Repairing a neglected mortice gauge

[BEN SHELTON]

I picked up a mortice marking gauge recently and want to replace the metal scribe pins. This gauge has one scribe that goes through the wooden beam and marks on either side of the beam and one scribe set into a moving brass strip that is set into a sliding dovetail. All the scribe points are trashed and need replacing.
Does anyone have an idea how these points are set into the tool?
Is the one set in the brass peened in or is the brass squished onto it? How is it held into place?
How about the through scribe? I assume it is a single piece of metal that goes through but how is it retained in the tool?
Thanks
Ben Shelton

[harry strasil]

I believe the scribe pins were oversize of a hole in the brass and were just driven in from the backside for a friction fit, and then filed smooth on the back side.

Replacing the pins on one of the mortise markers with a screw adjustment would be a real challenge as the end pieces are secured in the wood with brass pins.

[Ruston Hughes]

Any chance of simply filing the pins to make them functional again?

[BEN SHELTON]

I did that first but the single point was already down to the wood. The tennon marking side is less than 1/8" long. I'd like them to be a little longer. The single point side has got to be changed. This will make the tennon side uneven... Seemed like replacing them both would solve the whole thing.

Now, Any ideas as to a material for replacing the pins?
I'm thinking drill bits. The major mail order houses stock chinese made drill bits in #, letter, and fractional sizes. I have a set. Should be easy to figure out which size hole to drill and which oversize bit I could force fit into the brass. I suppose I should float them on molten lead to spring temper them first or they would be kinda hard to file to points.

Whattya think?
Ben

[harry strasil]

drill bit shanks are usually softer than the flute part. My suggestion if you can take it apart is to sharpen the point first, then drive in from the back side nick it with a small file or just use diagonals and cut it off and then file the back smooth. If not sharpen the point first cut to length, chamfer the driven end a bit so it starts easy then use a piece of copper,brass or aluminum on the point to drive it in. You might even drill a bit larger hole in the copper or aluminum and use it as a line up gauge to drive them in and also as a depth stop to get them even. Heat the copper up and let it air cool as this makes it harder. quenching softens copper and brass.