Woodworking Marking Gauges - Selection and Use

[@robbie6625]

Hey Rob, I'm a recent convert to hand tool woodworking. I find that it really helps me with relaxing, especially when my PTSD "flares up". I find it to be almost meditative. I'm excited for the day when this COVID lockdown is over and I can apply to come to one of your classes (I'd love to get one of the scholarships, but I would love to come up there regardless [ I'm a USMC vet and live in Missouri, so the travel restrictions definitely won't allow that travel right now]).

[@robbie6625]

@Chase Kylen scammer!

[@robbie6625]

@Nasir Matteo scammer!

[@stevebosun7410]

Hi Rob, the pin style marking gauge has been used for years and years for building some of the worlds finest furniture, so it can't be that bad, and a little unfair to trash it the way you did. Yes, the wheel gauge will produce a better line, that's progress for you. Pull it a little slower, lean the point over a bit and make sure the point is sharp. Having said that, I find the pin gauge much more difficult to control with the grain, as it's more inclined to track the grain.

[@jwd888]

as a beginner to woodworlk rather late in life, i feel i've so much to learn.(edit) but in finding rob and his channel, i think ive found the best place to do just that...

[@pookiefromtheheights1109]

Accurately transferring a cut line is an extremely underrated feature and skill to achieve. Quality tools can really change the level of the craftsmanship

[@stevelloyd897]

Dammit Rob! Every time I watch one of these things I wind up lusting after new tools. I love the mortise attachment for your marking gauge. I’ve been using the LV dual rod and I find it really easy to knock out of whack. This just seems to make more sense.

[@pbs1516]

A trick from Paul Sellers for stopped lines with pin gauges: start by pushing the pin in the spot where you want to stop, then put it at the beginning and scribe your line. The pin will catch on the dimple you did and stop exactly where you want it to. Additionally, don't use the pin at 90°, "drag" it by leaning it backwards.

[@garyhome7101]

Great demo! Thanks! In using a square and knife to mark lines, I discovered that if the sides of the work piece aren't perfectly parallel and square to the end of the board, the line will never be true. I found this out the hard way when I first started making dovetails, and could never get the layout to be as precise as It needed to be.

[@wjjpearson]

I was getting so frustrated with a pin gauge. Bought the woodriver marking gauge and - wow - what a difference. Love it!

[@sivisbellum1480]

Thank you! So many things explained that I did not realize I was doing wrong. I had not found a marking gauge I liked yet, but now I know I need to flatten the brass guard on mine. I appreciate you sharing this information.

[@tidalwavestudio]

Using just knife and square will meet perfectly, if you register your square to two registration faces only :) Rob went around, registering to all four sides of the board, which will most probably not line up if the board is not 100% parallel all the way around

[@kentboys5017]

Great video and explanation of marking gauges. As always precision is amazing and you have the absolute best information. You are a Master! Thank you for what you do! 👍🏻

[@mohameddocrat4393]

Great topic and excellent presentation of the options with pros and cons. Thanks

[@jonwatson9765]

Square and knife cut: if the two sides are not perfectly parallel then by setting the square, as shown, on opposite sides when marking the two faces, the result will be, as shown, that the final mark will not meet. I was taught to choose one side only as square for both faces. That way the final knife cut will match the original. I'm sure Rob knows this but did it this way for a reason. Why?

[@billmellon3517]

As always Rob nice review of the choices a woodworker has for critically marking. Over the 60 plus years of woodworking I’ve come also to the same conclusions, the wheel marking gauge can be the most accurate, although I still use a knife and square. All the best. Bill Mellon, CROSS PLAINS, WI, USA

[@richardgoebel226]

Once again you have made things a bit easier and simpler for the beginner or novice woodworker. As noted in the comments the square and knife method is useful. But the woodworkers using that method are experienced, and have more than just a a few hours under their belt in the wood shop.

[@danielbraca6180]

Great video, as usual! I have been eyeing your marking gauges and will purchase one some day, hopefully soon. I have a couple good ones, Veritas and Titemark, but your tools are a step above all others, in my opinion. Well worth the investment and I like the accessories you have available for the marking gauge as well.

[@mxfxdlg]

You got me on this one. Great video. I learned a lot. New subscriber.

[@fcschoenthal]

I've used a marking gauge to find the exact middle of a board by referencing from both sides until the line meets in the middle. - Chris

[@CafeenMan]

This is an old method to find the center of just about anything. Use anything that can give a consistent length from an edge and use it to approximate the center. It doesn't matter if it stops short of center or goes past center. Just do it from both edges and the actual center will be exactly the center between both lines. Of course if you get it on dead center like you've said then you're set. Usually if you're close with the two lines you can just eyeball the center and be within a couple thousandths of precision.

