Making a panel gauge

Re: Making a panel gauge

Dean J in MN

>FWIW -

That link shows a dowel wedge, I use these on my marking gauges with good success. Otherwise, you have the right idea about cutting an angled mortise in the body to "match" that of the wedge. I've used 1:6 or so for the wedges, however I have no idea if that is a) optimal, or b) really matters too much.

-Dean

Re: Making a panel gauge *LINK*

Jim in Burlington On

>There's some nice pictures on RobCosman.ca.

Golf Steve has a few drawings on his site as well.


http://www3.telus.net/steve_n_shelly/WW_files/WW_proj1_panelg.html

Re: Making a panel gauge

GolfSteve in Calgary

>Regarding the wedge angle, I used 3 degrees. The only thing I've read about wedge angles is that angles lower than 5 or 6 degrees are self-holding (ie. they won't slip), but as the angle increases, it becomes easier and easier for the wedge to move.

What I did in my crude sketch was to draw the wedge at full scale, laying out the angled side at 3 degrees. I then overlaid the head thickness over the wedge (that's the two vertical lines on the wedge 1-1/4" apart), and figured out how wide the wedge was at two points and how long the wedge had to be.

When I cut the hole in the head for the wedge I used an angled block to guide my chisel. I think it's important that the angle of the hole match the angle of the wedge perfectly. If the angles don't exactly match there is the possibility that the wedge will cant the shaft, resulting in a head that is not square to the shaft.

Re: Making a panel gauge

Patrick Wheatley

>Thanks for the speedy replys and links. The link to Steve's web site is great and is just what I was looking for. Also, the Rob C link is going to help as well with good pictures at different angles.

I will let you know how it turns out.

Re: vintage gauge

paul womack

>old gauge at auction

BugBear

Re: Making a panel gauge

George Makowski

>Patrick, The angle of the wedge does matter, but not with special precision. If the angle is too steep, the wedge will not hold well. The 1:6 mentioned is probably good. I have also used somewhat shallower angles down to 1:10.

The wedge should match the mortise closely in width and angle. The top of the mortise should be angled to match the angle of the wedge. the best layout scheme that I have found for this is to make your wedge first. Then lay out the thickness of your stock on a piece of paper. Draw a right anlge line across the two lines that represent the stock. Lay the straight edge of the wedge on that perpendicular line with the wedge in the position at which you want it to hold and catch. Trace the angled edge of the wedge across the parallel lines. This will give you the height of the mortise at both ends to lay out on the stock. Chisel out the mortice to match the slope you laid out.

This will give you a tight grabbing and holding wedge.

Good gauging,

George in AL

Re: Making a panel gauge

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>I agree, make the wedge first. When you make the wedge, thickness the stock you cut it from to match the width of your mortise chisel.

However, I don't think doing the layout on a piece of paper is the best strategy, because there are too many ways to go wrong with transfering the measurements to the fence. Why not just do the layout for the wedge mortise directly on the front, back and bottom surfaces of the fence, before you cut the rabbet in it? Extend lines from the far side of the beam mortise to the bottom of the fence, and connect them across the bottom. Lay the beam and the wedge across the bottom, with one side of the beam against the line you extended, and draw another line against the other side of the wedge. Extend the ends of this line up the front and back of the fence with your square.