Thread: 46 Door Handles

Awesome work! I would be lost without my pencil gauge. And 2H pencil.

Hi AB.
Great work, looking good, can ask what is a pencil gauge?
and how does it work?

Originally Posted by smiife

Hi AB.
Great work, looking good, can ask what is a pencil gauge?
and how does it work?

Yes you can!
At the moment there are just too many Tasmanian devils swarming around my shed ready to eat my entrails if I venture out now.
Will post some pencil gauge pics in the morning, when it is safe to do so.

I think you have got a handle on knob turning. pretty poor pun I know, but your turning & finish sanding looks superb.

I am also interested in knowing what a pencil gauge is! Bring on the pics

Pencil gauges are usually a full sized drawing on a bit of thin ply or craftwood of what it is you intend to turn. They are ideal when you have to do multiples of a particular job. you basically put a fine sawcut on the edge of the guage that corresponds to where a cove or a bead (or any variation of either) goes on the turning. You then hold the gauge against the roughed down blank while it is turning and with a pencil you put a mark where the saw cuts are.
So a pencil gauge is really just an aid to consistency.
Ok, here are a few shots of pencil gauges.
DSCF4575.jpg
Here are a bunch of different ones I use for the door handle range. To get a closer look at a particular one....
DSCF4576.jpg
You should be able to see the sawcuts on the left hand edge of the gauge. Normally you would see pencil gauge used more often in repetitive between centres spindle work when turning balusters,newell posts etc. Here is a shot of one I used to make some cornerblocks with......
2005_03180009.jpg
For a more informative picture of one I have stolen a picture out of Mike Darlows book "The Practice of Woodturning". I hope Mike does not mind....
DSCF4579.jpg
Usually one would have a set of callipers or two at hand so that the diameters can be all turned the same as well.
I hope that is a reasonable explanation of what a pencil gauge is.
If anyone else wants to add anything feel free to.

I was also wondering about pencil gauges, until I saw the pictures. I've been using them for ages and have always called them templates, thanks for updating me.

Originally Posted by MrFez

I was also wondering about pencil gauges, until I saw the pictures. I've been using them for ages and have always called them templates, thanks for updating me.

Yeah, well I call them templates too when I talk to the people I make the handles for.
Heck! they are a template.
But if we must be pedantic I believe they are called a pencil gauge.
As opposed to a pin gauge.
You are welcome to do your own research on that one.
As I know of 2 sorts of gauges called pin gauges and they are completely different animals.