Being Square

[Lynn Coleman]

Hi all,

Well, I never wanted to be considered square but I've discovered you really want to be square while constructing a trailer.

Last night we discovered we went out of square by a 1/4 of an inch. This morning we found the problem, fixed in and we were square once again. Then later in the day we removed a couple of interior braces, foolishly thinking we had enough support up...NOT! By mid afternoon we were no longer square. We put the braces back up, added another one and continued to work.

As we packed it in for the night, I didn't check if we were still square, I figure a good night's sleep was in order.

So, the last time we checked we were still square and we shouldn't have gone out, but who knows.

Basically we've come to the conclusion, right angles and levels are our friends.

Lynn & Paul

[48Rob]

Congratulations on your build!

It can at times be frustrating trying to keep things square...but far better that you have learned it's importance now, than after most of the build is complete...
Teardrops are pretty basic structures, but pretty basic math still applies.

Being in a hurry, or figuring that cut is "close enough" leads to; Why won't my hatch fit...I know it was pretty square when I built it??

Rob

[doug hodder]

Lynn, while it is real important to make things as square as you can, if something gets off and it is going to mean trashing a piece of material, just remember, that's what molding/trim is for...Doug

[Steve_Cox]

Be there or be square.

With the way today's lumber changes constantly with the weather, especially here in Florida, square is an abstract concept. Good you and Paul keep a close eye on it.

I have some places on my tear that are out bottom to top by as much as 1/2 inch. On a 5' wide in a 4' X 8' world it wasn't a big deal. If I had been building a 4' wide it would have been more disconcerting.