A speed square consisting of a three sided isosceles triangle that is used in the construction industry as well as the do-it-yourselfer. Consisting of a lead side of a 90 degree angle, a hypotenuse side with a scale of angular degrees ranging from 5 degrees to 90 degrees. The third side and most important side has a scale of inches divided into increments of , but furthermore and most importantly the third side has a raised edge of that when utilized to be used as a safety guide in the act of cutting a straight line. This also acts as a barrier when using such instruments as a utility knife, thus reducing the risk of injury to the hand or fingerers.

A modular assembly jig system for use in constructing a structural element on a construction site is disposable between an operative assembled configuration and a collapsed configuration for transport or storage. The system includes a jig platform assembly comprising a plurality of platform members, and a support assembly disposed in a supporting relation to the jig platform assembly. An alignment assembly disposed along the jig platform assembly facilitates alignment of a portion of the structural element during construction. A guide assembly having at least one guide member is at least temporarily interconnected to the jig platform assembly, and an adjustable clamp assembly is operatively positionable along at least a portion of the guide assembly. The adjustable clamp assembly retains at least a portion of the structural element in position during construction. An extension assembly is provided to increase an operative working area of the jig platform assembly.

A tool (FIG. 1) that assists in the placement and fastening together of pieces of material. The invention is comprised of valleys into which said pieces are placed. Said valleys have openings (portals) so that the exposed face of one piece can be aligned flush with the exposed face of another piece. The portals also allow an adequate means of fastening such as nails, screws, adhesive, etc. to be used to fasten them together at a predetermined angle. The invention may have multiple protruding valleys extending from a main valley, so that a base piece of material may have several pieces of material fastened to itsuch as in framing the studs of a wall unitwithout measuring distances or angles between pieces, thus saving considerable time, labor, and money.

A construction jig is disclosed for facilitating appropriate notched cuts in vertical posts used for deck or post and beam construction applications. The jig is a multi-sided jig adapted to be either slipped over or slipped around a vertical post commonly used in such constructions. A crossmember for the construction is held by the jig and the jig is moved up and down until the crossmember is level. A saw is then guided by the jig to make an appropriately level notch in the vertical post, as required by building codes. An optional handle is useful, and it may extend outwardly from a side of the construction jig, which is adapted for movable and removable placing of the multi-sided jig over the vertical post to indicate level placement for the deck crossmember;

A lumber use designation system includes a building construction plan that shows the layout, wall thickness, wall height, ceiling angles, etc., of a structure, which are color coded from a series of color codes each corresponding to a preselected, standard board size and length of lumber that should be selected for constructing a particular portion of the structure. The system includes a supply of lumber boards marked with a color code correlating to the color code found on the construction plans. The lumber boards may be imprinted by an ink spray head. A method of installing lumber during the construction of a structure is disclosed.

A construction template system includes a first template configured to removably secure to a structure, the first template having: a marker configured to mark a location for construction on the structure; and a first laser target and a second laser target; an alignment laser configured to emit a plurality of beams directed to predetermined locations.

A tool for laying out framing members includes a body comprising a blade and a tongue, the tongue oriented at a right angle to the blade in a common plane, wherein each of the blade and the tongue include indicia marking linear scales. Other indicia on the blade and tongue include information useful for building structures, such as roof structures. For example, indicia can include improved tables of data for marking and cutting rafters of various slope. Other indicia along the blade or the tongue indicate the length of the common rafter per foot of run as function of the slope.

A deck construction device for assisting with laying decking. The device as a body which has a handle and a substantially planar face from which at least two spacers extend. At least one screw hole is defined through the body, the at least two spacers are arranged to span a width of a decking plank. The length of a first spacer corresponds to the thickness of a decking plank; and the length of a second spacer extends beyond the thickness of the decking.

A tool shaped in a U-shape for accepting a standard U strut. The tool has opening for marking the strut for cutting purposes and hole openings for marking the center of standard struts.

A framing tool supports one end of beam member while the other end of the beam is secured to another beam or structure. The framing tool includes a support portion, a receiving portion and a strap. The strap wraps around a beam member to secure the beam member within the receiving portion. The support portion holds one end of the beam member in place so that an installer may secure the other end of the beam member without the aid of another installer.