# Joseph Marples T14 Mortice Gauge



## Lord Nibbo (26 Mar 2009)

Not impressed with wheel gauges like the Titemark from Lie Nielsen I thought I would go back to something I grew up with so I've bought a Joseph Marples T14 Mortice Gauge. Here are some pics of it.




































The handle on this new gauge from Joseph Marples is shorter than some I've owned but it's by far the heaviest, with that thick brass front you cant expect anything else.


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## Paul Chapman (26 Mar 2009)

Very nice, Your Lordship. Better not show it on the other side - too many brass knobs :lol: 

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## Racers (26 Mar 2009)

Hi, Nibbo

Very nice, apart from the steel cross head screws, are you going to fit brass slotted ones?

Pete


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## dunbarhamlin (26 Mar 2009)

Pretty. Much prefer proper gauges - though I de-combi mine to avoid repeated stabbings. 
Alternatively buy plasters or a thimble :twisted:


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## bugbear (26 Mar 2009)

Lord Nibbo":3n5othw7 said:


> Not impressed with wheel gauges like the Titemark from Lie Nielsen I thought I would go back to something I grew up with so I've bought a Joseph Marples T14 Mortice Gauge. Here are some pics of it.



Can you advise me on how one uses a mortise gauge with FOUR pins ?!?



BugBear


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## Lord Nibbo (26 Mar 2009)

Paul Chapman":1y7jqecn said:


> Very nice, Your Lordship. Better not show it on the other side - too many brass knobs :lol:
> 
> Cheers :wink:
> 
> Paul



I was going to, just to wind up Mr Grimsdale


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## woodbloke (26 Mar 2009)

Lord Nibbo":2vg41elp said:


> Paul Chapman":2vg41elp said:
> 
> 
> > Very nice, Your Lordship. Better not show it on the other side - too many brass knobs :lol:
> ...


...always good, 'specially if you can get him to snap :lol: - Rob


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## Jake (26 Mar 2009)

woodbloke":11t1qmde said:


> Lord Nibbo":11t1qmde said:
> 
> 
> > Paul Chapman":11t1qmde said:
> ...



And to think that he got banned from here because of accusations that _*he*_ was trolling.

:shock: :shock:


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## Lord Nibbo (26 Mar 2009)

Jake":123n9jjr said:


> woodbloke":123n9jjr said:
> 
> 
> > Lord Nibbo":123n9jjr said:
> ...



Ah! yes, but.... I didn't, so I'm not, am I?


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## lurker (26 Mar 2009)

Jake":es53mhxa said:


> And to think that he got banned from here because of accusations that _*he*_ was trolling.
> 
> :shock: :shock:



I thought he got banned because the murderators had been told by their mummy not to play with rough boys from the council estate :lol:


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## Lord Nibbo (26 Mar 2009)

lurker":5ksbwpli said:


> Jake":5ksbwpli said:
> 
> 
> > And to think that he got banned from here because of accusations that _*he*_ was trolling.
> ...



There's nothing wrong with council estates


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## matt (26 Mar 2009)

I bought one of those about a year ago, along with a Multico mortiser. I've yet to cut a mortice.... (maybe this year when I'll probably get round to making a new side gate)...


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## big soft moose (26 Mar 2009)

i bought one of these for work this year when spending up the budget (and a matching square) - no real need for it as we already have a cheap plastic effort from B&poo but this ones all shiny , and has pollished wood and sparkly slidy bits 

seems a shame to let it come into contact with all that nasty dirty wood


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## Jake (26 Mar 2009)

Lord Nibbo":2d91p16z said:


> Oh! yes, but.... I didn't, so I'm not, am I?



I guess so - it wasn't really you I was thinking of anyway.

Back to the subject - it's very pretty in a brassy way. I've got a few oldies like that (maybe a bit less brass, or a bit obvious with the tarnish at least!), and I think I share your preference over the wheel type (not that I've shelled out for a full-blown titemark).


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## Ironballs (26 Mar 2009)

I have one and I think they're great, though mine has the brushed face rather than the shiny one here. Recently got a Veritas wheel gauge and much prefer that for marking out single lines


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## joiner_sim (26 Mar 2009)

I don't know where I'd be without my marking gauge sometimes, this one looks slightly better than mine  with it's complete brass guide, where as mine is wood and brass. Looks well nice nonetheless. Mines a bit batttered now! :roll:


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## hog&amp;bodge (26 Mar 2009)

I have one with out the brass face..Was using it today.
It is very scratched up due to constant use...
When new it was all shiny and impressive but it has to be
used and scratches will happen...
Well guys at least we do not have to polish all that brass Like
*Lord Nibbo* :wink:


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## bugbear (27 Mar 2009)

matt":33i6bdjt said:


> I bought one of those about a year ago, along with a Multico mortiser. I've yet to cut a mortice.... (maybe this year when I'll probably get round to making a new side gate)...



With a machine mortiser (of course) you don't need a mortise gauge!

BugBear


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## Lord Nibbo (27 Mar 2009)

bugbear":175bsxhx said:


> With a machine mortiser (of course) you don't need a mortise gauge!
> 
> BugBear



:shock: I do understand what you mean BugBear I have a Sedgwick 571 but I still prefer to mark up mortises in the traditional way, even when I use the Sedgwick.


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## Vann (27 Mar 2009)

Excuse my hignorance :shock: but weren't Marples taken over by Record, and are now just a name in the Irwin Tools catalogue, or is _Joseph Marples _a different Marples?

Vann.


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## bugbear (27 Mar 2009)

Vann":3u73xzqg said:


> Excuse my hignorance :shock: but weren't Marples taken over by Record, and are now just a name in the Irwin Tools catalogue, or is _Joseph Marples _a different Marples?
> 
> Vann.



