Marking Tool Recommendation

[Rich Riddle]

With the integration of Neander tools into the shop comes the need for a marking tool. Do decent wood and brass marking tools exist that don't break the bank? Is that the best design? What do you folks recommend?

[ken hatch]

With the integration of Neander tools into the shop comes the need for a marking tool. Do decent wood and brass marking tools exist that don't break the bank? Is that the best design? What do you folks recommend?

I expect this is a sharpening question in a different guise :-). For with grain marking I like a "pin" gauge of which I have several some cheap, some not so cheap. For cross grain a knife or wheel works better, same story I have several, some cheap, some not so cheap. Cost is not the best indicator of utility...Best way I can put it: You may need to kiss a bunch of frogs before finding the best of each type for you.

ken

[Tony Wilkins]

I have a tite mark wheel gauge and a Hamilton knife gauge and they are the only ones I've used. I like both. I reach for the Hamilton first but for fiddly settings (like guessing the middle) I like the fine tuning on the tite mark. I'd try a tite mark mini to see if you like the wheel gauges.

[glenn bradley]

These are one of those things where one is "best" for one person and another is "best" for someone else. I have a few types but, my go-to seems to be the wheel gauge; usually the eccentric Lee Valley special edition (http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/page.aspx?p=69871&cat=1,42936) from awhile back. The offset rod and head shape just work well for me. YMMV.

[Jim Matthews]

Search Kebiki. They use a knife to score the wood and work both with and cross grain.

The Massachusetts made Woodjoy is similar, with a handy knob for setting the offset.

[Jim Koepke]

With the integration of Neander tools into the shop comes the need for a marking tool. Do decent wood and brass marking tools exist that don't break the bank? Is that the best design? What do you folks recommend?

If you are talking about a sliding gauge marking tool, there are many options.

Best for not breaking the bank is the inexpensive Stanley pin gauge. The more modern one with a brass screw and brass inset in the fence can usually be found used for a reasonable price. The pin can be sharpened to a knife edge for scoring a lines with the grain.

307276

Here a pin gauge with the tip sharpened to a knife edge is used to score some squirrelly grain before using a rabbet plane.

My most used marking gauge is the Tite-Mark wheel gauge. Here is a post of mine comparing it to other wheel type gauges:

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

It may be the one folks are thinking of when mentioning breaking the bank. I would buy it again and have considered purchasing a second one, but it would only be convenient to have two, not necessary.

If you use a pencil for marking, a combination square can be used for that purpose.

jtk