Marking gauge improvement

[Rob Luter]

I normally use a Tite-Mark but the oak I often use scoffs at the cutting wheel. I made a cutting gauge a few months ago that worked well but was unstable due to an imprecise mortise and an ineffective locking wedge.

I was puttering in the shop to stay out of the heat and decided to give the fence another go. I had a chunk of figured oak and used the Mike Peckovich tape trick to mark and cut a crisp mortise. Rather than monkey with another wedge I installed a threaded insert and used a clamp knob with a wooden pellet on the end for friction. It’s solid as a rock and doesn’t mar the maple beam. The cutting insert is a tool steel cutter from a metal lathe. Super sharp and super durable. It cuts a deep, crisp line in hard maple and oak. No more wimpy dovetail baselines.

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[Jim Koepke]

Nice looking gauge Rob.

jtk

[glenn bradley]

Nicely done. I sharpen my wheels like I do carbide inserts for lathe tools; face down on an abrasive and draw little figure-8's till the edge is razor sharp. They seem to slice through anything. That said, I do have a knife-type marking gauge similar to yours and use it as much as the others I have. I'm not sure what drives the choice . . . maybe my mood(?).

[Jim Koepke]

Nicely done. I sharpen my wheels like I do carbide inserts for lathe tools; face down on an abrasive and draw little figure-8's till the edge is razor sharp. They seem to slice through anything. That said, I do have a knife-type marking gauge similar to yours and use it as much as the others I have. I'm not sure what drives the choice . . . maybe my mood(?).

My pin/knife type gauges are used when a deep mark is desired. My Tite-Mark® is used when a light mark is fine.

jtk

[David Eisenhauer]

I like that Rob. I have zero experience with tool steel cutters and wonder how one sharpens them. Do they sharpen like a chisel or plane iron on my water stones? Come already sharp-sharp and don't ever need sharpening in this application?

[Rob Luter]

Nicely done. I sharpen my wheels like I do carbide inserts for lathe tools; face down on an abrasive and draw little figure-8's till the edge is razor sharp. They seem to slice through anything. That said, I do have a knife-type marking gauge similar to yours and use it as much as the others I have. I'm not sure what drives the choice . . . maybe my mood(?).

I do the same. It still doesn’t cut the QSWO.

[ken hatch]

My pin/knife type gauges are used when a deep mark is desired. My Tite-Mark® is used when a light mark is fine.

jtk

I use both type gauges. The light mark made by the Tite-Mark isn't a problem, if I need/want a deeper mark I freehand deepen the mark with one of the marking knifes. Even with a "classic" gauge I usually make a light mark and then deepen it if needed.

Rob, nice looking gauge. It should serve you well.

ken

[Bill Carey]

Nice Rob. I might have try one like yours. As you say the titemark seems to bounce off the qswo. And that's about all I use.

[Derek Cohen]

Rob, that’s a fine looking cutting gauge. I hope it brings lots of pleasure when using it (that is what is so great about making gauges). I find screws far, far better than wedges for holding.

About cutting with wheels: did you sharpen yours before you decided that is would not cut hardwood? As you know, I work with hard wood, and a sharp wheel works well.

Knives need to be sharp as well, and a knife like yours is easier to sharpen than the Japanese bent knives I have. Pros and cons - the bent knives are easier with which to set and mark. Both knife types, however, have a disadvantage compared with wheels: the wheels are thin and leave a thin line. The knife blade is wider and leaves a more triangulated impression, which gets wider as the deeper you cut. So, try and keep the bevel under 25 degrees.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Stephen Rosenthal]

I’ve got a Tite-Mark and Hamilton. I usually use the former for cross grain marking and the latter with the grain. Seems to work better that way, but I prefer the Hamilton.

[Rob Luter]

I lapped the wheel on my Tite-Mark. It will draw blood

While my Tite-Mark will cut a very precise line on oak, it’s very thin and not deep enough to see well. Getting a chisel to drop in it requires a light touch. It works great on cherry and fine grained woods.

The knife on my shop made gauge is very sharp, and single edged like a marking knife. It leaves a similar knife line.

[Derek Cohen]

I’ve got a Tite-Mark and Hamilton. I usually use the former for cross grain marking and the latter with the grain. Seems to work better that way, but I prefer the Hamilton.

Stephen, this is interesting. Perhaps you can comment, or try a little experiment ...

My explanation: The TM wheel is thin, and it is terrific across the grain. It can more easily be diverted when cutting with the grain. The thicker Hamilton knife will better resist this when cutting with the grain.

Try this (if you do not do this already - my apology if I am telling you how to suck eggs): light strokes with the TM when marking with the grain. The first 2 or 3 strokes should be feather light. Just enough to score the top fibres. Then increase the downforce slightly. And progressively. You should not have a problem with the grain now.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[ken hatch]

I lapped the wheel on my Tite-Mark. It will draw blood

While my Tite-Mark will cut a very precise line on oak, it’s very thin and not deep enough to see well. Getting a chisel to drop in it requires a light touch. It works great on cherry and fine grained woods.

The knife on my shop made gauge is very sharp, and single edged like a marking knife. It leaves a similar knife line.

Rob,

It is easy to deepen the line with a knife. I know an extra step but often worth it. Most of the time it is just part of my marking routine.

ken

[Derek Cohen]

I lapped the wheel on my Tite-Mark. It will draw blood

While my Tite-Mark will cut a very precise line on oak, it’s very thin and not deep enough to see well. Getting a chisel to drop in it requires a light touch. It works great on cherry and fine grained woods.

The knife on my shop made gauge is very sharp, and single edged like a marking knife. It leaves a similar knife line.

Rob, I never drop a chisel into a knife line. It is a recipe to push the line back. What I do is pare a chisel wall. It can be very shallow - that would be enough to register the chisel in the line but prevent it from moving backwards over the line.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[ken hatch]

Rob, I never drop a chisel into a knife line. It is a recipe to push the line back. What I do is pare a chisel wall. It can be very shallow - that would be enough to register the chisel in the line but prevent it from moving backwards over the line.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Derek,

I usually do this with a pattern makers chisel cross grain. I see folks pare to the line with the grain, too busy and easy to screw up. I have a hard time getting a good line with a heavy hand no matter what the marking gauge is. Cross grain a light hand with a tite-mark followed by a knife will make a perfect mark. Easy and quick.

ken