Renovating grandfather's mortice gauge
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Welcome! / Forums / General Woodworking Discussions / Tools and Tool Maintenance/Restoration / Renovating grandfather's mortice gauge
While rummaging around in my late father-in-law’s old tools I came across an old mortice gauge. After a bit of a clean up I found that it appeared to be made of a brass shaft with an ebony collar and looks to be home made – probably by the wife’s grandfather.
The brass facing plate was once held on to the body by 4 brass pins, now sheared off but I can re-attach that with some c/s brass screws but the main problem with it is that the pins are tiny. I don’t know whether that was part of the original design or they’ve been ground down later.
The mounts for the pins are brass blocks held in with steel screws and I can’t get the screws out to make an attempt at replacing the pins.
Has anyone got any good ideas on the best way to get these screws out – they’re pretty small (~3mm) and the heads have already been chewed somewhat (not me, I hasten to add)?
I’ve found one tool (Alden micro bolt extractor) on the web but it’s expensive and only available from the US.
I’m not sure if the images will show – if, not here’s a link to images on flikr.
Hah! Done it. The good old appliance of science. I stuck the bar in the bottom of oven below the Sunday roast to use the different coefficient of expansion between brass and steel and I’ve now got the screws (not small bolts) out. When it cools down I’ll start figuring out how to change the pins.
Fantastic problem solving Alan. Keep us posted. That is a nice looking gauge and should be a pleasure to use.