[@danielgeng2306]

Thanks Rob, great tips as always...

[@psiclops521]

Because the wheeled cutter is held in place with a screw, I had problems in the past pushing the gauge away from me because the screw would come loose and the cutter would wobble. That's why I recommend pulling the cutter or, at the least, making sure you are moving it so as to tighten the screw rather than loosen it.

[@OBryanWoodWorks]

Disagree with the knife and square. You have to use a reference edge and face with the square. Paul seller used this method and it works perfectly.

[@MUJT3BA]

Agreed. The problem looks to come especially from referencing off the back face. Unless the stock is absolutely perfect 4 square then no guarantee it'll line up

[@paulotter9687]

Hey Rob, great video. I think I will switch over to one of your style. Why not create a large flat piece that fits your wheel version so you can use it for panels as well.

[@hassanal-mosawi4235]

Thanks for sharing the tips!

[@nickb4108]

Rob, do you have any videos on sharpening the cutter heads?

[@Pauken11]

There is one where he sharpens the cutter on the diamond plate, flat face down. Remove the cutter and move it around on the plate and holding it with your fingers, rotating it periodically so you don’t skew the face.

[@andrewjohnlozicajr66]

Have you ever tried the JessEm Wood Sabre marking guage...? I bought one and really like it...

[@mikeincinci]

Quiet competence, thy name is Rob Cosman - I enjoy all the videos.

[@jaystang4042]

Rob, I would love to see a video on how you keep track of components in a project. I’m building a coffee table and each leg has 3 mortises on 2 sides. I’m near the end of the project but my mortises are so loose due to mixing up what tenon goes where! I can’t seem to find a good way to track what goes where. Help!

[@Roct3874]

I use a pencil or pen and mark the mortise and tenon on places that won't be seen after they are glued together and has been a pretty fool proof way for me to keep track.

[@jimfromri]

That’s not how I was taught to square a line around a board using a square, so I’m not surprised your knife lines didn’t meet at the end. Unless the board is milled perfectly four-square they won’t meet. I was taught that you only reference the square off the reference face and the reference edge. (That is, you go in two directions around the board.) The other advantage is that the end of the board doesn’t have to be squared on a shooting board first. I do agree however that shooting the end of the board and then using a wheeled marking gauge is likely more efficient for things like dovetails.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Trying to make it as achievable as possible for those starting out. Marking gauge is your best bet.

[@samehdarawshi3537]

Great video. thanks a lot

[@jelmo1057]

Rob, what do you use for a mortise marking gauge? There are duel knife mortise gauges, are there duel wheel mortise gauges and do you sell them?

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

We designed our own and yes we sell it. Under “gauges” on our site robCosman.com

[@jelmo1057]

Thanks, will be in touch.

[@frankhill9527]

Like always good stuff!

[@vanshankguitars]

Where can you buy new wheels for those gauges?

[@in2rock275]

I have an inexpensive ($20) WoodRiver wheel gauge. While very well made (to me) the screw protrudes from the end of the cutter wheel. When dropping the cutter wheel to the surface, this produces a line that is 1/16"-3/32" short of what it's actually supposed to be. Have you ever experienced this with a WoodRiver or any other gauge? There's ways to compensate, but you shouldn't have to.

[@CafeenMan]

I have a good wheel type marking gauge. "Good" meaning a good brand known for quality tools. It's very grabby and I don't like using it. I assumed the wheel was supposed to be tightened and that's how I used it. I tried loosening it and then tightening it just a tiny amount so that the wheel could turn and it was a lot easier to use. I know that's wrong but I'm not sure what to do about the grabbyness. Any ideas? The blade is very sharp, btw. Maybe it's too sharp?

[@garynelles]

I would tighten the cutter up and make several light passes rather than one heavy deep one. Wheeled marking gauges don’t tend to grab unless forced hard in my opinion.

[@CafeenMan]

@@garynelles Thanks. I'll give it another go and see what happens.

[@nateswoodcraft6715]

Is there a preferred brand of wheeled marking gauge?

[@Roct3874]

Veritas

[@stevebosun7410]

The Rob Cosman brand of course.

[@assessor6951]

I bought a Veritas wheel marker gauge and, unmodified, it rolled off the bench, bounced out of the open door, and landed blade side down on the concrete path. The blade snapped and, after buying an expensive replacement blade, I vandalized my expensive new tool by taking a file and filing a flat on one side of the brass plate. When I saw your, similar, gauge I thought that it was a manufacturer modification, then you said you filed it flat. Guess I'm not so thick after all.

