How to make a protractor with your own hands from paper

Malka: an indispensable assistant in construction

When performing construction or carpentry work, there is often a need to measure angles. For such purposes, a tool called a malka was invented. In the construction industry, this device allows you to speed up and facilitate the execution of work, ultimately achieving excellent results. We will learn in more detail how to use the small tool correctly, as well as the features of measuring angles.

Malka is a tool that will help you measure the desired angle

If this is your first time encountering a new device, you cannot avoid the question: what is it and how to use it? As already mentioned, this device helps to measure angles, and let's take an angle of forty-five degrees as an example. We take such numbers for a reason, but mean cutting wood at the most popular angle. You can also choose any other value that interests you. Technically , a malka is a tool that can measure an angle from zero to one hundred and eighty degrees . So, let's start taking measurements.

1. To begin with, we can find the angle we need already in the finished version and take measurements. You can also use a special device to set the angle to the degree you need.
2. Next, fix the result obtained with a fastening bolt, preferably as firmly as possible.
3. Afterwards, we apply the resulting angle to the part and draw a line with a pencil.
4. Using a wood hacksaw or electric jigsaw, cut the corner according to the markings.

In this example, we assume the marking of a wooden board or the marking of a door frame. This method will be much faster than marking with a regular square.

Protractor protractor

This is one of the popular DIY tool methods that can be found online. Even a child can do it. A minimum of materials will be required.

Necessary materials

For manufacturing you will need the following materials:

1. Stationery protractor (in the shape of a semicircle, preferably made of transparent plastic);
2. Laser pointer;
3. Strong thread (can be replaced with thick fishing line);
4. Fishing sinker with an eye (you can use a nut);
5. Superglue and baking soda;
6. Matches or lighter, needle.

The cost of such a protractor is literally 50 rubles. And this is taking into account the cost of the laser pointer and batteries required for operation.

Important! Matches and a needle are needed to make a small hole in the protractor. This can be done more accurately using a Dremel type grinder and a thin drill.

Manufacturing instructions

So, a protractor is made according to the following scheme:

1. A small hole is made exactly in the center at the bottom of the protractor. The point will be on a line drawn perpendicular to the base from a mark of 90°. The hole can either be drilled or made using a hot needle. The latter is only needed for plastic devices - this is what it is advisable to use.

2. A fishing sinker is tied to the thread. She will be like a pendulum. The recommended weight of the weight is 5 grams or more.

3. The thread is threaded through the hole in the protractor. A knot is made at the threaded end so that the resulting thickening allows the thread not to slip out of the hole. You can fix the pendulum using superglue, but you don’t have to wait until it hardens - just add a pinch of baking soda and this mixture will instantly harden.
4. A laser pointer is attached to the bottom edge of the protractor. You can also fix it with superglue and baking soda. If there are any irregularities on the pointer body, it is better to remove them or completely rub them with a file.

If possible, you should check the accuracy of the protractor using a building level (you need one that has a spirit level).

Usage

If everything is done strictly according to the instructions, then such a homemade protractor will have a maximum error of only 1-2 degrees, no more. To measure the angle you will need:

1. Stand on a flat surface;
2. Raise the structure to chest level, turn on the laser pointer;
3. Point the laser point at the plane from which the angle is measured (preferably it should be a flat plane perpendicular to the ground);
4. Fix the position of the protractor and thread;
5. Look at the mark on the protractor that the pendulum thread points to.

Please note that you will need to subtract 90° from the indicated mark on the protractor. Naturally, such a homemade product will not replace a full-fledged building level, but in critical cases it will be enough to take measurements.

How to make malka yourself

Malka is such a simple tool that you can make it from scrap materials with your own hands. To make malka at home from materials you will need the following parts:

1. A block of quality wood. The block can be divided into two parts or a groove of 2 mm in size can be made in it to the middle of the piece of wood. By the way, the size of the wood may be different, but it is better to make it up to 30 cm. The first part of the tool is a fixed block
2. As a moving part, it is better to take an old ruler in which a groove should be made. The length of this groove should be equal to half the size of the ruler itself. Instead of a ruler, you can use a thin board up to 2-3 mm
3. To connect these two parts you will need to use a bolt and a thumb. Pre-drilled hole in the block

Tip 2: How to build a corner

An angle is a geometric figure that is formed by two rays - the sides of the angle, emanating from one point - the vertex of the angle. Traditionally, to construct a flat angle in planimetry, a protractor is used, with the help of which you can easily plot an angle with a given degree measure, but what if you don’t have this tool at hand? To construct an angle, you can use trigonometric functions and construct a right - angled triangle .

