Woodbloke-style marking gauge

DomValente · 25 Apr 2007

Trouble is, Dom, once you're retired, everyone thinks you've nothing to do and keep coming up with jobs, so you have less spare time than when you were working :? :?

Cheers :wink:

Paul

People think that anyway Paul, "can you just..." or "have you got a minute to look at..."
I WANT MY GARDEN WORKSHOP BACK.

Dom

stewart · 28 Nov 2007

I love this gauge but have a few questions about the stock before I tackle making my own. Am I right in thinking that the stock is made from three pieces – it looks like it from the pictures. My attempt to describe what I think I see might be a bit convoluted, but here goes: the main part of the stock has the mortise cut through it for the stem and also has a slot cut in it for the wedge to go through; there is a separate piece stuck to the bottom of the stock which encloses the slot for the wedge; finally there is third piece glued to the side which closes the mortise that the stem goes through. Is this right? I assume that the slot for the wedge must be cut right up to the mortice so that the wedge will be able to push the saddle against the stem?

Also, is the slot for the wedge cut with parallel sides or are they angled. What is the angle of the wedge?

Last question (for now, anyway!): is the thin central part of the saddle about ¼’’ thick?

Sorry for the lengthy questions but I want to get it right! Sorry, too, if some of them are rather obvious!!

Paul Chapman · 28 Nov 2007

Hi Stewart,

Let's start with the main body. The lower piece, below the mortice, which looks a bit darker in the picture, is a separate piece glued on last. The rest of the body is made up of four pieces - a front, a back, and two inner pieces. The two inner pieces are separated to form the mortice for the wedge.

Make the wedge with about a 3 degree slope. Glue the body together by placing the two inner pieces on the back piece with the wedge between them (well waxed so you can remove it after the glue has dried) and then place the front piece on top. Cramp it up and let the glue dry. The reason for doing it this way is that it's quite difficult chopping a mortice for the wedge.

When the glue is dry, remove the wedge and cut the mortice for the stem and saddle (just two saw cuts then chisel out the rest) Then glue on the lower piece of the main body.

The thin central piece of the saddle is about one-eighth of an inch. You will need to chamfer the two lower long sides of this to allow the pin (a masonry nail) to slide right up to the stock (in the picture I hadn't done that yet).

Hope that is all clear. I pinched this idea from Woodbloke (Rob) so he will no doubt add any bits that I've left out.

If you need any more info or more pictures, just ask.

Good luck :wink:

Paul

PS The saddle protrudes about 1/16" into the mortice for the wedge so that the wedge can press down on it.

woodbloke · 28 Nov 2007

stewart":1hiswup7 said:
I love this gauge but have a few questions about the stock before I tackle making my own. Am I right in thinking that the stock is made from three pieces – it looks like it from the pictures. My attempt to describe what I think I see might be a bit convoluted, but here goes: the main part of the stock has the mortise cut through it for the stem and also has a slot cut in it for the wedge to go through; there is a separate piece stuck to the bottom of the stock which encloses the slot for the wedge; finally there is third piece glued to the side which closes the mortise that the stem goes through. Is this right? I assume that the slot for the wedge must be cut right up to the mortice so that the wedge will be able to push the saddle against the stem?

Click to expand...

Also, is the slot for the wedge cut with parallel sides or are they angled. What is the angle of the wedge?

Last question (for now, anyway!): is the thin central part of the saddle about ¼’’ thick?

Sorry for the lengthy questions but I want to get it right! Sorry, too, if some of them are rather obvious!!

Stewart - the stock is laminated in three layers, the centre bit is in two parts separated by the wedge, so in fact four bits of wood are needed to make the stock. The wedge has an angle of about 5 deg on it and is included in the glue up stage and needs to be well waxed...most imortant :shock: After glue up, tap out the wedge, accurately chop the hole for the stem, making it such that when the saddle is used, the wedge forces it to make contact with the top of the stem. Here's a pic of a large panel and marking gauge made on the same principal, pin is a ground down masonary nail sharpend and honed to a cutting profile on the Tormek:

These gauges are really easy to make and cost next to nothing, so if it don't work right first time, have another go :lol: - Rob