Caught between using a speed square or a protractor for cutting 45s on crown molding

I was trimming out my living room last weekend in Austin, using a 12-inch miter saw and a $8 speed square. But when I hit the corner where the ceiling slopes half an inch over 6 feet, my speed square numbers went out the window. I ended up using a protractor from my kid's school supply drawer to fudge the angle, and it somehow worked after three test cuts. Which tool do you guys trust more when the walls aren't square - the quick square or the old-school angle finder?

2 comments

2 Comments

white.grant1d agoMost Upvoted

Your protractor trick works because cheap speed squares assume walls are flat, which yours clearly aren't.

rowanbennett1d ago

Oh man, Ive been there with wonky walls, it's the worst. Seriously, @white.grant you're totally right that those cheap speed squares cant handle real world problems like crooked plaster. I had an old house where the corners were at least a degree off from each other, and I almost threw my square out the window trying to make sense of it. Its such a simple tool thing but it makes a huge difference in the finish. Solidarity from someone whos been fighting the same battle with a stubborn framing square.