You will need

• Complete table of tangents, ruler

Instructions

1. Let the task be to construct an angle of some dimension ?. Let us construct a segment AB of arbitrary length. Using the ratio of the legs in a right- angled triangle , it is possible to obtain the side BC of this triangle using the formula BC = AB • tg?, the value of the tangent of the angle is ? You can find out from the table of tangents. Further from point A you need to lay off a segment of length BC perpendicular to segment AB.

2. By combining points A and C, we obtain an angle of a given value ?, with the vertex at point A.

Video on the topic

Note! To construct angles?? ? 90?, need to build an angle??

Creating a Swenson Square

The author of such a useful device did not have time to properly file a patent for his brainchild, and numerous businessmen are actively using this.
The only thing they can't use is the special diamond cut hole, but some very resourceful competitors make a slightly different shaped slot. In the initial version, the Svenson square did not have a comb for special parallel markings and the hole itself. However, the comb is not an option that you cannot do without. It must be said that in almost a hundred years of history the device has not undergone significant changes.

Application

As already noted, goniometer devices have found their application in almost all sectors, industry, and transport.

In the construction industry, goniometers are used when performing installation work, marking and design work. With its help, they control the installation of building structures that are located at a certain angle relative to each other. Moreover, measurements can be carried out in three planes. In addition to the goniometer, plumb lines and levels are used in construction.

In addition, goniometric tools are used in carpentry, carpentry, and geodesy. Even in medicine, this instrument is used to control joints, spine, etc.

Tool structure

Most often, a goniometer is used in carpentry, but it can also be found in other areas of repair and interior decoration. Externally, the device is similar to a mechanic's test square, but the small tool has a moving part, thanks to which you can conveniently take readings.

The tool in question has the following components:

• Block with slot. This is the main part of the protractor, which allows you to find out the inclination of the angle.
• Movable pen. It is threaded through a groove in the block: this saves space and makes the device more convenient to use.
• A wing that serves to secure the tool.

You can find both metal and wooden devices on sale. The wooden version is safer for surfaces and does not leave scratches.

To take measurements

In order for the floor covering to be smooth and last a long time, you will need a tool to take measurements and markings. The master needs to have on hand:

• Roulette. This useful household device will be required often when laying laminate flooring. Even before work begins, you will need to take measurements of the rooms in order to know how much material you will need to buy.
• Meter ruler made of metal. If a tape measure is convenient for taking measurements of large-scale objects, then for measuring small parts and drawing straight lines you cannot do without a ruler.
• Metal square. Necessary for laying right angles.

• Protractor. This measuring tool is needed if you plan to lay the laminate flooring diagonally or shaped. In this case, it will be possible to cut the lamellas not only at a right angle, but also at an acute angle.

Advice! Instead of a protractor, you can use a device for a similar purpose - a protractor.

• Pencil. The purpose of this device does not need to be explained to anyone; it is necessary for applying marks.

Mechanical watches

A watch dial would be a great alternative to a protractor. It is possible that such measurements will have a slight error, so it is better to use it only for home purposes, and not to make any serious measurements.

The clock has 60 identical divisions, each equal to 6 degrees. Accordingly, half a division is 3 degrees, and 1/3 is equal to two.

If you manage to place the watch exactly at the point where the angle begins, the error will be insignificant.

Finding the perfect alternative to a protractor is quite difficult, but nothing is impossible. Therefore, you can use simple recommendations that will help you determine the required angle.

But you need to keep in mind that each method has its own characteristics and will not always help you find out the exact numbers. The simplest replacement for a protractor is a prepared paper stencil, but it is not always possible to print it.

