To machine the six sides of a piece of raw stock until every face is perfectly flat, parallel to its opposite side, and exactly ninety degrees to its adjacent sides. This is the foundational first step for almost all precision milling, ensuring the workpiece sits perfectly flat in a vise and provides reliable reference surfaces for subsequent operations.
Heard on the job
Square up this block of aluminum to two by four inches before you start drilling the bolt pattern.
Insider tip
Rookies often rush this step. If your block is not perfectly square, every hole you drill later will be slightly tilted.
Also heard as
- six-squaring