An accurate circle with a diameter less than 14 in. can be drawn quickly with a common framing square. First, draw a straight line longer than your circle’s diameter. Mark two points on this line equal to the circle’s diameter. Then tack a small nail on the line at each mark, as shown in the drawing.
Now you can lay a framing square on the workpiece with the inside edges of the square touching the nails. Place a pencil point at the inside corner of the square and slide the square around to each nail. Repeat on the opposite side to complete the circle.
—Matthew C. Jackson, Rapid City, SD
Edited and illustrated by Charles Miller
From Fine Homebuilding #54
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This is related to a way to find the center of a circle. Place the point of the square on the circle and mark where each leg of the square crosses the circle. The center is 1/2 the distance between those two marks.