The main tasks of this tool

The main purpose of the grinder is to measure the existing angle and then transfer it to the workpiece or a more accurate measuring device. They are extremely popular when installing window sills. Using this tool, the angle of repose is measured, after which it is transferred directly to the workpiece, which allows you to cut the required size as accurately as possible.

The adjustable bevel is also used to determine the “dawn angle” during the installation of window slopes. Initially, the device was used in carpentry workshops, but over time it gained wide popularity in construction. Not every builder knows why the tool in question is needed, and some are even hearing about it for the first time. This is not surprising, since this tool is used exclusively when it is necessary to measure degrees of an indirect angle. Malka allows you to measure angles from 0 to 180 degrees. This tool is an ordinary bench square, which has a right angle. To measure angles using the tool in question, the device has a moving part, which determines the required size.

Malki are also called protractors, which today come in various types, shapes and sizes. Protractor meters with a size of 300 mm are popular, which allows you to measure different lengths of angles. Protractors are also made of wood, plastic or metal. You can measure angles using a protractor, but this is very inconvenient and time consuming. Recently, an electronic protractor has appeared that allows you to measure angle accuracy up to 1 mm.

We make slopes without problems

Most often, a goniometer is used when constructing window and door slopes. Using this tool, you can achieve not only even corners, but also properly plaster the surface.

It is important that the corners have the correct angle of dawn and are symmetrical relative to each other. It is almost impossible to achieve this by eye: the difference between the slopes is immediately noticeable.

How to get even slope angles? First of all, you need to prepare the walls for work. To do this, they are plastered, removing all visible irregularities. Areas of future slopes are cleaned of dirt and dust and primed. If there are traces of polyurethane foam on the window, its protruding parts are cut off.

Then you need to choose the right sunrise angle. To do this, you need to decide at what angle the plaster will be applied. This can be done using a goniometer. Its block must be placed on the edge of the window frame. The angle is determined using a pen; this is done from the side of the walls. After this, the result is recorded, and the remaining angles are checked with a small tool. If there is a discrepancy, another indicator is selected on the device, or excess plaster is knocked out.

In order for the slopes to become identical, their angles need to be aligned. Plasterers usually don't level the plaster near windows and it looks ragged. Before starting work, it is necessary to align these corners. To do this, you can install a leveled rail on the wall. Then the desired angle is set and the solution is applied at this angle.

Before plaster is applied to the slopes, it is necessary to secure the slats to the walls. This can be done using nails or self-tapping screws, depending on what material the walls are made of. After the slats are removed, the holes formed by the fastenings can be filled with putty.

The mixture must be applied in excess to the slope. To ensure that the plaster does not fall off and lies flat, it is applied at an angle; you need to act from the center to the corner. A goniometer will be needed to remove excess plaster from the slopes. Using the same tool, the corner is given the desired direction: to do this, the block must be moved to the window frame. You need to run the block along the frame, directing it from top to bottom. Using a pen, the goniometer leveles the surface and removes excess plaster from it. Sometimes pits appear during the work process. Getting rid of them is not difficult: just put more mixture on the recess. Excess amount can also be removed with malt.

The final stage of slope removal is finishing. For slopes, the normal thickness of the plaster layer is 5 mm. If an inexperienced master worked, the layer may be much thicker. In this situation, you usually want to immediately level the slope, but there is no need to rush into this, since the plaster solution has a large mass and falls off if handled carelessly . In order to avoid having to do all the work again and correct mistakes, it is better to give the plaster the opportunity to set a little in the form that it already exists.

Instructions for using the goniometer grinder

Often, when a simple tool falls into the hands of a specialist, the question arises of how to use it correctly. One of these tools is a grinder, which is better known as a protractor or surface planer. The material describes the process of measuring slopes using the instrument in question. But what else can you use such a simple and uncomplicated tool for, which you can make easily and quickly with your own hands.

What a malka is and why a protractor is needed is explained in detail in the material. It remains to understand the potential of the tool and find out what actions this device is capable of. Without exaggeration, the possibilities of the tool can be called limitless, since with the help of the device you can measure any angle and find out its exact values. This can be not only a window slope, but also an arch or greenhouse structure, the manufacture of which is carried out by a specialist.

