DFM Triangle and Mini Square Review

Click image to go to DFM website

The 3" (inch) small carpenter square is handy for marking layout lines, scribing via pencil with the provided holes every 1/16" (inch), checking for square, and checking for small 45º (degree) angles. I purchased mine in dark grey, but probably should have gone with the black one to make it just a little easier to see the markings etched into the aluminum.

There are a few things to consider before purchasing this triangle. The square is machined aluminum, though I wish it were a tougher metal. The aluminum can be easily dented if you're not careful. Any hard surface such as concrete, brick, or other metals can easily dent/damage the triangle.

The holes at every 1/16" (inch) are just slightly too large to accurately accomidate a Pentel GraphGear 500 mechanical drafting pencil, which causes the line drawn to not be as accurate as it possibly could. The pencil lead likes to wander a tiny amount when you go to scribe a line. Nevertheless, if you are not worried too much on the accuracy of the project you are working on, then the holes are just fine. However, if your project needs precision, then use an accurate ruler, mark and then draw your line with the triangle as a square (Pencil great, marking knife best).

I wish the square went to 4" (inches) instead of 3" (inches), but that is just personal preference.

Make sure to check the triangle for square first. There are many ways to check it for square, you can search 'checking a sqaure to see if it is sqaure' on Google or Youtube. I recommend Wood By Wright@Youtube, WoodWorkWeb@Youtube, or The Wood Whisperer@Youtube.

Don't use a Pentel Twist-Erase mechanical pencil with the 1/16" incriment holes as the 0.9mm lead tends to break very easily while scribing. I switched from the Twist-Erase to Pentel's GraphGear 500 mechanical drafting pencil and have not looked back since. I use 0.9mm lead becasue that is what I have on hand, so I am not sure how the small lead diameters will hold up. The 0.9mm holds up well, paired with the Pentel GraphGear 500.

I hardly every use (which is mostly never) the traingle with the provided pin, so I am not sure of its accuracy.

Last, but certainly not least, I have found that the coating the factory (made in USA) uses to give the aluminum its color and proection has little granules in it, causeing an imperfect 90º. I have found that if you sand both surfaces that create the 90º with a sandpaper that is 1500 grit or higher, using a piece of flat glass to ensure flatness and an even sanding, the little granules get sanded away and you are left with a smooth finish for scribing. Please note that some of the coating is going to be removed, but I haven't had any troubles with the minimal amount of coating removed.

Yes, I do recommend this product, and it is significantly cheaper than an equivelant by Woodpeckers, which is an added bonus!

Pros	Cons
Great for layout	Soft aluminum
Great for scribing square	Fear of dents if dropped accidentally​
Great for checking for square	A pencil/increment hole does not exist for 1/16", only for 1/8" and up​
Great for checking small 45º angles	No indication or marking for knowing how tall the base is (on the DFM website, they claim it to be 1/4", but check it with a caliper first)
Holes at every 1/16"	Not the greatest for table saw or router height setup

---

Click image to go to DFM website

The Small Square and Marking Center Finder is not used as often in my shop as the small carpenter square is. Nevertheless, it has been useful for checking for square on small parts. This square does come with two pins for marking centers on stock ( I have tried it, but found it a little bit cumbersome to use). I usually find center with a ruler or calipers, and then mark it with a marking gauge or marking knife if it a precision oriented project.

Like the triangle mentioned above, I have found that the coating the factory (made in USA) uses to give the aluminum its color and proection has little granules in it, causeing an imperfect 90º. I have found that if you sand both surfaces that create the 90º with a sandpaper that is 1500 grit or higher, using a piece of flat glass to ensure flatness and an even sanding, the little granules get sanded away and you are left with a smooth finish for scribing. Please note that some of the coating is going to be removed, but I haven't had any troubles with the minimal amount of coating removed.

I do not recommend using this sqaure to check a Dewalt DW7485 8.25" table saw blade for 90º as the blade doesn't travel high enough for the teeth to clear the hieght of the sqaure. (I also do not recommend checking 90º on the DeWalt DW7485 8.25" table saw blade via the throatplate only because the aluminum table is not presicion-machined flat... Use the thinnest, steadiest, and largest square square you have to get the blade at 90º... I have used my Woodpeckers 1281 12" alumimun square for it).

Yes, this product is a handy little square, but I would recommend first purchasing the triangle, and then the little square. (You can visit www.731woodworks.com for a more in-depth review on this square).

I purchased mine separate (The samll carpenter square and Small Square and Marking Center Finder), the triangle came in nice molded foam with room for the small sqaure too.

Personal - in grey

Pros	Cons
Small	Dents easily if dropped on a hard surface
Lightweight	Not good for a quick "square" mark, the small triangle is better at that
Great for checking square on small pieces	Anything wider than 1.75" is not able for center marking