# Squaring something during assembly. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 5, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squaring-something-during-assembly/643018 "2012-12-05T01:00:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squaring-something-during-assembly/643018/1 "2012-12-05T01:00:33Z")
Okay everyone, I amaze myself by being able to understand and work on done very complex mechanical things at times. Then I am simply amazed at what a complete dumbass I can be about some things, especially when they seem so simple. What I seem to be having problems with lately (and tonight) is trying to square things up while I assemble them. I recently had to assemble metal cabinets, shelves and tonight a base stand got a table saw. Each of these has a basic frame made of basically four rails that bolt together. The first couple looked like a Picasso painting when finished, so I had to loosen everything, wrestle the stupid thing until somehow I stumbled on making it square. Yes, I have tried using a square and thought I had it perfect. Tighten the bolts, stand back to admire my work and … DAMMIT … Well, you get the point. So, what simple thing am I missing here? What is the secret to getting these things not only square, but keeping then that watt while tightening everything. Or maybe my ex wife was correct, I am a moron? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squaring-something-during-assembly/643018/2 "2012-12-05T01:16:23Z")
Counting the holes? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squaring-something-during-assembly/643018/3 "2012-12-05T01:22:18Z")
Make sure you’re working on an even surface. If they’re anything like the cheap metal shelf sets I bought a dozen of at Target for $8 apiece a while back, find a corner of the room to stand them in while you’re setting them up so they’re squarer. Don’t fasten down anything all the way until you’ve got all the pieces in place, then make sure it’s square and even (by using a corner of the room, or a doorway), and then it’s like putting a wheel back on a car… fasten one point, then an opposite corner, and work your way around until it’s all tight. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squaring-something-during-assembly/643018/4 "2012-12-05T01:53:08Z")
I tighten bolts just to the point where they will hold, then force the framework until it’s square and level, and tighten the bolts all the way while holding on. I prefer the shelves I have where each self is made out of MDF and attaches to the uprights with bayonet type tabs. These assemble square. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squaring-something-during-assembly/643018/5 "2012-12-05T02:13:34Z")
Get it fairly close so that it at least looks mostly square-ish, and partially tighten the bolts, as **TriPolar** posted. Then take a tape measure and measure the diagonals. If it is truly square, then the diagonals will measure exactly the same. If they don’t measure the same, then you should still have enough play in it to make it square since the bolts aren’t completely tight yet. As was already mentioned, make sure you’re on a level surface first. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squaring-something-during-assembly/643018/6 "2012-12-05T02:17:43Z")
I’m not sure it would work in this case but I often put a square piece of wood or metal inside the corners and clamp it to both pieces like [this](http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/4277/snap2mw.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squaring-something-during-assembly/643018/7 "2012-12-05T02:37:07Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Get it fairly close so that it at least looks mostly square-ish, and partially tighten the bolts, as **TriPolar** posted. Then take a tape measure and measure the diagonals. If it is truly square, then the diagonals will measure exactly the same. If they don’t measure the same, then you should still have enough play in it to make it square since the bolts aren’t completely tight yet. This is what I do when assembling stretchers for my paintings. Even if the diagonals are a small fraction of an inch off, it can often be fixed by a light tap on one of the corners. But be sure to do the measuring with something that doesn’t stretch. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squaring-something-during-assembly/643018/8 "2012-12-05T03:00:41Z")
MOVE.L #n,D1 MOVE.L #n,D2 MULU D1,D2 ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squaring-something-during-assembly/643018/9 "2012-12-05T03:24:51Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Get it fairly close so that it at least looks mostly square-ish, and partially tighten the bolts, as **TriPolar** posted. Then take a tape measure and measure the diagonals. If it is truly square, then the diagonals will measure exactly the same. If they don’t measure the same, then you should still have enough play in it to make it square since the bolts aren’t completely tight yet. > > As was already mentioned, make sure you’re on a level surface first. Yep. This is exactly what we did when rough framing houses and garages. Once you get good at it 2 guys can square a big wall to within an inch or so in under 5 min and cut and nail the sways in about another 10. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squaring-something-during-assembly/643018/10 "2012-12-05T04:05:21Z")
[Spring clamps](http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10145) can be a big help to hold things in place while tightening bolts. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squaring-something-during-assembly/643018/11 "2012-12-05T04:16:37Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > MOVE.L #n,D1 > MOVE.L #n,D2 > MULU D1,D2 That will only square something at runtime, not during assembly. ---
**Author:** ![Glazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e57/32.png) [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squaring-something-during-assembly/643018/12 "2012-12-05T04:25:01Z")
If you are only building one do as E-C-G says, if building many first build a jig as per Fubaya mentions. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squaring-something-during-assembly/643018/13 "2012-12-05T04:39:47Z")
> [@Glazer](#): > > If you are only building one do as E-C-G says, if building many first build a jig as per Fubaya mentions. Or both. Even if you clamp 2 pieces tight to where they _have_ to be square, you don’t really know unless you measure diagonals. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squaring-something-during-assembly/643018/14 "2012-12-05T22:43:47Z")
Another rule of thumb is to tighten each point progressively - tighten everything finger-tight, tighten each screw/bolt in turn to a bit tighter,e tc - much as you are supposed to tighten down wheel nuts or water pump gaskets; if you tighten one side too much, it will bend teh assembly so that the other side(s) cannot possibl be tightened as much.