
So what are they and how do they help installers? Trammel points are two sliding points with a beam. The beam is generally a straight section of wood cut to fit the trammel points (Photo 1). The length of the beam can vary depending on the size of the area being laid out. Trammels are used to make reference marks for the layout of right angles, 45 degree angles, and ellipses. Laser squares are being used more and more but the costs are still relatively high for a quality laser. Trammels offer a more affordable solution with the same end results.





Adjusting the Trammel Points
The trammel points can be adjusted to any distance apart from each other. The further out you can go the better. Our beam measured approximately six feet. The distance that the trammels are set at in the photo are approximately twenty inches, the beauty of the trammels is that youDO NOThave to use a tape measure to set the distance between the points.
Reference Marks for Secondary Line
The next step is to create the secondary line. This line will give you a true 90 degree angle. Starting from the CENTER POINT (A), strike an arc across the primary line (B) and another on the other side of the center point (C) Try to keep the center point trammel in position rather than removing and replacing it to create the arcs, this will maintain exactness (Photo 6).
Using the marks just established on the primary line, place a trammel point on (B).





Carpet tiles, vinyl composition tiles (VCT), and other resilient tiles, will also balance out (Photo 11).

Layout of a 45-Degree Angle
For a 45 degree installation, follow all the steps that were covered for the primary and secondary lines. Once the primary and secondary lines have been established, you will need to readjust the trammel points back to the distance used for striking the two arcs on the primary line, refer toPhoto 6. Once you have readjusted the trammels, strike an arc across the secondary line on both sides of the primary line (A) to (1), (A) to (3) (Photo 12). Place the trammel point on the arc that was made on the Primary line (B) and strike an arc straight out from the mark (2) (Photo 13). Next, place the trammel point on the arc that was made on the secondary line (1) and strike an arc at the intersecting point (2) (Photo 14).



Multiple Rooms
Remember the adjoining room where the large opening is, inPhoto 2? How do you maintain the lines that were made in the large room and carry them through the rest of the installation? Follow the primary line in the large room and strike a chalk line through the next room. Now the next room has a primary line already established.The primary line may not be in the center of this roombut remember, the primary line established in the large room and the center point are where all of the other lay out lines feed off of. You can still take measurements from this line to determine the squareness of each area. Adjoining the smaller room there is a corridor that leads into other areas. Since the primary line has already been established a reference mark can be placed on the primary line at any point. Since there is a corridor adjoining the smaller room, the reference mark on the primary line is placed so that the chalk line will fall approximately in the middle of the corridor (Photo 18). Follow the steps to establish the secondary line and strike a chalk line through the corridor. The secondary line from the smaller room has now become the primary line for the corridor. What starts out as a secondary line, ends up as the primary line into the next room or area.Trammels can be purchased at many of the woodworking retails outlets around the country. For more information or assistance you can contact the International Certified Floor Covering Installers Association @ 816-231-4646.
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