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Modification to a marking gauge -- good idea?

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Modification to a marking gauge -- good idea?

#1

Modification to a marking gauge -- good idea?

Jeremy Osner

>One of the knick-knacks I picked up on Saturday was a Stanley #77 marking gauge. I have had an idea in mind for a while about a modification I could make to a marking gauge that might make it run better; and now that I have a backup I thought I might try it out. Here is the idea: file away the marking point so that instead of being conical it is a half-cone, with the flat side facing the fence. It seems to me like it would be way easier to set the gauge accurately if I had a flat surface there -- I would be able to hold the measurement I was trying to duplicate right up against the gauge, instead of trying to hold it 1/16" or so away from the gauge. Any thoughts? Would this make the marking point too flimsy?

Re: Modification to a marking gauge -- good idea?

#2

Re: Modification to a marking gauge -- good idea?

Alan Hamilton

>Jeremy,

It's an excellent idea. I know several people who have made that alteration--I've done it myself--and I've read about it in, IIRC, one of Saint Roy's Woodwright's Shop books, and maybe one or two other books or magazine articles. In short, it's a tried and true improvement.

BTW, if you do this to a mortise gauge make sure to have the two flats facing each other.

Alan

Re: Modification to a marking gauge -- good idea?

#3

Common user modification

Andrew F in Australia

>Jeremy,

THis is a common modification - instead of making a vertical face, file the tip on both sides giving a knife edge.

If you need the dead square shoulder, use a cutting gauge - at least then, you can turn the blade around if you need the shoulder on the inside or the outside of the beam.

Cheers,

Andrew

Re: Modification to a marking gauge -- good idea?

#4

done by...

paul womack

>David Charlesworth, in magazine articles, and the reprints thereof. I've seen several other recommendations in this line.

Personally I find cutting gauges better in almost all scenarios.

BugBear

Re: Modification to a marking gauge -- good idea?

#5

Ellis Walentine

Yes, but....

Ellis Walentine

>...customarily, the flat side is away from the fence. That way, the gauge tends to pull the fence to the work rather than push it away.

Re: Modification to a marking gauge -- good idea?

#6

Also published by Tage Frid

Hank Knight

>

Re: Modification to a marking gauge -- good idea?

#7

Re:Thanks for the answers all

Jeremy Osner

>Tage Frid, huh? I reckon that must be where I got the idea. I will take a look tonight and see what he says about it.

Re: Modification to a marking gauge -- good idea?

#8

Re: Yes, but....

Alan Hamilton

>Ellis,

That's right for a marking gauge, but for a mortise gauge I think the flats should face each other.

For one thing, any tendency of one point to pull the gauge in one direction will be countered by the other point. Good technique will keep the fence against the stock.

Also, I set my mortise gauge by pinching the mortise chisel between the two points. That would not work if the flats did not face each other.

Alan

Re: Modification to a marking gauge -- good idea?

#9

Re: Modification to a marking gauge -- good idea?

paul womack

>Tip on FWW site

This is exactly the same as David Charlesworth's approach, although he started with the Stanley marking that puts the pin through the corner of the stock, further improving visibility.

BugBear

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