Thread: Which marking gauge?

Hi Derek, I hope you're seeing a bit of snow up in Ottawa. Soak it up while you can, the entire south of this continent is sweltering! S.E Qld is about the only spot not yet feeling the heat, but we could all do with a decent drop of rain!

On the subject of gauges, & while you have the King's ear, so to speak....

I noticed that you used a LV knurled screw for your gauge. They are handy things, but I found them not as suitable for gauges as they could be. For starters, the head is a bit wincey and out of proportion for a gauge, but their main fault is that coarse Whitworth/NC thread. It may not be a big problem if you just tapped a thread in the wood, which can work quite well in some woods, but I used the threaded brass insert. The high ramp angle of their coarse thread means they don't lock as easily, and mine would come loose at the slightest provocation, which is a most annoying trait on a marking gauge!

Because I have the gear, I tried making my own, with a 5/8" diameter knob and an M6 thread. With a pitch of 1mm (25 tpi), M6 is 25% finer than NC (20 tpi), and it makes a huge difference. These lock very easily & securely, and the 5/8th knob not only looks more in proportion on a regular sized gauge, it's vastly better to use.

The current screws & threaded inserts are fine for some applications, but they could surely expand the range a little?

Cheers,

Hey Simon
it just about the fun. Here is mine; I made it last month from some cut-offs from the local joinery.
The cutter is part of a snap off blade, the screw is a S/S wing screw going into an M6 screw in nut,


IMAG0085.jpgIMAG0078.jpgIMAG0079.jpg

I would like to add a sled to cushion the end of the screw against the measuring tenon - but it works.

Just don't get caught into the hype that a more expensive tool will make you better. - a few years (ok, ok - a couple of hundred) everyone made their own tools when they could.

ZFor me, the fun is looking at the end cuts I scored and imagining what i will/could create. The magic is doing it.

It doesn't aways work out: but there is a lesson in every attempt. Failures do abound - you should see the chisel plane i 'engineered' - pain to use, enourmous chatter (never knew what that was before), an absolute pain to use; and they were the good points. 26/1 I will fix it so it works better. ( aside : I don't have a hand plane at the moment so that was an attempt to fill a gap ) maybe next time.

Cheers

Good stuff, enelef - for next to nothing, you've got a gauge that works, and you dunnit all by yourself; priceless!

I would recommend that you put some sort of shoe under the locking screw asap, or it will soon make a mess of the beam. Anything will do the job - a strip of metal from a heavy tin can would suffice (and fit with your no-frills theme ). Cut a strip as wide as the beam, & bend up each end so it can't slide out as you move the beam back & forth.

Cheers,

Originally Posted by jimbur

I bet you're missing our 40 degree heat Derek.

Hi Jim

It's -15 F here (I think I've worked out what "F" stands for!). Not the place for an Aussie boy. The thongs tend to slip in the snow.

Regards from Ottawa

Derek

Hi Ian

I would be surprised if Rob does not notice he thread - it's amazing what he finds time to read.

I recall tapping mine into the wood, which may be the reason I've not had an issue with the threads. I don't remember what the thread is, but surely it is a standard one, which would make it uneconomical to change?

Regards from Ottawa

Derek

you all have such fancy marking gauges i am almost embarrassed, i still use some old ducks, one day i'll show em if you dont laugh, i dont pretend they work better than anything else, but they do work which i guess is what counts..

an unwelcomed segway no doubt but due to all the brass on these things it always reminds me, but i forget to mention, one of these days i have to ask either Ian or someone in the metal work forums if its possible if they can make me a couple of small brass screws for my fret saw, one of those newish things (well not new to me, i've had it for a long while), i forget the name atm, concept or something i think it is, it has god awful plastic screws which i hate, whenever i use it i always think if someone with a metal lathe could make me a couple of brass screws ?


cheers
chippy

Originally Posted by ch!ppy

you all have such fancy marking gauges i am almost embarrassed, i still use some old ducks, one day i'll show em if you dont laugh, i dont pretend they work better than anything else, but they do work which i guess is what counts..

Not at all, Chippy - I've been trying to make the point that just about any old thing will do the job perfectly well. The only reason I have a set of fancy gauges is because I can, I'm a fiddler who can't leave well-enough alone. & I'm retired!!

Originally Posted by ch!ppy

...an unwelcomed segway no doubt but due to all the brass on these things it always reminds me, but i forget to mention, one of these days i have to ask either Ian or someone in the metal work forums if its possible if they can make me a couple of small brass screws for my fret saw, one of those newish things (well not new to me, i've had it for a long while), i forget the name atm, concept or something i think it is, it has god awful plastic screws which i hate, whenever i use it i always think if someone with a metal lathe could make me a couple of brass screws ?

Sounds like it would be a 5 minute job. I'd need a pic or a rough drawing with sizes & what thread, or an example of one of the screws. PM me, and we'll sort it out, I'm sure.

Cheers,

Originally Posted by derekcohen

....I recall tapping mine into the wood, which may be the reason I've not had an issue with the threads.

Yes, if you tapped the wood, there would be a little more turning resistance, and the coarser thread would not be an issue. I've frequently used bolts tapped directly into hardwood for jigs & it works well. It's when you use the threaded inserts that the trouble occurs. I did that for longevity. It may be overkill, but old gauges with screws tapped into the stock do show some pretty severe wear over time.

Originally Posted by derekcohen

I don't remember what the thread is, but surely it is a standard one, which would make it uneconomical to change?

The thread is 1/4" NC, which is indeed standard, but so is 1/4" NF (28 tpi) which would be better in some applications.

It was just a thought. IIRC, LV used to offer a knurled head brass screws in different lengths, but they only seem to have the one inch version, now. I also think a larger head would not only be easier on the fingers, but also look better. I suppose they know their business, & have found little demand for other sizes/thread pitches, but people do ask me where I get my screws & inserts from, so there must be some demand - but maybe too small to be viable for them, perhaps.....

Cheers,

I have been inspired by all of the nice gauges that I have seen on this thread. We just got a little piece of wenge in at work as a sample for veneer. I might see if there are any plans for it and if not I think I will claim it and make a gauge out of it. It would look great with a little bit of brass around it.

Go for it Andrew - it's not that hard to make an attractive & useable gauge. I reckon just about ay wood is 'set-off' by a bit of shiny brass, and the darker the wood, the better it works, to my eye. Ebony & brass make a truly great marriage, and Wenge should be up there among the best...

Cheers,

That is exactly what I was thinking with the brass. I was going to get the turner at work to turn me up some bits maybe. I will post photos if I end up doing it.

Hmm, just lost my post - I'll have to type it again! I've made a few marking gauges over the years, improving the gauges as my skills improved. My latest effort is mahogany and brass, and it looks beautiful - however, I've never used any of the marking gauges that I've made. I prefer to use a combination square and pencil or knife to mark up. But I love to have the gauge to look at, and feel the Danish oil finish, and it makes a great project to work on.