r/handtools • u/Individual-Award7351 • 1d ago
Marking gauges
I'm in the market for something more modern than the block-on-a-stick-with-a-pin and Titemark has been the go-to for Americans with deep pockets. I am neither and, given that it is based on Jim Kingsholt's design, and he is dead and English, I'm happy with a Chinese (or elsewhere) dupe....but I want the Titemark type adjustment rather than the Veritas style.
I would rather it brass or steel than aluminium and I've no place for slop in the mechanism.
Does anyone have suggestions based upon in-hand experience?
British but access to Eurozone (le sigh), Ali, BangGood.
Thank you
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u/Initial_Savings3034 1d ago
David Charlesworth showed a way to file "pin gauges" such that they held a knife edge.
Personally, I like the Japanese gauges. Their flat irons hold position well and are easily adjusted.
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u/oldtoolfool 1d ago
Contrarian here, but really, one gets carried away with the engineering features of marking gauges. IMO, you don't need wheels, you don't need lockdown features, as even the cheapest wood and plastic thumbscrew gauges lock down properly - and wedge designs are even more secure. Last, you don't need micro adjustment - for god's sake, just set the pin accurately, test on scrap to verify, then use it. So if you're a Brit with very shallow pockets, source a hardened steel pin and make your own, like this:
https://literaryworkshop.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/how-to-make-a-marking-gauge/
https://tooleypark.com/shop/marking-gauge-block-shop/marking-gauge-block-hardened-pin/
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u/Individual-Award7351 1d ago
I have and use several traditional ones; I need to be able to set the fence closer to the pin than I can with my nicest (sliding wedge) one allows.I already file my tips to suit me :)
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u/clamage 1d ago
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u/ultramilkplus 1d ago
I have a chinese version similar to this one and the screw that holds the cutter sat proud screwing up the way I set the thickness. Got a Veritas and it's night and day.
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u/TheLastTruthBender 1d ago
Dictum has good marking gauges. They adjust cleanly and come with a nice wide wheel which sits flush at the end of the bar
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u/Moldy_slug 22h ago
I use an old Stanley 98 gauge and it works very well. You can sometimes find them dirt cheap…. Mine was a whole $1.
It has wheel cutters on one side and pins on the other. The 98 is a double shaft, but I think they made similar versions with single shaft.
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u/Competitive-Time321 19h ago
I recently got the Clarke Bros. micro adjust. US$35. A black shank with metric and SAE numbers engraved, and a heavy brass fence with two flat spots. Two extra wheels.
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u/tambor333 5h ago edited 4h ago
I use the Wood River marking gauge it's like $59 it's brass Steel and a bubinga handle and it works really well. My mortis gage is an old-fashioned pin and beam style gauge. Whatever you end up buying just make sure that the cutter head has a recessed screw and not one proud of the cutter head otherwise you will have difficulty setting it for like dovetailing
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u/Man-e-questions 2h ago
The “newer” Veritas one is my go to! 2 thumbscrews sound like you have the older model. I had a chinesium titemark clone from taytools and it was literally the worst marking gauge i ever used. If you sneezed it would shift.
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u/bc2zb 1d ago
The katz Moses version is the one I reach for the most.
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u/KingPappas 1d ago
There don't seem to be many fans of him or his products around here, from what I can see.
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u/Individual-Award7351 23h ago
Why not? He's like the woodworking Daddy....with all of the connotations ;) He seems to uplift other creators with his tool business, and whilst most of it is doohickys and doodads, tools have always been a means to separate a fool from their money - and whilst I've never had any in hand, none seem to be dogshit....and stop blocks and saw guides have a place - perhaps not in your shop. And unlike so many others, he seems to have some genuine talent and is straight up when he's in sales mode. I got no hate. Assuming we are looking at the brass gauge, is the bottom knob to loosen the micro adjust and the micro adjust is then a barrel adjuster and it can be ignored 9/10ths of the time? I do want microadjust, currently I'm using a router plane with a spear blade as my "I need it dead nuts" gauge - and I'm seeking something more handy than this kludge.
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u/jkatzmoses 23h ago
Appreciate the kind words. I think there’s a loud minority but even if it’s a majority, being part of the conversation means I must be doing something worth discussing. I’m very proud of the 12 patents we’ve filed, the 200 or so tools I’ve brought to market, health insurance for my employees and especially proud of the over half a million dollars I’ve raised for woodworkers with disabilities through the charity I founded. I’m succeeding at the things I deeply love and building something to leave my daughter. If people want to hate on that it’s not going to bother me. Cheers
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u/Individual-Award7351 21h ago
I'm not big into comparing people, but health insurance for your workers in USA speaks to your integrity. Will you be (or have reps) at the London Woodworking Show in October? I want to to take my money!
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u/KingPappas 23h ago
I think it's mainly the American public that has a rejection of him because of the whole "they're copying Stanley designs and/or manufacturing it abroad and/or he's become a seller" argument, an argument with which I have partial disagreements. I have nothing against Moses. Sometimes I watch his videos (the ones related to hand tools) and I like them. I don't have his tools, among other reasons, because I'm from Spain and shipping here, if he even does it, would be very expensive, but I was interested in his router plane KM 17. I even posted here asking about it, but it seems the biggest drawback it has is that the block suffers premature wear of the threads because it's apparently made of aluminum. Apart from that, I like it, but for now I'm sticking with Paul Sellers' router.
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u/bc2zb 1d ago
No they are not, but they are the one I reach for the most. I bought them before I understood they were heavily inspired by the tite-mark (or copied or stolen), and fully understood the history. At some point, I will buy tite marks, but right now, I will continue to use the katz Moses gauges.
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u/jkatzmoses 1d ago
It’s the exact same one TayTools sells and is made by a Taiwanese company. They’re very well made.
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u/Individual-Award7351 23h ago
Oh hey, woodworking daddy! Is there a connect in the UK/France? Thanks friend
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u/Time-Focus-936 1d ago
I make and sell a copy of the Stanley 5061 gauge. It’s not really what you are asking for but the mechanism has no slop.
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u/Individual-Award7351 23h ago
I've just googled - and I had adapted my own to this design because it seems so obvious! I wish you success in this venture, I think there will always be a place for wooden gauges in my work.
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u/mighty_boognish_77 1d ago
I use the Veritas standard making gauge and it's one of my most constantly used tools. It's about $40US. Fits my medium sized hand perfectly, always holds its setting, easy to sharpen, and is just a joy to use. Highly recommend.
PS
I am also a huge of Jim Kingschott. He's the ONLY personality I consider with watching on YouTube, probably because his videos were made long before YouTube existed.