It features a solid brass and stainless steel build, with a bubinga fence accent that feels amazing in the hand. Combined with its hefty weight, it’s an incredibly satisfying tool to use. However, dragging a sharp pin across the grain of any species of wood will lead to some damage on the surface of the wood. Generally, this will be hidden in a finished piece, but on a visible joint it can be a pain to clean up with a smoothing plane or sanding. A marking gauge is a simple tool used to scribe one or two parallel lines onto a piece of wood (or sometimes, metal). These lines are used as a reference for other tasks, enabling precise cuts when resawing or tight-fitting joinery that will stand the test of time.

Credit subject to status and affordability. Terms and conditions apply. Axminster Tool Centre Ltd trading as Axminster Tools is a credit broker and is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Credit is provided by Novuna Personal Finance, a trading style of Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Financial Services Register no. 704348.The Clarke Brothers Wheel Marking Gauge kit includes an excellent single-wheel gauge and two replacement blades. Wheel gauges are the latest and greatest type of marking gauge to come out, and this model from the trusted American brand Woodcraft is a fantastic choice.

Below are pictures of the short lived #2153T [ Thumbscrew Head securing bolt]. This was available c.1959-1965+.If you have a sizeable collection of marking gauges and want to dedicate them to specific tasks, you should try sharpening them to be completely flat on one side. This way, one wall of your scribed lines will be perpendicular to the surface, producing even cleaner results that approach those of a cutting gauge. Also in step 1 you use a spoke shave to round the top. Someone less skilled may find it easier to use a file to shape the top. It will give more control. (You may like the result better yourself.) The pencil gauge is often overlooked as being a useful addition to the tool kit, but for me, it’s an essential part of my layout and marking equipment. In fact I use it for marking out nearly all my woodworking joints prior to using a marking gauge or a scalpel. I’m a teacher at Robinson House Studio furniture school in East Sussex and I often let the students use my own tools so they can experience as many different ways of working as possible before settling on one that suits their style. A favourite among the students for the last few years has been my collection of `shop-made pencil gauges. When it comes to layout, marking and measuring it helps to have a good solid technique and a selection of tools that you can rely on. So, what better way to combine these principles than to incorporate them into a live project and make one of your own? This article is based on one of our set piece projects that includes all the elements of accurate marking, measuring and cutting to produce a tool that will become a firm favourite in your layout armoury. Conventional marking gauges are the ones described above, using a pin to score the surface of your workpiece. They’re simple, cheap, long-lasting, and easy to find. A single combination marking gauge covers such a massive variety of joinery work for such a small investment that you have no excuse not to have one. What is a cutting gauge? Still, you can use a metalworking gauge for the occasional woodworking. This option is one of the best metalworking marking gauges you can get without dipping into extremely expensive professional-grade tools and machinery.

By using a knife it can also cut through thin veneers. It is important that the knife tip is kept sharp to make an accurate marking. Let’s start with how to sharpen marking gauge pins, which are by far the easiest to maintain. How to sharpen marking gauge pins This problem is largely solved by knife-based marking gauges, which cut into the wood. This gives a much cleaner finish and more precise marking lines, even in difficult grain patterns. In the 1897 Catalogue this below Mortice Gauge was numbered #650, but was re-numbered #2116 in the 1909 Cat. It was a Rosewood, Plain Head, with Brass shield and a Pull Slide and was available… 1873-1928