# Speed Square Always Falls out of Tool Belt



## mobius1982 (Jul 18, 2014)

I have been having a horrible time with my speed square.

I have a dead on tools DO-FR Professionals Framers Rig tool belt and an Empire Laser Etched 7' speed square and it always seems to pop out of my tool belt pocket.

Any ideas on how best to keep it in my tool belt. Any ideas are welcome hooks, holsters, modifications. Share your story about what works for you.

Thanks


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## JR Shepstone (Jul 14, 2011)

Get an Occidental Leather tool belt. Has a speed square slot between the two bags.


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## mobius1982 (Jul 18, 2014)

Very nice toolbelt but I do really like my toolbelt. Looking for a modification or hook or something that will work wtih my current setup.


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## JR Shepstone (Jul 14, 2011)

Swanson made a hook that they sell with a speed square.


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

You need a belt with a spot for it
I have DeWalt framers bags and between the upper pouch and the lower pouch, there's a little groove that it fits in
Never falls out or get in the way


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## mobius1982 (Jul 18, 2014)

I had heard about that speed square and hook but it is no longer listed on their site and can't seem to find any online retailers or stores that carry it.


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## JR Shepstone (Jul 14, 2011)

mobius1982 said:


> I had heard about that speed square and hook but it is no longer listed on their site and can't seem to find any online retailers or stores that carry it.


I saw one by chance in a mom and pop hardware store local to me. That might be your best bet.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

the square pocket on that thing sucks..


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## dielectricunion (Feb 27, 2013)

I have a belt with a place for the square and as soon as I lean over a certain way the thing comes bouncing out. I need to rig something up myself.


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## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

Those stupid carry handles they put in the sides work perfect for my square.. The pain from being poked in the side all day goes away after a while.


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## Stunt Carpenter (Dec 31, 2011)

You could add a rear earth magnet to help hold it in. I did that with my knife in my old setup I just taped it to the bottom of the sleeve and it works good.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

must be pretty rare to stick to an aluminum square:blink:


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Stunt Carpenter said:


> You could add a rear earth magnet to help hold it in. I did that with my knife in my old setup I just taped it to the bottom of the sleeve and it works good.


You would need to put one on the speed square as well...


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## Brian Peters (Feb 2, 2011)

Are you putting it in your bag point down? I put mine in with the angle sloping down and forward...seems to stay in better that way.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

that pouch has a dedicated angled pocket..which sucks..


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## mobius1982 (Jul 18, 2014)

The speed square seems to jump out of the rafter square pocket no matter how I position it.


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## Stunt Carpenter (Dec 31, 2011)

hdavis said:



> You would need to put one on the speed square as well...


Yeah I forgot about that point. Still might be worth while


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## Cap'n Jim (Apr 17, 2013)

Tom Silva had a neat slot for a speed square but apparently they dont make them anymore. Google around and there used to be a short video made by Tom that shows how to make one out of PVC. Looked pretty slick!


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)




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## jlsconstruction (Apr 26, 2011)

If you lost the 7 foot square and got a 7 inch square it might stay in your belt.


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## jlsconstruction (Apr 26, 2011)




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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

Life is pretty good if your only problem is your square falling out occasionally...


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## Metro M & L (Jun 3, 2009)

jlsconstruction said:


> If you lost the 7 foot square and got a 7 inch square it might stay in your belt.


Its a real mans square.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

mobius1982 said:


> The *speed square* seems to jump out of the *rafter square* pocket no matter how I position it.


Maybe you should use the speed square pocket.

Or stop crawling around upside down in the rafters. :laughing:


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

Tinstaafl said:


> Or stop crawling around upside down in the rafters. :laughing:



That's the only time mine "jumps" out.


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## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

tenon0774 said:


> That's the only time mine "jumps" out.


So stop playing Spiderman


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

m1911 said:


> So stop playing Spiderman


Only when I'm physically unable.

This is the "fun" of rafter framing and setting trusses.

...although, my knuckles drag on the ground when I walk, so I may be "different".

( that and there's now a bunch of silver hair on my back, that wasn't there a few years ago. )


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## Hardscaper (Jun 11, 2014)

That 7 footer would not fit in my bags either


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## rjconstructs (Apr 26, 2009)

I put mine between my pants waist and my pouch belt on my right side.


