Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Marking Gage
Bob Hutchins in central Texas
>Thanks to a feller over on the Old Tools listserv, I am the proud owner of a combination mortise/marking gage. I've read that the single pin should be filed flat on one side for greater accuracy in marking; however I can't, for the life of me, remember which side of the pin (relative to the edge guide) should be filed flat nor why this action works better than a symmetrical pin.
Anybody want to take on my edumahkashun?
TIA
BobH
Re: Marking Gage
DeanJ in MN
>I'd opt for the flat toward the fence. As for why -- makes setting your gauge easy, as you have two flat surfaces to reference when you set the gauge -- the flat of the pin and the fence. So, if you are marking baselines it is a snap to set your gauge by placing the edge of the mating board between the pin and fence, slide the fence tight and lock. Or, if you need to set it to a chisel width, slid the chisel between the pin and fence, and lock. Real handy if your gauge locks with one hand. :-)
Some also say the flat toward the fence tends to pull the fence into the work, I'm not so sure in pratice it makes much of a difference. A good gauge design tends to put pressure toward the work anyway, in addition to the pin shouldn't be cutting that deep into the work. Roll the gauge to control the pin depth.
I file my mortise pins with the flats facing each other, but my tenon gauge isn't adjustable, I have one for each mortise chisel I have.
-Dean
Re: Marking Gage
David Charlesworth
>Bob,
depends what you are doing with it.
For dovetail shoulder lines etc. I prefer the flat on outside, as this square edge of the cut line is vertical. However my pins are not only ground with a flat, but also the bevel side is ground and honed to a crescent shaped blade. A smaller version of Colen Clenton's pins.
Effectively, I have turned the pin into a mini cutting gauge so it works both along and across the grain. Page 15 of my first book...
David Charlesworth
Re: Marking Gage
paul womack
>Bob,
depends what you are doing with it.
For dovetail shoulder lines etc. I prefer the flat on outside, as this square edge of the cut line is vertical.
Conversely, if you're gauging widths for stock prep, you want the opposite.
Generally, you want the bevel in the waste, and the vertical marked cut to be the start of your actual cut.
BugBear
Re: Marking Gage
Thom D
>That's a good way of looking at it. As David points out the waste can be on the inside or outside. If I had to choose with a knife gage (I like the Japanese ones), then I choose to have the bevel inside, it does the important stuff like tenons and dovetails really well, and while not quite as good for waste outside applications, I get by.
Gentlemen: Thank You All!
Bob Hutchins in central Texas