# homemade gap gauge



## Elden Cozort (Oct 30, 2018)

Lots of woodworking ads have been coming my way lately, I don't know if this is because I am "stuck at home" and just noticing them or what. Anyway, my facebook account keeps showing this gap gauge and I wondered if it was something I would use or not.

Rather than purchasing it I just decided to make one myself. If I find that I indeed use it, I'll probably make another one that is longer. This one ended up pretty short, but we'll see.

I won't bore you with the details of the build but rather just post a couple of pictures. If anyone wants more information about the build let me know and I'll be happy to share.


----------



## ducbsa (Jul 6, 2014)

Can you show it in position, being used?


----------



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

I do not understand what it is. A gap gauge in my experience is usually something thin. Like the gauges to measure spark plug gap.


George


----------



## gmercer_48083 (Apr 9, 2016)

Commonly called a "Kerf maker". Very useful for making an exact fit dado without using a dado blade.


----------



## gmercer_48083 (Apr 9, 2016)

ducbsa, https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Kerfmaker+Plans&&view=detail&mid=287B6300B66077297E1A287B6300B66077297E1A&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DKerfmaker%2BPlans%26FORM%3DVRBPRS%26%3D0


----------



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Now that explains it.


George


----------



## Elden Cozort (Oct 30, 2018)

ducbsa, I don't know if these pictures will help much, but it is sort of wide "non-digital caliper. When I first saw this device I thought about making a dado to fit a pre-existing piece, so (in the first picture) I am measuring a piece of wood, then in the second picture, I am setting up a dado stack and in the third picture I am measuring the dado stack and it is the same width as the stick. Therefore, I should be able to install this stack on my table saw and cut a dado that the stick will fit into. In theory, anyway. 

In the fourth picture, I am using the fingers of the device to measure the width of a pre-existing slot, in like manner I can transfer this measurement to the dado stack.

I have been racking my brain to see if I can think of another use for it but I haven't been able to yet. Here is a link to the first advertisement I saw for it. This was a 2017 ad that I got in my email about a month ago. It is no longer available from them but I've see other ads. https://www.woodcraft.com/products/onetime-tool-gap-gauge-set


----------



## Elden Cozort (Oct 30, 2018)

gmercer,

I like the idea of the kerf maker. Especially for those times when I have a flat top blade installed and I need to make a quick dado and don't want to take the time to install a dado stack.

This device is designed so that as the top part slides the distance from the outside of the "teeth" is the same as the slot opening. So it is not actually used in the cutting process but rather is used to measure.

I had not seen the kerf maker before but from watching the video, it is probably a more useful tool.


----------

