Need a Marking Gauge - what are you using?

[Zacharytanner]

Guys- in need of a new wheel marking gauge- looking at lee valley and the one that Lie Nielsen carries.... Any thoughts or suggestions?

Frank

 

[mouppe]

I use the Veritas gauge and whilst I like it a lot, there are times you cannot beat a traditional pin-style gauge. I think you need one of each. It can be hard to see the wheeled gauged line when marking with the grain in some woods, but it excellent when going cross-grain.

Also, the wheel gauges have a single-sided bevel which means sometimes your bevel side is the wrong side of the line. For example, when marking for a saw cut knife wall or dovetails. Pins work better here I think.

 

[jtwood]

I recently picked up a Lee Valley wheel marking gauge.  They have several to choose from:  http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=59455&cat=1,42936

I got the one with the Imperial markings on the shaft, and added the Marking/Mortise Gauge set to add to it, which makes it easy to lay out both sides of the mortise at once:
http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=60488&cat=1,42936

The Marking/Mortise Gauge set helps to solve the problem of the cutting edge being on the wrong side, because it includes two cutters.  I like the setup very much - the easiest I've ever used.
Steve

 

[Wonderwino]

I've favorite is a Tite-mark by Glen Drake that I bought from Lie-Nielsen.  It has a micro adjustment feature that is really easy to use.  I also have the Glen Drake kerf starters which are great for getting saw cuts started accurately.

 

[Zacharytanner]

Thanks Guys -
Frank

 

[Loren Woirhaye]

I use a Japanese gauge most.  It can, with some restraint, be used as a cutting gauge to cut strips from stock up to about 3/8" thick, working from both sides.

Wheel gauges work well. I think they were originally for scribing layout lines in metal.

I use a Veritas sliding square a great deal in layout work, usually with a pencil.  It's not a gauge but it has  many gauge-like uses and times where it is preferable to me.

 

[Birdhunter]

Woodpeckers and Bridge City both have excellent units. Of the two, I like the Woodpeckers gauge best.

 

[Zacharytanner]

Woodpeckers and Bridge City both have excellent units. Of the two, I like the Woodpeckers gauge best.

I was on their site last night and didn't see it - probably a one time tool - - - - 

Frank

 

[JJ Wavra]

I use the Veritas gauge and whilst I like it a lot, there are times you cannot beat a traditional pin-style gauge. I think you need one of each. It can be hard to see the wheeled gauged line when marking with the grain in some woods, but it excellent when going cross-grain.

Also, the wheel gauges have a single-sided bevel which means sometimes your bevel side is the wrong side of the line. For example, when marking for a saw cut knife wall or dovetails. Pins work better here I think.

The bevel is correct on the Tite-marks to do everything you stated above.  The only time it is incorrect is when you scribe the thickness of a board and want to plane to the line not the kerf.  To rectify that they make a cutter that is the opposite for that and at a nominal cost. I have several of the tite marks (what Lie Nielsen sells) and would recommend them highly. Additionally, they make two different mortise blade attachments and they make extensions when extra length is needed. They also have a few more options available for them and the micro-adjust is great.
JJ

 

[BMH]

+1 on tite mark by glen drake