Yes - Marples was more a dynasty than an induividual. Right up there with the many Tyzacks.

'Twas William Marples that joined Record.

BugBear


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## joiner_sim (27 Mar 2009)

I'm all confuzzled :roll: on this merging of the brands!!! I have got Marples, Irwin chisels, nowhere does it say record! But then times you see Irwin with the record brand......... I come to the conclusion that the brands are OK if you recognise the name and thats that! :wink:


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## Vann (28 Mar 2009)

joiner_sim":23i9x4b2 said:


> I'm all confuzzled :roll: on this merging of the brands!!! I have got Marples, Irwin chisels, nowhere does it say record!:


I understand Record merged with, or bought out, Marples (_William _Marples apparently), then Irwin bought out Record. So now Irwin market former Record products as _Irwin Record_ and former Marples products as _Irwin Marples_, etc. (there were even _Irwin Nooitgedagt_ products for a while)

I don't know if there's any real Record or Marples craftmanship still in these products, or whether it's just a marketing ploy for Irwin products. I believe the old Marples factory in Sheffield is derilict. I don't know where current _Irwin Marples_ chisels are produced.

Cheers, Vann.


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## Joel Moskowitz (29 Mar 2009)

The marking gauge in question was made by Joseph Marples. STill a Sheffield based family firm since 1840 something. and still run by a Marples (Tony).

Irwin Marples and other IRwin products have nothing to do with that and our currently made in China. 

The machinery that was used to make Marples blue chip chisels was sold by Irwin and is now owned and operated by Footprint. Also of Sheffield.


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## Vann (29 Mar 2009)

Joel Moskowitz":2j3zalca said:


> The machinery that was used to make Marples blue chip chisels was sold by Irwin and is now owned and operated by Footprint. Also of Sheffield.


Hmm, so I presume, if you want Marples (William) quality chisels, you have to buy Footprint? Footprint would use Sheffield steel, though not necessarily the same steel as Marples used.



Joel Moskowitz":2j3zalca said:


> Irwin Marples and other IRwin products have nothing to do with that and our currently made in China.


I understand Sheffield still produces massive amounts of quality steel. So are Irwin Marples chisels made in China of imported Sheffield steel, or do they use Chinese steel?

Sorry to hijack the thread, I'm trying to get my head around which brands still use quality materials.

Cheers, Vann.


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## Joel Moskowitz (29 Mar 2009)

Vann":2bqocfai said:


> ...I understand Sheffield still produces massive amounts of quality steel. ....
> 
> Cheers, Vann.



what makes you think that? THere are a couple of steel dealers left in sheffield but I doubt very highly that there are any steel makers left there. I would even be surprised if ANY steel refining is still done in the UK although it's possible - there are still a few rolling mills left. 

almost all steel rolled today is made of recycled scrap. In order to produce "Sheffield steel" you would need a huge steel mill, a coke supply, the proper ore supply. Not to mention people who understood some of the old time, really costly methods of refining. and it would be really expensive. None of that's been around for years.


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## Vann (29 Mar 2009)

Joel Moskowitz":3p5et33e said:


> Vann":3p5et33e said:
> 
> 
> > ...I understand Sheffield still produces massive amounts of quality steel. ....
> ...


Okay, I guess I'm wrong. I read something (when I was looking up Clifton planes) that suggested Sheffield still produced as much steel as ever. I must have mis-read.

...and as I'm in New Zealand, it's a bit too far away for me to drive through/past from time to time... :? :lol: 

Cheers, Vann.


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## Joel Moskowitz (29 Mar 2009)

I reread my post and it sounded a little harsh. I apologize if I sound jumping down your throat. It's really depressing for me as I see the entire industrial infrastructure of England, Europe and the US demolished. 
I've been told by reliable sources that it's actually less expensive to make a chisel on What was Marples automated chisel line than it is to import them from China but a corporate culture of today that really wants to get out the the business fo making anything. 
Sadly, IMHO a country that can't manufacture anything won't succeed long-term.


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## Vann (30 Mar 2009)

Joel Moskowitz":mj3l8oci said:


> I reread my post and it sounded a little harsh. I apologize if I sound jumping down your throat.


No offence taken. I've just picked up snippets of info here and there. It's not all correct (and I may have misread some too :shock: )



Joel Moskowitz":mj3l8oci said:


> It's really depressing for me as I see the entire industrial infrastructure of England, Europe and the US demolished.


It's the same here (not that NZ ever had much of an industrial base). Every week or so, another firm closes down and manufacturing is moved to China, or elsewhere.
Irwin announced, three weeks ago, that they're closing their plant in Wellsford - I think they make circular saw blades there. And the last time I bought a router bit from the local manufacture (expensive but good quality) the backing cardboard no longer had the "Made in NZ" emblem on it - I suspect they've moved some or all production off-shore. I don't mind paying a small premium to support local industry, but I'm blowed if I'll pay top dollar for cheaply produced products.

Cheers, Vann.


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## joiner_sim (30 Mar 2009)

Is FOOTPRINT, a decent brand? :?:


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## bugbear (31 Mar 2009)

joiner_sim":2vmq90eo said:


> Is FOOTPRINT, a decent brand? :?:



In the context of present mass market manufacturers, yeah, it's OK.

Around the same as Record, CK, Draper Professional.

BugBear


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## Harbo (31 Mar 2009)

I think what remains of our steel making industry is now confined to Port Talbot and Scunthorpe?
I know that no Stainless Steels are made in Sheffield (who "invented" the process) anymore.
Very sad.


Rod


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## head clansman (4 Apr 2009)

Hi LORD NIBBO


ah, joseph marples , now your talking real quality.hc 

ps real nice finish to it , nice piece, enjoy


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