Searching for a decent knife edge marking gauge (Hamilton?)

[Assaf Oppenheimer]

Hi folks,

I've been looking for a knife edge marking gauge (while I love the wheel based gauge for most work I dislike it for endgrain).
I recently got the Hamilton Panel Gauge and it is a thing of beauty. I do have a small issue with the blade it - it is a fingernail grind, single edged and supported (distally?) only by single screw. when you use it bevel towards the blade (like I use a marking gauge) instead of pulling the fence tight towards the workpiece it flexes the blade. to my mind that might have been solved by dovetailing the blade into its slot instead of a simple groove (but it is really easy to be an armchair tool designer, and I have no idea how difficult or time consuming such an endeavor might be or how it might affect the price). Anyway if you put the bevel towards the outside it is a fantastic gauge. Mr. Hamilton also sells marking gauges of similar design. I can live with the flex in a panel gauge where the bevel is towards the waste anyway but I am less sure about its use as a marking gauge.

does anyone have experience with this?
any recommendations for alternatives to the Hamilton marking gauge that are knife based?

Thanks,
Assaf

[Derek Cohen]

Assaf, the pin gauges are great for endgrain. Otherwise get a Japanese knife gauge.

10 years ago, Tools from Japan sell the Large Ryuma for $17. This comes with 2 blades for mortices ...




Read this: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMad...nTheCheap.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Koepke]

Assaf, sometimes making your own or converting an old style pin gauge might be your easiest or most economical way to get what you want.

Stanley pin gauges can be improved by grinding the pins to a knife type edge:

Knife Gauge.jpg

The gauge on the lower right indicates how the tip was modified:

Marking Gauges.jpg

There is a hole in the bench where the arm is hidden.

Another improvement on this is a broken drill bit was used to replace the original pin. Drill bits tend to be made from harder steel.

The tip of the knife will work much better if it has a radius as opposed to a point.

jtk

[chuck van dyck]

Piggy backing off above.

https://www.finewoodworking.com/proj...-marking-gauge

[Stephen Rosenthal]

I have a Hamilton panel gauge and 6” marking gauge (both walnut, not that it matters). Also a Tite-Mark wheel gauge. I haven’t noticed the issue you describe with the panel gauge, but it’s not a tool I use very often. Perhaps you have the blade extended too far with your initial cuts. I take a very shallow first few cuts and then move the blade down if I need to make it deeper. I’ll pay closer attention next time I use it.

The 6” gauge is fantastic and gets a lot of use, as does the Tite-Mark. I have never detected any blade flex with the 6”. It is so well balanced and fits my hand perfectly. You won’t be disappointed if you get it.

The wheel gauge did involve a bit of a learning curve to get the hang of; initially I tended to tilt it away from the edge. Once I got in the habit of focusing on pressing the gauge as I rolled it the problem was resolved.

[Tony Zaffuto]

I have the 6” Hamilton knife gauge and it is a favorite tool. I would highly recommend it.

[Jack Dover]

This type of a gauge has an annoying property: when a wing nut is tightened, the bolt works like a fulcrum and both blades move a little bit tangentially, which throws setting a few thou off. Mine now is in a drawer, unused for like 5 years - after trying all kinds of remedies. There are types where the stock wooden channel is upside down, that should solve the issue, but I never owned that type.

[Tom Bender]

Made this one, made blade from a utility knife blade.

Marking Gauge1.jpg

Marking Gauge 2.jpg

Marking Gauge 3.jpg

[steven c newman]

My version...
WEDS. Corner #3, Cutting Gauge .JPG
Was in use, today, BTW..
WEDS. Corner #3, cutting a line .JPG
In end grain Ash..