Recommendations for a mortice gauge?

[JonnyW]

I'm just about to order the Joseph Marples Trial 1 guage. I love the full brass face and the semi ornate attempt at one of the screw ajusters.

A lovely looking guage.

Jonny

 

[custard]

The edge of the knife actually shouldn't be perfectly parallel to the stock. See Robt. Wearing et al.

Not having any idea what Robt. Wearing et al refers too would you care to expand on that please?

Robert Wearing and others.

The theory is that if the knife is slightly skewed it pulls the stock against the workpiece. Maybe, but it also cuts a thicker gauge line which might not be a price you're willing to pay. Like everything in woodwork, worth considering but don't take it as gospel as it all depends on the woods you work and the work you do.

 

[Zeddedhed]

The theory is that if the knife is slightly skewed it pulls the stock against the workpiece. Maybe, but it also cuts a thicker gauge line which might not be a price you're willing to pay. Like everything in woodwork, worth considering but don't take it as gospel as it all depends on the woods you work and the work you do.

So would this explain why rather than fitting the knife in a square hole on the stem it's fitted in a round hole? Presumably so that I can set it slightly 'toe'd in' or 'toe'd out', depending on your point of view.

 

[Trafalgar]

What Custard said... thanks....

For marking mortises all you need is the faint line produced by the traditional pin gauge. You do not need, or particularly want in my opinion, incised lines in the length of the grain. The only lines that needs to be incised are the cross grain lines at mortise top and bottom.

One's mortise chisel should fit just barely, a gnat's hair, to the inside of faintly marked lines from the pin gauge. The chisel is responsible for making the cross grain cuts to form the mortise walls. Incised lines are not necessary.

 

[Jacob]

...
For marking mortises all you need is the faint line produced by the traditional pin gauge. You do not need, or particularly want in my opinion, incised lines in the length of the grain. The only lines that needs to be incised are the cross grain lines at mortise top and bottom. ....

Almost the only line anywhere which needs cutting (with a gauge) is the base line of DTs, IMHO.

 

[Trafalgar]

I only incise the top and bottom of a mortise if it's to have a two-shouldered tenon. No need if it's a four-shouldered tenon since nothing shows.

 

[Shrubby]

Andy - looking at your location I'd suggest a s/h Ulmia 315k . It's really a nice tool to use
Matt

 

[DTR]

Though there are variations of the Marples pattern e.g. slide instead of turn-screw, which makes it cheaper.

Another vote here for the Marples type. My go-to gauge is one with a slide. I did have one with a turnscrew, but it ended up with a snapped beam :?

 

[Andy Kev.]

Derek,

thanks for demystifying the Japanese gauge. Shame nobody on the course was in a position to do that.

Shrubby,

thanks for the Ulmia suggestion but I think I fancy going down the Marples and traditional British route (especially as it seems to be so highly thought of).

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Just a small tip for anybody with a newish screw-adjustable mortice gauge. Mine (mid 1980s vintage) was very stiff to operate when adjusting the gap between pins. Stripping it down revealed that the little spring-clip (or spring-washer) holding the screw into the lump at the end of the brass slide-rod made the turning action of the screw very tight. Easing the clip off a tiny bit with a screw-driver tip loosened it up just nicely, and the whole tool worked beautifully once reassembled. (I think older gauges had a different method of retaining the screw, so that won't apply to vintage models.)

Another tip is that new ones sometimes have pins that are not exactly at the same protrusion from the stock, so the gauge marks one heavy line and one barely a scratch. It's worth a bit of work with a small, fine file to get them same height, and as others have said above, shaping the pins to tiny round-ended knives helps a bit, too.

 

[Jacob]

Another tip is if you slide the stock off don't lose the little metal button which stops the screw from marking the brass slider. They are easily lost and old ones often don't have them, which shows up as marks.

 

[Zeddedhed]

Just a small tip for anybody with a newish screw-adjustable mortice gauge. Mine (mid 1980s vintage) was very stiff to operate when adjusting the gap between pins. Stripping it down revealed that the little spring-clip (or spring-washer) holding the screw into the lump at the end of the brass slide-rod made the turning action of the screw very tight. Easing the clip off a tiny bit with a screw-driver tip loosened it up just nicely, and the whole tool worked beautifully once reassembled. (I think older gauges had a different method of retaining the screw, so that won't apply to vintage models.)

Another tip is that new ones sometimes have pins that are not exactly at the same protrusion from the stock, so the gauge marks one heavy line and one barely a scratch. It's worth a bit of work with a small, fine file to get them same height, and as others have said above, shaping the pins to tiny round-ended knives helps a bit, too.

Excellent tip CC. Just done it to mine and it's now so smooth it operates from voice commands only!! I rubbed on a bit of candle wax as well just 'cos.....

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Just done it to mine and it's now so smooth it operates from voice commands only!! I rubbed on a bit of candle wax as well just 'cos.....

Glad it helped! It certainly changed my gauge from a tool I cordially detested because it was so hard to adjust into a pleasure to use.

 

[JonnyW]

Hi Andy Kev. Did you buy your Trial 1 guage?

If so, what do you think?

Regards

Jonny

 

[Andy Kev.]

Hi Jonny,

it's ordered and is due any day and as soon as it comes it will be put to work marking some mortices. I'll report as soon as that is done.

All the best,

Andy.

 

[JonnyW]

Nice one Andy. Thanks for that.

Jonny

 

[Andy Kev.]

Right then, my Trial 1 Combined Mortice and Marking Gauge made by Marples (around 45 quid from the better tool dealers) arrived yesterday and I've just tried it out.

It's nicely made, a little smaller but a little heavier (thanks to the brass face on the fence) than I had imagined. It sits wonderfully in the hand and using it is completey natural and instinctive, which in my book is the mark of good design. It is aesthetically very pleasing indeed.

I reversed the alignment of the stick (I'm sure there's a correct term) and the only thing to watch here is the little brass button via which the locking screw makes contact with the stick, as it will cheerfully drop out of the tool.* If that happens, just drop it back into the little hole. The distance between the two marking pins is adjusted by rotating the screw built into the end of the stick and said mechanism functions as you would expect it to.

The pins are good and sharp and so mark well and easily: light for the first stroke and then with a bit more emphasis if you think you want a couple more.

It's hard to write about something where everything works as it should. I can think of no reason not to recommend this to anybody who is looking for a mortice gauge.

Thanks again to all those who recommended it to me on this thread.

*Edit: Just noticed that Jacob has already mentioned this.

 

[David C]

Zeddehed,

The round hole is a nasty, modern, cost cutting perversion. I think I would look for an old gauge or cut a new opening for a square section wedge.

David Charlesworth

 

[Zeddedhed]

Zeddehed,

The round hole is a nasty, modern, cost cutting perversion. I think I would look for an old gauge or cut a new opening for a square section wedge.

David Charlesworth

Tell it like it is - don't hold back.

Thanks for confirming what I thought David. I'll square the little bugger up and cut a new knife and wedge for it.

 

[JonnyW]

Thanks for the review Andy.

David sorry for being stupid. What do you mean by the nasty, modern, cost cutting perversion of a round hole? And what Zeddened have you squared off?

Again sorry for my silly questions.

Jonny