Bog oak and brass marking gauges

[Mike G]

Here are my current marking gauges:



The lever ones just don't work well enough. Nice idea, but they don't lock properly for long. (Apologies to anyone who got one of these in a Secret Santa... ). The twisty one, though, is a different matter:





That works like a dream. It is a bit agricultural, though. So, now that I have a lathe, I thought I might replace the lever ones with something that works better, and looks a little better too. I'm not showing you the mechanism!! So here we have 3 bits of wood and a little brass:







These are proper working tools. An improvement over my original, in that they don't roll when you put them down.

I even made a mortice gauge, which involved turning up a 15mm sapele dowel, split in half lengthways:



......as seen in the background here. The plain oak one. Making that was a useful trial exercise.



Now, where do I find a whole lot of rich American tool collectors......... :lol:

 

[AndyT]

Now, where do I find a whole lot of rich American tool collectors......... :lol:

I suspect that the answer is Facebook and Instagram, but only if you sell your soul to Zuckerberg first...

Seriously though, they look really interesting and everyone needs more than one marking gauge.

 

[Mike G]

........everyone needs more than one marking gauge.

I have occasionally had 4 on the go at once. I have to make them look sufficiently different so that I can remember which one is which, so I'll be making some alternative shafts out of sycamore, bog oak and sapele.

-

I meant to say this about the shafts. I have always previously used the traditional shaft, with a flat bottom and rounded top, but once I tried a round shaft I will never ever go back. Being able to see the point as it makes its mark whilst at the same time referencing the shaft fully on the workpiece is really useful.

 

[AJB Temple]

Very nice.

They would sell very easily , especially if a bit less chunky and had say maple handles to give white contrast, and some extra mother of pearl or abalone popped into the bog oak for decoration.

Top job there.

Thought you were supposed to be making chairs, not finding excuses to play with the lathe :lol:

 

[Mike G]

I'm supposed to be making a pergola, but I can't get a decent run at it......just the odd hour here and there. These didn't take very long.

 

[AndyP]

I wish I could find an odd hour.

Nice looking gauges and a design honed by years of experience I guess.

 

[Alf]

I'm not showing you the mechanism!!

Spoilsport. In that case I'm not saying "Nice job".

I wish I could find an odd hour.

I'd give quite a lot for a highly eccentric twenty minutes.

 

[Cabinetman]

Very nice indeed Mike, I can only guess and wonder at the mechanism, quite understand you want to keep it to yourself, but it’s a shame as I definitely am in the market for a couple of new ones, so I shall just have to put the brain into gear! —I feel a need to visit B&Q to have a look at the plumbing parts!
:text-bravo:

 

[Mike G]

.....I definitely am in the market for a couple of new ones....

I'll happily make you a couple if you want, Ian. Same goes for anyone else of this parish.

 

[Rezi]

Very generous Mike, think of all that fun lathe time!

 

[the bear]

You'll never get your pergola built with offers like that

Mark

 

[Cabinetman]

That’s too generous Mike, and obviously quite prepared to pay for your time and materials. Ian

 

[Mike G]

..... think of all that fun lathe time!

I don't understand, Steve. You put "fun" and "lathe" in the same sentence.

 

[Lons]

Very nice indeed Mike :eusa-clap:

So, as you won't spill the beans it's thinking cap time, there must be a number of ways to make a simple locking mechanism. :eusa-think:

 

[jvc26]

Those look lovely Mike. Nice work!

 

[Mike G]

Thanks James.

 

[Pete Maddex]

Nice gauges Mike.

I am guessing on something eccentric for the locking mechanism.

Pete

 

[Mike G]

Nice gauges Mike.

Thanks Pete.

I am guessing on something eccentric for the locking mechanism.

:eusa-naughty: :eusa-naughty: Nice try....... :lol:

 

[AndyT]

I think Mike gave us a big fat clue when he said the stems are 15mm diameter and that Ian's onto something with his suggestion of looking at plumbing parts...

 

[Mike G]

:eusa-whistle: :eusa-think: I actually gave a far bigger clue than that.

 

[Cabinetman]

I think the brass content is the thread that tightens and squeezes a split cone shaped tube into a cone shaped hole thus squeezing it onto the shaft of the guage — ( A little like the jaws on a brace tightening onto a bit) and the brass Parts are two plumbing fittings one fastened to the body and the other part in the twisting handle. I can’t think of many other ways of cutting the threads needed without one of those expensive wood thread cutters. But Mike may know different! Ian
Just had a thought! It could even be based on a Hoselock fitting the shaft of the gauge being the garden hose.

 

[Mike G]

Hmmm.....interesting.

 

[NickM]

They look great.

 

[Alf]

:eusa-whistle: :eusa-think: I actually gave a far bigger clue than that.

Ah hah! There's a tiny (but rich) American tool collector installed inside each one, hanging onto the shaft with a pair of vise grips. Hence you needing some more of them.

 

[Mike G]

You might be on to something, Alf. :lol:

 

[Dr.Al]

Wow. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm having proper gauge envy at the moment :mrgreen:

 

[Mike G]

Well, you can have one if you want, Dr Al. I've just placed a large order with Rolls Royce Engineering for all the parts I need to cover all the orders I'm expecting from rich Americans.

Only some of the above is true.

 

[Dr.Al]

Only some of the above is true.

Oh, those lucky rich Americans... :lol:

But seriously, that's extremely kind of you, thank you!

 

[Woodbloke]

Same goes for anyone else of this parish.

That's a very generous offer Mike so thank you, but on this occasion I'm going to pass as I've already got 8 :shock: that I use (inc a pencil gauge) Were I to accept one of your gauges, I could quite rightly be called a collector, but as Bob9f has a pair of No.4's for 'shop door opening duties, he's also a collector :lol: :lol: - Rob

 

[Phil]

Very nice Mike!

How much are you charging?

 

[Lurker]

I don’t want one.
But I want to know how the locking mechanism works.

 

[Pete Maddex]

O/k Pluming fittings 15mm shaft, so compression fitting with a cut olive to clamp the shaft.
I guess it would be to hard to compress an uncut olive and it would never release.

But I might be wrong.

Pete

 

[Mike G]

......How much are you charging?

Whatever people want to pay, Phil.

 

[Lurker]

O/k Pluming fittings 15mm shaft, so compression fitting with a cut olive to clamp the shaft.
I guess it would be to hard to compress an uncut olive and it would never release.

But I might be wrong.

Pete

My thoughts are similar but using a fat O ring rather than a olive.
I am wondering if “agricultural “ is the clue though?

 

[Mike G]

I don’t want one.
But I want to know how the locking mechanism works.

:lol: :lol: How do you see that working out, Jim? :lol:

 

[Phil]

......How much are you charging?

Whatever people want to pay, Phil.

Mike I will get back to you.

 

[Mike G]

Some of these have gone off in today's post, and some will be going off shortly:











A huge thanks to DaveL who put his home-built CNC machine to use for me by doing the engraving.

 

[AndyP]

Brilliant collaboration there.

 

[Cabinetman]

They look wonderful!! Can’t wait, and yes thanks also to DaveL. Ian

 

[Weekend_Woodworker]

They look great Mike. I am looking forward to seeing the Tally Ho one in use on the fortnightly update on Leo’s progress !