Wing nut needed

Anonymous · 27 May 2004

Ive just got hold of a secondhand Marples mortise gauge but it needs a new wingnut for the sliding head. At the moment there's just a large screw in it but does anyone know if I can buy a spare wingnut or know of any nut similar that will fit?

Alf · 27 May 2004

Chip,

When you say it's got a large screw in it, d'you mean like this one? I'm just having a bit of trouble thinking where a nut would be needed on a mortise gauge, usually it's a bolt you see. If you're looking for a thumscrew like on these I think you can still get them but I can't find a link at the moment, and even then there's no guarantee the thread will be the same.

Cheers, Alf

Anonymous · 27 May 2004

Yeah,sorry,its a thumb screw Im looking for. Guess I'll just have to stick with the large screw it came with. Thanks for the reply!

Chris Knight · 27 May 2004

Chip,

If it's like the one Alf showed, that screw is meant to look like that and is quite possibly original if the tool is an old one. That is not to say you wouldn't prefer a thumbscrew of course.

Alf · 27 May 2004

waterhead37":2zrzv1xu said:
If it's like the one Alf showed, that screw is meant to look like that and is quite possibly original if the tool is an old one.

You took the words right off my keyboard. It also has an advantage. Not only do you need another tool to adjust it (screwdriver) but because you're less tempted to loosen it you won't find you've lost the setting when you have to go back because the mortise in part "C" went horribly wrong and you have to do it again. :roll:

Cheers, Alf

Dewy · 3 Jun 2004

When I did woodwork at school in the 50s the mortice gauges had a screw so we could lock the pins to the same size as the mortice chisel we were using. We could then adjust the head so the mortice was centred. Every one I have seen in tool shops no longer has this locking feature.
I have been tempted to remove the brass slider to add a thin piece of brass & replace the knob with a knurled screw to enable me to lock it.
Do they still make this type of mortice gauge or were they consigned to history along with many of the old woodworking skills?