Precision is essential in woodworking. You’ll need tools like a T-square to measure angles. However, there will be times when these measuring tools aren’t available, and you have to make do with what is available.
When you need to measure a 45-degree angle and no measuring tools are around, you can still start and finish your project. You don’t need to run and buy a new square at the nearest hardware store. Here are some ways to measure a 45-degree angle without a square:
Know the Three Sides of a Triangle
Before reading the rest of this guide, you should refresh your knowledge on the essential elements of a triangle. Right angles have three sides. These sides are the opposite, adjacent, and the hypotenuse. These words are used throughout the guide.
Find a Protractor
If you have kids, a nephew, or a niece in primary or high school, you can borrow their little protractors. A protractor allows you to measure angles accurately, despite the fact that it’s the smallest measuring tool you’ll ever come across.
Even if you measure irregular cuts of wood into a 45-degree angle, you won’t need calculating. Place the protractor on the wood, find 45 degrees in it and you’re done. Don’t forget to mark the perpendicular lines, so you’ll know where the angles begin and end.
Use a Piece of Paper
Do you have a piece of paper lying around your house? Scrap paper, newspaper, or a page of a magazine would do as long as the edges are straight. Often, these sheets have 90-degree angles. The edges of these pieces of paper represent the adjacent and opposite sides of a right triangle.
Using that paper, mark the wood you want to cut. Then, fold the paper into a triangle. Folding should begin from the points between the opposite and adjacent side of the paper. Voila! You get a 45-degree angle.
Bisect a Right Angle with a Compass
Aside from paper and protractor, you can use a compass to create a perfect angle. The length doesn’t matter. Even if you’re using the smallest compass, you can still make an accurate 45-degree angle.
First, create a straight line on the wood. Place the pointy edge on one point of the straight line. The starting point of the line will be your point A. Mark the center of the arc and then, draw the line. That’ll be your point B. From point B, create another arc line. This line will be your point C.
From points C to B, draw a perpendicular line. You’ve created a right angle that corresponds to the adjacent and opposite sides of a triangle. From points C to A, draw the line. This line represents the hypotenuse.
Measure the line from points A to C. Divide the number you got. This point will be your point D. From point D to point B (the perpendicular point between point B and point C), draw a line. This line bisects the right angle and will give you an accurate 45-degree angle.
So, even if the edges of the wood are irregular, using these methods will result in an accurate angle. All you need is to extend the opposite, adjacent, and the bisected lines to your desired length. Don’t forget to trim the excess wood from the adjacent and opposite lines to create a straight line.
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