Marking gauge, dual or single?

[Kesh Ikuma]

Hi all,

With the LV free shipping, I'm contemplating to get my first marking gauge. I'm looking at a Veritas single or dual gauge. If only thing you have in your toolbox is a marking knife, which one would you get?

I was browsing through the old thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?166153-New-Lee-Valley-dual-marking-gauge) and some mentioned that they don't need the (new at the time) dual gauge because they have 2 single gauges... So, I'm wondering if the opinion changes if you have no gauge.

Thanks for your inputs!!
Kesh

p.s., 1 dual gauge is cheaper than 2 single gauges fyi

[Matthew Hills]

Dual is nice if you're doing mortises by hand.

I have two single-cutter marking gauges (veritas wheel and a hamilton tools 4" marking gauge).

I think my mortising gauge is the standard rosewood gauge (http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32621&cat=1,42936,42948) from lee valley.
It is sometimes handy to have the single cutter side when I want a pin-type marking gauge, but I don't like having pins on both sides.
Also, I wished that I had bought mortising gauge with a screw adjustment for the pin separation. (it would be much more convenient to set this width to the width of my mortising chisel and then to adjust the fence separately, rather than trying to juggle both adjustments at once)

If I was buying again, I would also be looking at the japanese-style mortising gauges, lusting after the colen clenton gauge, and probably get either the deluxe rosewood gauge from lee valley or the Rosewood, T1 - Full Brass face, shielded, screw adjustable (http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/dept/TMM/item/MS-COMBG.XX/Combination_Mortise_Gauges) from tfww.

Matt

[Hilton Ralphs]

It's quite useful to have the dual gauge because you can always retract one of the rods and use it as a marking gauge. Of course there are those die-hards who will bleat about the eccentricity of the face but deep down they just want to justify the exorbitant cost of the TiteMark.

[Jim Koepke]

Here is the ultimate in multi wheeled cutting gauges:

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=51633&cat=1,42936

Having both dual wheel/pin gauges and single wheel/gauges my preference is definitely for the single wheel/pin.

When it comes to use, my Tite Mark gets the lion's share of the work. My Veritas gauge often gets left on the shelf in favor of an old Stanley pin gauges. The pins have been modified to be more like a knife blade.

Here are my findings on the different gauges in use:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?133966-Tite-Mark-Compared-to-Veritas-Wheel-Gauge

jtk

[Kesh Ikuma]

Dual is nice if you're doing mortises by hand.

I think my mortising gauge is the standard rosewood gauge (http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32621&cat=1,42936,42948) from lee valley.

[snip]

If I was buying again, I would also be looking at the japanese-style mortising gauges, lusting after the colen clenton gauge, and probably get either the deluxe rosewood gauge from lee valley or the Rosewood, T1 - Full Brass face, shielded, screw adjustable (http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/dept/TMM/item/MS-COMBG.XX/Combination_Mortise_Gauges) from tfww.
Matt

I've been lured to wheel gauges (more metal, cooler right? :D) but you gave me a whole lot more to consider. What are the pros/cons of pins vs. knives on marking gauges? To my untrained eyes, knives appear better than pins...

I just checked Stu's site for Japanese gauges and they seem pretty affordable (could've picked one up this summer when I was over there if I'd thought about it...)

[Kesh Ikuma]

It's quite useful to have the dual gauge because you can always retract one of the rods and use it as a marking gauge.

That's what I thought I could do but I wasn't sure if tilting the gauge (so only one wheel cuts) makes it less stable or something.

[Kesh Ikuma]

[QUOTE=Jim Koepke;2155226]
Having both dual wheel/pin gauges and single wheel/gauges my preference is definitely for the single wheel/pin.
[\QUOTE]

Jim, could you elaborate on this? Is there any particular reason why you find dual gauges to be less practical?

Your gauge comparison thread was very informative. It was interesting to read that multiple people like LV 3-in-1 gauge. I will add that to my candidate list (meanwhile TiteMark is way out of my budget range for now)

Finally lol on LV AFV gauge. I knew I was missing something in my wishlist :)

[Hilton Ralphs]

That's what I thought I could do but I wasn't sure if tilting the gauge (so only one wheel cuts) makes it less stable or something.

The unwanted wheel simply retracts into the head making it a single gauge. There's a lovely vacuum type of feel when the wheel retracts. Awesome.

[Kees Heiden]

Both. And then two or three of the single ones. You set the double one for the mortices and tenons, and the rest for all the other markings. In a project it is easy to have your marking gauge set throughout the entire project. Especially when you use the same setting for more components.

[Gary Muto]

Here is my fave.
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=64313&cat=1,42936,64313
It works as a single or double. It's small but not too small and it's $20.

FWIW, I also have a larger gauge too, but this one gets much more use.

[Jim Koepke]

I've been lured to wheel gauges (more metal, cooler right? :D) but you gave me a whole lot more to consider. What are the pros/cons of pins vs. knives on marking gauges? To my untrained eyes, knives appear better than pins...

I just checked Stu's site for Japanese gauges and they seem pretty affordable (could've picked one up this summer when I was over there if I'd thought about it...)

Knives or sharp wheels are somewhat easier to use at times. The pins can be sharpened to a knife edge then they have the advantage of being able to cut deeper.

Derek Cohen has a post on his site of some he made:

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/CuttingGauges.html

jtk

[Kesh Ikuma]

@Gary - I missed that one completely when I was browsing the LV site. Thanks for the pointer.

@Jim - Ah, the depth difference makes sense. Thanks for the link to Derek's; His requirements for marking gauges gave me different perspective, especially the grip aspect of it.

I was referred to this web store (in Japanese only but a lot of pix) by a Japanese woodworking friend some time ago, and they have a good selection of Japanese style gauges.

http://www2.odn.ne.jp/mandaraya/11-kehiki.htm