# Marking gauges



## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

What is best the brass circulat or the traditional wood with brass inserts or is it a matter of preference?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*the circular wheels are best*

But a sharp knife works well rather than a point which can catch in cross grain or follow off course in long grain.


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

I prefer the wheel type also. Pin type is harder to use.


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

I'm not convinced either one is better. I have two gauges:
1) A Veritas regular wheel gauge, which is great for cutting with or across the grain. It's quite nice, and I use it a lot.
2) A Harbor Freight traditional pin gauge, which is good across the grain and usually acceptable with the grain. It's kind of junky, but I use it almost as much as the Veritas, mainly because it's easier to keep track of on a cluttered bench.

The main thing to remember with a pin gauge (any gauge, really, but it matters more with the pin type) is to not push too hard. If you just skate it over the top it's less likely to follow the grain, in my experience. If you're only going to get one, I'd probably say buy a wheel-type gauge: the Veritas one is is well made and not too pricey. But I also recommend trying both; I've talked to people on each side who say the kind they use is the only one that works for them.


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## bladeburner (Jun 8, 2013)

I received a Veritas wheel gauge about 2 years ago, and could not even guess where my 35 year old rosewood, self-made pin gauge is today!


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

amckenzie4 said:


> I'm not convinced either one is better. I have two gauges:
> 1) A Veritas regular wheel gauge, which is great for cutting with or across the grain. It's quite nice, and I use it a lot.
> 2) A Harbor Freight traditional pin gauge, which is good across the grain and usually acceptable with the grain. It's kind of junky, but I use it almost as much as the Veritas, mainly because it's easier to keep track of on a cluttered bench.
> 
> The main thing to remember with a pin gauge (any gauge, really, but it matters more with the pin type) is to not push too hard. If you just skate it over the top it's less likely to follow the grain, in my experience. If you're only going to get one, I'd probably say buy a wheel-type gauge: the Veritas one is is well made and not too pricey. But I also recommend trying both; I've talked to people on each side who say the kind they use is the only one that works for them.


I ordered a Veritas wheel gauge. But the rosewood ones are sooooo beautiful.


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

landman said:


> I ordered a Veritas wheel gauge. But the rosewood ones are sooooo beautiful.


Aren't they? I think you'll like the wheel gauge, but I encourage you again to try one of the old style. You can even make your own if you want: it's not hard, apparently. I haven't tried it, though it's on my list of projects to try sooner or later.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

They really aren't that tough to make, below is a picture of the one I made for the marking gauge swap we had a few months back.


Wheel gauges are more user friendly, after that it's a toss up between a knife gauge then a pin gauge.

The important thing when using a pin gage is to let the pin trail, ie hold the gauge at an angle when pulling it toward you with the pin pointed slightly away from you. It also helps TREMENDOUSLY if you grind a bit of a knife edge on the pin. 

With knife and pin gauge the flat side of the knife/pin should face away from the fence of the gauge - this causes the pin to want to pull against the fence making it less likely to wander around with the grain.


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## Keith Mathewson (Sep 23, 2010)

I've found the wheel with the recessed screw to be a much better tool, particularly for doing dovetails.


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