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## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

mobius1982 said:


> I had heard about that speed square and hook


The problems I have with hooks is they get hooked on things and things hook on them.....

If you like your setup, go to a fabric store or outdoor store and find a thick piece of nylon that you can sew onto the inside or inside the bag itself that will hold your ss. You can do this with waxed dental floss and a heavy gauge needle.

When I used nylon bags, I'd do this for repairs of the flaps that the belt went through when they tore if the bag was still in somewhat good shape.


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## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

rjconstructs said:


> I put mine between my pants waist and my pouch belt on my right side.


I sometimes do that too, but with the larger ss. Maybe this would be viable with the OP, the larger plastic ones?


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## brhokel606 (Mar 7, 2014)

rjconstructs said:


> I put mine between my pants waist and my pouch belt on my right side.


For those of us with a "bit" of a spare tire, you're way would not work at all:thumbsup:

All I can envision right now is Peter Griffin lying on the ground rolling in pain!


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## Kiwidan (Jan 10, 2014)

I used to have the same problem with my old bags, it was the first and only thing to fall out when climbing and getting caught on things I fixed it by buying a diamondback pouch !!haha I know it's motto helpful!


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

I've thought about the "clips or hooks".

My roots are production framing.

The clips and hooks are just "one more thing" to get in the way of work.

(and yes, I've thought about this a bit...)

Split rings, carabiners, loops of 12 wire...

Speed square needs to be un-encumbered!


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

Pretty sure "Norm or Tom" haven't been hanging from a truss or rafter since the late 70's.


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

I'm, also thinking of a rare-earth magnet. They come in all shapes and sizes, along with matching metal pieces to cling to.

They make "cups" for the magnet to sit in. It surrounds the magnet on all sides except one face. The bottom of the cup is drilled and countersunk to accept a flat-head screw. This all is designed to fit into a drilled, shallow hole the same diameter as the cup.

So for the magnet and cup...use a small, flat head bolt and cap nut fitted into the back or front inside face of a pouch pocket...punch or drill a small hole.... keep the profile as low as possible.

Attach a steel washer a bit larger (or any thin piece of steel) to the speed square. Play around a little and keep track of how and where you are putting it into the pouch and where the magnet would best contact the piece of steel.

Fasten the steel to the square with epoxy, dbl-sided tape...whatever...

Sand any edges down so the magnet slides over the steel and to make any contact with flesh a no-event.

That's what I'd do.

Here is a link to a guy I've used a lot.
http://www.kjmagnetics.com/

I'm sure he'd be happy to give some advice also. He's helped me a few times.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

I wear the 7 bag pro framers with Stronghold suspenders (the strongholds thanks to my buddys here at CT who voted my COM last month). 

Speed square goes between the 2 fastener bags on the left side.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Robie said:


> I'm, also thinking of a rare-earth magnet. They come in all shapes and sizes, along with matching metal pieces to cling to.
> 
> They make "cups" for the magnet to sit in. It surrounds the magnet on all sides except one face. The bottom of the cup is drilled and countersunk to accept a flat-head screw. This all is designed to fit into a drilled, shallow hole the same diameter as the cup.
> 
> ...


Checking out that site, this is one strong mofo

http://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=BZX0Z0Y0-N52&cat=168


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

Californiadecks said:


> Checking out that site, this is one strong mofo
> 
> http://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=BZX0Z0Y0-N52&cat=168


He and I discussed a lock for my trailer...
A piece of 3/4" pvc mounted horizontally across the inside of the side door. Make a clean cut where the door meets the frame.

Place a 5/8" steel rod, polished and with the ends chamfered, inside the pvc. Put end caps on each far end of the pvc.

Make the steel rod long enough so it can be moved to one end and be short of the cut in the pvc.

Mount a strong rare-earth magnet to a wooden handle...glue a piece of felt over the magnet. To unlock the lock, place the magnet on the outside skin of the trailer. Slide it left or right (depending on how you have it set up) and the steel rod will follow. Now, your door is secured from the inside with a 5/8" deadbolt.

Yup, they make magnets that will do that.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Robie said:


> He and I discussed a lock for my trailer...
> A piece of 3/4" pvc mounted horizontally across the inside of the side door. Make a clean cut where the door meets the frame.
> 
> Place a 5/8" steel bar, polished and with the ends chamfered, inside the pvc. Put end caps on each far end of the pvc.
> ...


Curious as to how polished effects it?


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