one reviewer that checked his jointer and found his square wasn't up to the task.I checked the fence on my jointer with the OUTSIDE of the square and found it to be at 90 degrees to the table with a light shining behind it. ( I also used a digital tilt box with the same 90 degree results)I then ran a piece of 8/4 oak through the jointer to get the "face" square to the edge and checked it with the INSIDE of the square and found it to be true.I checked my mitre gauge set at 90 to the blade and found it be true as well.If you are new to Incra products go to their website and look at their products and then search the internet for other reviews and comments.Woodworkers love them! their products are accurate, they stand behind them AND they are made in the USA!The accuracy of this square is more than enough for a low brow woodworker like me.I would recomend this tool or any other Incra product to any woodworker that wants to take his work to a higher level.

These Incra “Guaranteed Square” squares are my favorites (I’ve got two of the 90 degree squares and two of the 45 degree angle squares), Dead accurate, excellent finish, made to survive a nuclear blast. I also like the “cheeks” on the base, which make these easy to use on the edge of wood sheets and pieces. If I had to stretch for something I don’t like, I guess it would be that even the 5 inch versions are too big and heavy for most pockets, but that’s actually part of what makes these great squares. If it matters, these are US-made. Unless I need something that’s 24” or more, these are always the squares I grab when I need a perfect 90 or 45 degree measurement.

I use this square for everything and it is absolutely FANTASTIC. People keep saying, "It's too much money for a woodworking square, but might be okay as a machinist square.", but what they don't realize is, any good woodworker worth their weight in salt squares machinery ALL the time: Their own machinery. Face it, we live in a world where you can't trust gauges on woodworking machines to be that accurate, especially in my shop where I have a love for rebuilding worn out tools into like new, well, finely tuned machines.So far, here's some of what I've squared, in addition to just 90's on wood:-Table saw blades after angle cuts-Initial table saw arbor adjustment (parallel to miter slot), subsequent fence adjustment for same.-Radial arm saw table to blade after new top installed-Drill press arbor to table-Mortising attachment for drill press (2 planes there)-Bandsaw blade to table (check for tire alignment AND table alignment to blade) VERY necessary for Resaw or veneer.So why do I use this square? Easy. The less error in my machinery, the less cumulative error is transferred into my substrate. The accuracy marked on wood is a nice aside and it's great to have a square that's fit for "double duty".

Most people who buy a precision square do not have any means of checking to see if it is precise as the manufacturer claims. So, we have to rely on the reputation of the manufacturer and on the recommendations and critiques of others. Before I ordered the GSQR7, I read the reviews here on Amazon. I was persuaded that it was an excellent product (although I had not previously heard of Incra). So, I ordered it.It arrived very quickly via the free shipping.Right out of the box I was a little surprised to find scratches on the square. I concluded that these were probably the places where the electrodes were attached during the anodizing. The next realization was that, despite the prominent claim of the manufacturer that this is a "one piece design", it certainly is not. I counted 12 pieces in all (including 4 bolts, 4 nuts and a decal) and I can't imagine anybody honestly describing it as having fewer than 3 pieces - the main "L", and the two red handle pieces. Certainly this would be less expensive to manufacture than a one piece design, but it's not what I thought I was buying.I also noted that there is a threaded hole in the blade of mine, which is not shown in any of the photos on the product package nor in the photos shown here on Amazon.The manufacturer has made two claims1) It's a one piece design.2) The blade is accurate to within 1/1000 of an inch throughout.The first claim is clearly untrue. I don't have any easy way to verify the 2nd claim.The product did not come with any documentation other than a little card which says "Certificate of Accuracy : Incra guarantees the accuracy of this precision instrument to conform to all manufacturer's specifications. Angular accuracy is guaranteed to be less than 0.001" maximum deviation from nominal at any point along the full length of the blade."However, no "manufacturer's specifications" were supplied with the product. Also, it is interesting that they specify that only the "blade" is accurate, not the handle - and yet the handle is flush with the blade on the lower side (so that inaccuracy of the handle will affect the results in actual use) and one illustration on the box demonstrates the product being used in a configuration which relies on the accuracy of both the upper surface of the handle and the blade.So, I'm disappointed. Perhaps everything is just great. Perhaps the handle is just as accurate as the blade. Perhaps the entire unit is square on every surface to the specified 0.001". I simply don't know.If Incra is going to make a precision instrument, then they need to make precise statements about it.10/23/2013 - I'm updating this review and increasing my rating from 3 to 4. I use this square every time I'm in the shop and really like it. I've also bought the 45 degree "square" from Incra. I think Incra is a little more interested in making pretty things than they perhaps should be, but as far as I can tell this is an excellent product. I checked it against some machinists blocks at work and found no issues with it. For the price, you are buying more than a cool-looking red and gold assembly of anodized alluminum.