Speed Square For Roof Pitch

A speed square and level can be used to easily find the pitch of a roof.

Speed square for roof pitch.

The speed square was invented in 1925 by albert swanson. Using a speed square as a try square. You can also use a speed square to find level if you re on the job without a spirit level. The 90 degree right angle leading out from the pivot and the lip makes quickly and.

Therefore if your roof rises 4 inches over the course of 12 inches of horizontal run then your roof pitch is 4 12. You might also like. Swanson was a carpenter in a small town outside of chicago. By the diy experts of the family handyman magazine.

Invest in a larger speed square and you could even use it for longer cuts. After he created the speed square other carpenters began asking him for one and the swanson tool company was born. Set the level on the edge of the speed square as shown below then place the heel of the speed square on a rafter or gable edge of the roof. He wanted to create a device to make it easier to quickly determine roof pitches.

You can use a speed square to find roof pitches guide your circular saw and more including marking any angle from 0 to 90 degrees. As stated in the video speed squares have useful markings on them from 0 to 12. You can use a speed square to find pitches. A speed square will have two specialty protractor angle guides on the inside of the tool which has both common rafter angles and hip valley angles marked out.

Constructing a new shed roof at the desired pitch is as easy as knowing how to use a speed square. Finding the pitch of a roof is simple with a speed square. As a matter of fact finding the pitch of a roof was the motivating factor for how this tool was invented in the first place hence it s official name the rafter square.