Steel for a marking gauge

[Roy Lindberry]

So I'm making a couple of marking gauges based on Bob Rozaieski's video (http://logancabinetshoppe.com/blog/2010/11/episode-29/), and am at the point of making the cutters. Bob uses some 01 drill rod, which I don't have. He mentions using an old drill bit, but my drill bits are so hard, I can't file them. He talks of using a finish nail, but that seems to be too soft, and the recipient will probably have to sharpen it quite often. I tried hardening a finish nail (as well as a piece of wire coat hanger) with no success: my file was still able easily cut both after quenching (maybe they need to be heated longer or quenched in something besides oil).

So here's my question: Is there anything I might have around the house/shop that could be easily shaped and then hardened for this purpose? I don't want this thing to have to be sharpened constantly. Also, is there a rule of thumb regarding what size hole one should bore in relation to the size of the cutter (be it a nail, drill bit, etc.) in order to make it fit tightly without taking the chance of splitting the beam?

Basically, I know very little about steel and am at a loss.

Thank you, and as always, you help is much appreciated.

[David Weaver]

Do you have any junk saws? Something spring temper is easy to sharpen and plenty hard for a marking gauge.

[harry strasil]

A piece of an old saw as mentioned above; an old drill bit (drill the hole one size smaller than the bit size you are going to use for the cutter, experiement first, you may need 2 sizes smaller hole); look in the bargain tool box at the local hardware store for an el cheapo tubing cutter, remove the cutter and mount to the end of the gauges movable bar with a screw and you have a cutter with a renewable edge just like the fancy expensive ones. If you know an upholsterer, they have short pieces of spring wire of various sizes used in seat cushions, concrete nails. Once you start looking you will find more than you expected. It's not nuclear fusion technology, just plain ole common sense.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Roy

I have built a variety of different cutting gauge blades. Some of these have used HSS drill bits, as you mentioned. The trick here to reshaping them is to use a grinder. A file will not cut it (!).

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Cutting%20guiage/Gaugepoint2_zps029b0fd1.jpg

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

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Cutting%20guiage/gauges5.jpg

Another way of doing this is to shape a blade. I used an O1 blank from a LV scraper to make this, but have done the same with steel from old chisels, card scrapers, etc. This one was made to slice inlay ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Inlay%20tools/inlay4_zpscf463a61.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Inlay%20tools/inlay2_zps99428667.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Inlay%20tools/inlay3_zpsa08de12c.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Max Withers]

Based on something else Derek wrote, I was thinking about grinding a HSS jigsaw blade into a knife for a slitting gauge I'm making (in my head).

If you want a pin, Paul Sellers recommended piano wire.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Based on something else Derek wrote, I was thinking about grinding a HSS jigsaw blade into a knife for a slitting gauge I'm making (in my head).


That was what I used for my panel gauge, it's worked well. (Other than the gauge having started to slip again - I think I need to remake the wedge)

[Jacob Reverb]

If you can find an old boxspring or an old piece of furniture, chances are there are springs in it that will be made of medium- to high-carbon steel which should be hardenable. Don't forget to temper it after heating/quenching!

[Max Withers]

I just stumbled across this interesting gauge, which uses router plane irons / ground down hex wrenches for the cutters.

http://toolmakingart.com/2010/12/07/carving-gauge/

Cool idea, but I'm not sure how I'd make such a deep hexagonal mortise.

[Chris Parks]

Power hacksaw blades make very nice cutters and knives. Try you local engineering or steel fabrication workshops, they should have something. As Derek says a file will not touch hardened material, a grinder is absolutely necessary and this is one time you must use a power tool.

[Roy Lindberry]

Thanks for all the help! I ended up using a piece of drill bit on the grinder. These are probably the best gauges I own now. They cut like a dream.

[Steve Voigt]

Thanks for all the help! I ended up using a piece of drill bit on the grinder. These are probably the best gauges I own now. They cut like a dream.
Show us some pictures!

[Noah Wagener]

how is the knife held in a gauge like this?:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-CarpentersTool-Coopers-Marking-Gauge-Kibiki-Warabiki-/200998204768?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ecc6d3560