Shop-Made Beam Compass
Aluminum and figured wood come together in this practical layout tool you can build in a weekend.
When it comes to laying out large arcs and circles for a project, nothing beats a beam compass. The beauty of this tool is you’re not limited by the distance between points as you would be with a standard compass. For larger circles, you just use a longer beam. For the beam compass shown here, anodized aluminum gives it a unique look and durability. And wood veneer adds the look and feel of an heirloom tool. After spending a little time in the shop, you’ll have a handy tool you’ll reach for often.
SELECT YOUR PLAN PACKAGE
Unit
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$7.95
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Metric (unavailable)
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What You Get:
- 5 pages of step-by-step instructions
- 27 full-color photos, illustrations and exploded views
- Shop-tested tips and techniques
- Cutting diagram
- Retail sources for hardware and supplies
Note: After your purchase, you will receive an email with the pdf, as well as instructions for logging in to download the plan and access any other associated files and videos, which will all be located on this page.
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Shop Projects
Classic Try Squares
All it takes to make a set of precision layout tools is a relaxing afternoon in the shop.
Imperial Plans
The United States Customary System of Units (USCS or USC), more commonly referred to as the English or Imperial system, is the standard set of units for our plans. It uses inches and feet for measurement. This is the one you probably want if you are in the United States, and it is the one we have traditionally offered on this website.
Metric Plans
The International System of Units (SI), more commonly referred to as the metric system, is the alternative set of units that we have available for some of our plans. It uses millimeters, centimeters, and meters for measurement. This is the one you probably want if you are outside the United States. These plans are provided by our business partner, Australian Woodsmith, and are based on the original Woodsmith plan. However, dimensions and other elements of the plan may vary between the metric and standard versions. Be sure to double-check the plan before building.
Premium Plans
All of the information that you need to build our plans can be found in the standard plan. However, if you want even more granular detail to make your job easier, you should consider our premium plans. These come with additional shop diagrams that we drew when creating the prototypes. Shop drawings are not available for every plan.
