This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. English
  3. Manufacturing

wood square

English translation: see explanation

20:24 Sep 5, 2005
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Manufacturing / Carpentry & Woodworking
English term or phrase: wood square
The text is an instructional handout about making a mortise & tenon joint. This particular term appears under the instructions for coping the tenon. Is it just a wooden block for guiding the saw, or is something more specific intended here:

In the beginning, coping wood with a frame saw can present difficulties. In the case of small frames, a dovetail saw - and perhaps a **wood square** - can be used for coping the tenon.

Work sequence:
- Undercut the shoulders of the tenon a little (leaving the scribe lines standing).
- Do not cut into the tenon, because the resultant notches would greatly weaken the tenon.
- Save pieces of waste wood to use as clamping pads for bonding.
Alaa Zeineldine
Egypt
Local time: 09:00
Selected answer:see explanation
Explanation:
Coping a tenon for a door frame is cutting out wood so that the shoulders of the tenon will conform with the mortise. The shoulders of tenons are usually square, but with cope-and-stick frames (see below) the vertical stiles of the doors (where the mortises are located) are shaped and so the horizontal rails where the tenons are located are shaped similarly so that there is a nice fit. Undercutting is a synonym for coping in this case. I agree with Jack that the square is used for marking, but it could also be used for visual guidance, i.e. placing the square along the shoulders of the tenon to judge the angle of the cut.

The "wood square" is just a square made of wood. See picture below.
square
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00002N7UC/102...

Cope and stick joint for door frames

http://www.jeffgreefwoodworking.com/pnc/curvecope/
Selected response from:

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 01:00
Grading comment
Thank you Kim. You're right that this could also be used for guidance. It may be visual guidance as you indicate, or for guiding the saw in the initial cut. I could not tell since I did not receive back any guidance from the client on this (no pun intended!) What I did not mention is that the English text is itself translated from German. So it is possible that something was lost along the way. I chose to translate this as a wooden square block used for guiding the saw, but I sent a note to the client explaining the difficulty. Your answer is also equally good. Thanks also to Jack for helping!
2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +2see explanation
Kim Metzger
4Angle de reference / etalon
zaphod
2A wood T-square?
Jack Doughty


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
A wood T-square?


Explanation:
Is it perhaps a wood T-square? This is for marking out rather than cutting. Whether it can be used in coping a tenon, I do not know.
There is an illustration of one at http://www.keysan.com/big/pica0002597.html

Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:00
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 20
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

40 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
see explanation


Explanation:
Coping a tenon for a door frame is cutting out wood so that the shoulders of the tenon will conform with the mortise. The shoulders of tenons are usually square, but with cope-and-stick frames (see below) the vertical stiles of the doors (where the mortises are located) are shaped and so the horizontal rails where the tenons are located are shaped similarly so that there is a nice fit. Undercutting is a synonym for coping in this case. I agree with Jack that the square is used for marking, but it could also be used for visual guidance, i.e. placing the square along the shoulders of the tenon to judge the angle of the cut.

The "wood square" is just a square made of wood. See picture below.
square
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00002N7UC/102...

Cope and stick joint for door frames

http://www.jeffgreefwoodworking.com/pnc/curvecope/


Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 01:00
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 2
Grading comment
Thank you Kim. You're right that this could also be used for guidance. It may be visual guidance as you indicate, or for guiding the saw in the initial cut. I could not tell since I did not receive back any guidance from the client on this (no pun intended!) What I did not mention is that the English text is itself translated from German. So it is possible that something was lost along the way. I chose to translate this as a wooden square block used for guiding the saw, but I sent a note to the client explaining the difficulty. Your answer is also equally good. Thanks also to Jack for helping!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Kim. You suggested a try square, which is indeed used for marking. Jack referred to a T-square which is used for drafting and engineering drawing. They are two different things.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  jennifer newsome (X)
3 hrs
agree  sarahl (X)
10 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Angle de reference / etalon


Explanation:
Just suggestions. I have also heard menuisiers called it an "angle droit".
The description doesn't mean it's square, or a block, just that it has verified angles which are square (90 deg)


zaphod
Local time: 09:00
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search