Cutting gauges

[Derek Cohen]

My ideal gauges include ...

Firstly, the knob needs to be on the top, where it is easy to adjust while holding the gauge in one hand (and the other left for the work piece). It also needs to be a round knob, not a thumbscrew (which may be easier to grip but is not as easy to adjust with fingertips).

Secondly, the hand needs to wrap around the front so that the grip is firm as you pull the gauge backwards/towards yourself. This requires that the profile of the fence is lower under the heel of the hand, and that there is a grip area for the fingers.

I think the Kinshiro rocks. It incorporates all these features.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Cutting%20guiage/3.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Cutting%20guiage/4.jpg

The Kinshiro is, however, a mortice gauge.

I had the afternoon free and only just managed to get these done as Lynndy was threatening to shoot me if I did not come in for dinner! So the photos are not the best.

These cutting gauges are modelled on a Kinshiro mortice gauge. They are a little more compact since they have single cutters.

The Curly Myrtle gauge on the right was built for practice. This has a Jarrah wear strip. The photo does not do the timber justice. The other gauge is from Tasmanian Blackwood with an Ebony wear strip. Its chatoyance is amazing.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Cutting%20guiage/Gauges1.jpg

Tasmanian Blackwood is by far my favourite wood.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Cutting%20guiage/Gauges2.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Cutting%20guiage/gauges7.jpg

The beam is locked via a captive brass plate ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Cutting%20guiage/gauges3.jpg

This is the mechanism I made ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Cutting%20guiage/gauges8.jpg

It is simply a brass plate that I drilled for a screw. The hole on the plate is chamfered, and the screw head fits fairly flush. Excess is filed off. The screw is left as a stub.

The stub fits into the hole for the adjusting screw (so it is now captive), and the adjusting screw presses down on the stub for pressure.

The cutter is a knife shaped from a 3/16" diameter HSS rod ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Cutting%20guiage/gauges4.jpg

Here is the Kinshiro family, with the orginal on the right...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Cutting%20guiage/gauges6.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Terry Beadle]

Nice ! I like the design.

Were you able to buy the adjustment screws at a big box store or where did you get them?

Have you been making them on that nice new bench? Hoot! It must have been a pleasure for sure.

Also I think I can see where you made the body of the gauge out of three pieces of wood. The top piece you must have cut the gauge bar mortise on the open end, drilled for the brass plate peg, then threaded the wood for the clamping screw, then glued the other two bottom pieces to make the gauge body complete...is that right?

Thanks for posting!

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Terry

The adjustment screws came from Carba-tec, my local branch of Lee Valley. Check the LV catalogue for them.

Here's a clue to making the body ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Cutting%20guiage/gauges9.jpg

The screw for the brass plate was first set via a pilot hole for the adjustment screw. Each was then enlarged and tapped for their individual thread sizes.

Regards from Perth

Derek