If you don’t know how to use a protractor correctly, then it’s time to look into this issue in detail. To learn how to work with a small spoon, you need to follow an example. So, recently the issue of insulating the walls of a house with polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene has become relevant. Why might you need a protractor when working with polystyrene foam? Everything is banally simple. If you need to stick foam plastic on the wall of a house that has a triangular or uneven shape, then in this case you will need to use a small tool. This is not necessary, but it will greatly simplify the work.

1. To avoid having to measure the angle of inclination of the wall, you need to take a small piece of wood and apply it with one part to a straight angle, and the other to an indirect one.
2. After this, you need to fix the moving part in the installed position by screwing the thumb in the central part of the tool
3. Attach the protractor in a fixed form to the foam sheet and make a mark with a pencil or marker
4. The radius of the corner is known, so all that remains is to use a rule or level to apply it to the resulting mark and draw it to the edge of the foam sheet
5. Pick up a cutting tool for cutting foam plastic, which can be not only a construction knife, but also a metal blade. Few people know, but you can also cut polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam with the attachment of a hair dryer. How to cut a sheet of foam plastic if its thickness is greater than the length of the blade of a construction knife. To do this, you can take a special attachment on a hair dryer and make a cut along the mark
6. Now the foam plastic in which the corner is cut can be applied to the wall and make sure that the procedure is performed correctly and with maximum accuracy

This is an example of the use of a screed, but the construction sector is not limited to the use of a screed. The device is also used in furniture making, when an irregularly shaped tabletop is made to order.

Often such a tool must be used when carrying out welding work, for example, when it is necessary to make metal posts for an arch or greenhouse with the same deflection angle. Whenever there is a need to cut an angle of the corresponding degree, you will need to pick up a protractor.

It is always convenient to work with this simple and uncomplicated device. Moreover, you don’t need to buy it, because it’s easy to make it yourself. If you set out to buy a small one, then you don’t need to go to hardware stores for this. For this, there are online stores where you can choose a suitable tool of good quality and at a low price. If you don’t yet know how to use a malka, then it’s time to learn, especially since it’s easy and simple.

As a result, it is important to emphasize such a factor as the effectiveness of the goniometer. Without such a tool, making an accurate measurement of an indirect angle would be very difficult. This would require a protractor, which would calculate the angle and then transfer it to the projected plane or workpiece. The video provides a detailed report on making malka with your own hands.

How to replace a protractor at home

1. It is recommended to install a thick block on the supporting wall in the place where the disk passes through it, which will prevent the saw from jumping over the edge of the wall, which can lead to injury.
2. In order to give the structure greater slip, it is recommended to clean the runners with sandpaper, and periodically lubricate the grooves with a candle stub (paraffin or stearin). Sometimes wax is used, but it is not recommended to use it, since it melts during use and sticks to the runners.
3. Before applying glue to parts, blow the structure away from particles of wood dust and shavings to avoid unevenness after gluing.
4. After cutting through the walls, make sure that the saw passes through them freely. To do this, you can make a sawn hole slightly larger than the thickness of the disk.

Step 4: Making a Combination Square for Miter Cutting

So, a regular straight broach carriage is ready, but what if the cutter needs to cut something at a different angle, such as 60, 40 or 30 degrees? For such operations, you will need an additional structural element, which is called a “combined square”.

The name is put in quotation marks for a reason - the fact is that the base of the workpiece is really a square wooden platform. It is cut out so that it fits freely between the stops of the main carriage and one of the sides is fixed at the bottom wall.

After this, the workpiece is cut, cutting out fragments from it at the required angles - the resulting bevels will be the guides along which the part to be cut at this angle is laid.

After manufacturing, the “square” is mounted rigidly (using glue or screws) on the carriage. Another, more advanced option is to cut round grooves into the square and the base of the carriage using a router, which allow the square to move along the base on a movable latch. It is made of a screw, a nut and two metal washers.

Which is better: heated floors or radiators?

Warm floorBatteries

Detailed video on how to make the cross-cutting carriage described above: