Made a marking gauge
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- This topic has 17 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 5 months ago by Joe Kaiser.
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26 September 2015 at 5:08 am #130836
Thanks to Frank Joseph for guidance, I made my first marking gauge. It was much easier than I thought – took maybe an hour. It could have been faster, but I took my time.
I used some scrap wood I had laying around. Sapele for the head, cherry for the beam, and oak for the wedge. It works just like any other one I have. There is something nice about making your own tools.
I will be making another, I had some blow out in the mortice hole, and want to fix it. I’m going to pick up some brass blanks and inlay them in as well.
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You must be logged in to view attached files.26 September 2015 at 5:09 am #130838I will probably end up shaping the head. Right now I’m just nervous I will mess it up, and have to start over.
26 September 2015 at 3:10 pm #130842Well I am very glad the rough samples I sent did there job, Yours looks very good.
Good luck
Frankj29 September 2015 at 4:49 pm #130923No, there is just a small wedge on the side facing the tool well. If you enlarge the picture, you can see part of it poking out.
2 October 2015 at 4:38 pm #130999I am no expert, and all credit has to go to Frank Joseph to showed me, and gave me the confidence.
I didn’t actually use any measurements to make it. I just used whatever scraps I had and the chisels to match. The beam is 10″ long – quite longer than my others, but I like it that way. I can always cut it down later.
The head is 3×2 with a mortise to match the beam. Once the beam was a tight fit. I gradually took a thin shaving off every side (1 shaving at a time) until it would slip in and out without binding or sticking. Be careful here, you don’t want too much play in it.
When that was done, I just took a 3/8″ chisel and gradually paired down the place for the wedge.
Cut the wedge, gave it all a coat of tung oil, and called it a day. I will be shaping the head eventually. When the wedge is in the “loose” position, you want it to be flush with the mortise hole. Meaning the beam can slide freely.
The pin is just a nail. I cut off the head, filing a super sharp point, drilled a hold in the beam, and tapped it through.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Joe Kaiser.
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You must be logged in to view attached files.2 October 2015 at 5:24 pm #131004Yeah, Frank sent me a few of those and it works great. I like being able to push from the bottom and then when I need to loose it, I turn it upside down on the edge of the bench and give it a quick tap.
3 October 2015 at 12:41 am #131011Hi Joe they came out very good. Glad you like this type. I find them very easy to adjust with one hand. The key to adjusting is to set it under size tighten the wedge a bit and the tap it on somthing till you are on mark.
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