[@J.A.Smith2397]

Always great info

[@laurencegoedar462]

Young man, that's not the way to use the knife and square method!

[@jimc4731]

Continue using the white mic. Scrap out the black mic. Good video. JIM

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Funny you should mention that, we’ve determined the same thing.

[@KevinOMalleyisonlysmallreally]

Rob, I love your work, but I'm shocked at the way use used the knife and square. *Reference faces*

[@rwind656]

Please explain for newcomers how to do this correctly. I do understand why the lines did not meet up.

[@mechaform]

@R Wind When using a square, you must first establish one reference face and one _adjacent_ reference edge on the board. The *body* of the square must be placed in contact with _only_ these references when striking lines along the *blade* of the square. Doing so will ensure that the lines meet up correctly. This method does not rely on the *end* of the board being square. In order for the marking gauge method to accurately scribe all around a board, the *end* of the board (which is used as the reference surface for the marking gauge’s fence) must be made *truly square* to both the faces and the edges of the board (usually with a shooting-plane). Rob’s method of stock preparation is optimised for him to use a wheeled marking gauge for speed and repeatability.

[@rwind656]

@@mechaform thanks for an explanation that gives me a principle to follow in other situations. This is all about precision measurement and marking; I am trying to transition from carpentry to woodworking, and these differences have already caused problems for me. Along with your help, the video will be helpful. I first bought an inexpensive wooden pin-type affair and it is impossible to use, as well as destroying the wood fibers as I try to mark. I should have studied up first; not sure if I'll trash it or try to improve it. So I just bought a wheeled marking gauge from i-gauging / chipsfly.com , and now I know how to examine it carefully before relying on it. ( I have hopes it's decent, because Stumpy Nubs recommended their precision blocks and at least one other tool. If not I can still return it for a better one. ) Do you have a recommendation for what to look for (not just a brand) in a marking knife? Thanks.

[@mechaform]

@@rwind656 Do not trash the pin gauge, it can be made to function well. Pin shape needs to look more like the needle used for 78 RPM records (ellipsoid) and the proper technique must be learned. My great-grandfather performed excellent work using only pin gauges. It may help to think of inexpensive tools as a “kit” of parts that you can freely modify and learn with. Some value-branded tools can work surprisingly well, but the quality level and accuracy variation between examples in any given batch can vary wildly. My preference for marking knives are the spear-point, single bevel style. These are available from many vendors, or you can readily make your own from a short length of high-carbon steel bar stock, a file, and some elbow-grease. This type gives me confidence that my lines are precisely where I expect them to be. Many, more talented woodworkers, prefer (and do stunning work with) different blade geometries, pocket knives, pencil lines, or disposable X-Acto blades. Whatever feels most comfortable to you _while giving repeatable results_ will be the best choice. Best of luck on your skill-building journey.

[@rwind656]

@@mechaform Thank you for taking the time to add to the instruction here. I had made one box that I was very proud of years ago, surprised now that it turned out so well... then have had some I am not happy with -- more than one cause. This skill is one I can work on.

[@w.spencerinteriorsbespokec5588]

The knife would have worked perfect if he had cut from his reference face and edge, I feel this video was done purely to push his gauges, Rob is one of the best hand woodworkers who would know not to mark from 4 different edges, his tools sell themselves, he didn't need to do that...

[@blckadder27]

Great content, but using the knife and ruler was like watching the infomercial guy failing at drinking milk. Use only 2 reference edges!

[@jonwatson9765]

Yes. That stood out a mile, so much so that I paused to comment then found I was not alone. As I ask in my comment, "Why?' He knows better. He could have used it to make the point about reference edges, and yes, one face for marking both sides, but he didn't. So was he just trying to dissuade us from using this method effectively in favour of gushes? I'm sure gauges will also have a problem if the end is not perfectly square and straight. Any uneven surface on the end and the marks on opposite faces will not match. Maybe not to badly on thin wood but on thick wood? I would rather rely on the use of a square then.

[@claibornecountytransparenc2705]

People mis understanding the edge of a pencil it's not because the pencil isn't correct look how small the marks are on the rule is the whole mark on the rule the measurement.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Does the mark on the rule change in size as you use it?

[@danthechippie4439]

I think the word rabbit is French for rebate

[@jeffbennett9279]

Show everybody how to mark a radius with two points. (I know you know how)

[@maclambert1149]

I think the new camera is a great visual improvement BUT the audio is awful. There is hardly any volume . Your videos using the previous camera outfit are still fine.. So it's not my laptop or my imagination. Sorry to be so negative but you need to know.

[@RobCosmanWoodworking]

Thanks Mac, we purchased a new set of mics with the camera, but they’re not panning out well. An additional replacement has been ordered.