Replies

1. 
   lat_axe | Oct 20, 2020 03:49am | #1

   You'll either have to ask him for it or sneak into his shed when he's elsewhere to nick it.

   Better to make one of your own, really. :-)

   Crown do one like that, with a wee cutting knife rather than the useless sharp point. The wee cutting knife is a bit useless too until you take it out, make it less pointy and then sharp. After that, it works very well.

   You can improve them also with a better lock knob and a brass strip or two. In fact, Crown make one like this in some sort of rosewood, with a better knife.

   https://www.amazon.com/Crown-143-Rosewood-Plated-Cutting/dp/B00FRBVLFU/ref=psdc_552474_t4_B000CFH7ZO

   Here's the cheapie with a pin.

   https://www.amazon.com/Crown-135-Marking-Gauge-Beech/dp/B00EC9AOZQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=8LDF4NVBVDO2&dchild=1&keywords=crown+marking+gauge&qid=1603180049&sprefix=crpwn+marking%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-1

   Lataxe, being a grammatical martinet.

2. 
   john_c2 | Oct 20, 2020 04:23am | #2

   Bob Van Dyke made that marking gauge for Mike. He's taught a class on making the gauge at his school.

   And, an article on how to make your own in FWW: https://www.finewoodworking.com/2017/03/29/shopmade-cutting-gauge

3. 
   geedubbee | Oct 20, 2020 09:52am | #3

   "Lat_axe | Oct 20, 2020 03:49am | #1 - Crown do one like that, with a wee cutting knife rather than the useless sharp point."

   I have that same Crown. I did just as Lat_axe did; a little love and it is a decent knifed gauge for not much dough.

   There is nothing wrong with making one. I was just busy at the time. If you make your own it will come to mean much more to you over the years. Also, you can make the head a bit bigger, thinner, or change anything else you want while building ;-)

4. 
   john_c2 | Oct 20, 2020 10:10am | #4

   For way too long, I have meant to make myself a gauge with a pencil, rather than blade. Maybe this is the year.

5. 
   MillstShop | Oct 21, 2020 12:01pm | #5

   Thanks for the replies
   I did some digging and found the one I was talking about on eBay.
   It’s was a limited from Bridge City Tools.
   They are a little rich for my pocketbook but maybe my bride would like to get me one as a retirement gift😀😀

6. 
   mwalsh3 | Oct 21, 2020 06:34pm | #6

   I have one of these, works very well: http://masswoodworks.com/markinggauges

7. FWW Editor
   ben_strano | Oct 22, 2020 09:11am | #7

   Agreed. Bob's gauges are the same breed as... oh... Bob's. Hang on.

   Bob Miller's gauges are the same breed as Bob Van Dyke's. If I didn't swipe one of Bob Van Dyke's from an article awhile back, I'd buy on of Bob Miller's.

8. 
   daverichards | Oct 22, 2020 03:11pm | #8

   "If I didn't swipe one of Bob Van Dyke's..."

   Bob called me the other day wondering if I had his gauge! No wonder he can't find it!

   LOL!

9. 
   geedubbee | Oct 22, 2020 03:46pm | #9

   Ben,

   Save yourself from any more sleepless nights plagued with guilt . . .

   I will serve as your sin eater. I'll send you my address. Send the tainted gauge to me and your troubles will be over.

10. 
    _mj_ | Oct 22, 2020 07:09pm | #10

    As is true with meals, drinks, and lumber; the best kind of gauge is a free gauge.

11. 
    roy.unit8c | Oct 23, 2020 09:40am | #11

    The hard part of making a cutting gauge or mortising gauge are piston fitting mortises and tenons/dowels. I chose to fit the blade on top instead of the side. I had to plug in a dowel to give the screw threads some cross grain to hold grip. The wedge never worked very well but a machine screw and T-nut held the post securely with a brass strip inlaid to protect the wood.

12. 
    3steers | Oct 26, 2020 03:13pm | #12

    I went shopping for some old chisel blades and backsaw the other day, came home with an old Star Tool Co. marking gauge circa 1870. Simplest most elegant gauge I have run across. Three pieces, A beam with a small knife cutter and an octagon sliding fence that locks tight! with a quick of the wrist. That's it. I have always had problems with marking gauges holding everything in place with no movement at the chosen dimension while I tightened the locking screw. Not enough hands, Not so with the Star, a small clockwise twist with the hand holding the fence locks everything up tight. The beam cross section is a snail shell shaped cam with a corrosponding shaped mortice in the fence. Popular woodworking had an article several years back on making one. This particular gauge is rosewood and the beam is heartwood on one side and sapwood on the other. The craftsman making the gauge took the time to stamp the 8" scale on the sapwood half. Makes the reading ever so much easier for old eyes.

13. 
    john_c2 | Oct 26, 2020 04:23pm | #13

    There was an article a ways back on building a twist lock marking gauge like that. Frank Klausz, I think.