What does this thing do?

This topic has 20 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 10 March 2021 at 12:53 by Dalboy.

Viewing 21 posts - 1 through 21 (of 21 total)

Author

Posts
9 March 2021 at 17:14 #532805
Rik Shaw
Participant
@rikshaw
I have had this for so long I've forgotten what its purpose is. Any one……..?

Rik

Its 2" x 1.5"

Edited By Rik Shaw on 09/03/2021 17:16:50
Advert

9 March 2021 at 17:14 #20194
Rik Shaw
Participant
@rikshaw
…..gauge?
9 March 2021 at 17:20 #532809
Tony Pratt 1
Participant
@tonypratt1
Don't know it's purpose but judging by the scribed lines a hand made 'thing' ?

Tony
9 March 2021 at 17:21 #532810
bernard towers
Participant
@bernardtowers37738
Looks like a woodworkers dovetail jig
9 March 2021 at 18:21 #532822
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
Posted by bernard towers on 09/03/2021 17:21:52:

Looks like a woodworkers dovetail jig
9 March 2021 at 20:02 #532838
Robert Butler
Participant
@robertbutler92161
If it is a dovetail jig it can only be used for marking out, who would risk fine dovetail saws or chisels using it as a guide for cutting the joint?

Robert Butler
9 March 2021 at 20:12 #532839
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
That's why they are usually called dovetail marking gauges rather than jigs.
9 March 2021 at 20:29 #532841
MichaelR
Participant
@michaelr
I don't think it is anything to do with marking out dovetails, in the days before machine cut dovetails a joiner would use a template for marking out

made from a piece of thin metal as above drawing or use a sliding bevel to mark out, and what is the vee notch for?

Michael

Edited By MichaelR on 09/03/2021 20:30:49

Edited By MichaelR on 09/03/2021 20:31:58
9 March 2021 at 20:37 #532842
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
You can get ones that you mark on the inside of as well as ones like you show that use the outside edge

Vee notch is for when you mark out the ctr spacings so just line up notch with mark and you get your DT placed equally either side.

Edited By JasonB on 09/03/2021 20:39:49
9 March 2021 at 20:44 #532843
MichaelR
Participant
@michaelr
Jason, I stand to be corrected, not seen that type before.

Michael.
9 March 2021 at 20:57 #532846
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
This brought back an ancient memory … I engraved the dovetail angles for hard and soft woods onto my plastic 60° set-square, to save me some drawing time in the ‘O Level’ Woodwork exam.

MichaelG.
9 March 2021 at 21:27 #532849
Robert Butler
Participant
@robertbutler92161
It must also be noted the joints were marked out with a "marking knife" – never pencil although the marked lines could be highlighted with pencil and the waste also marked with pencil.

Robert Butler
9 March 2021 at 22:04 #532852
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
Posted by Robert Butler on 09/03/2021 21:27:47:

.

It must also be noted the joints were marked out with a "marking knife" –

.

… and of course, Rik’s device might require the use of both left and right hand ‘marking knives’ to allow each cut to start in in the corner.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 09/03/2021 22:05:43
9 March 2021 at 22:08 #532854
Robert Butler
Participant
@robertbutler92161
Or reverse the the direction of application of the knife which is only sharpened on one edge.

Robert Butler
9 March 2021 at 22:17 #532859
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
Posted by Robert Butler on 09/03/2021 22:08:40:

Or reverse the the direction of application of the knife which is only sharpened on one edge.

Robert Butler

.

That was my point, Robert … reversing the direction would risk damaging the knife by contact with the internal corner.

MichaelG.
10 March 2021 at 07:03 #532891
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
Or use a spear/vee point marking knife which has a double edge.

Myself it's a scapel for fine work and Stanly knife for more run of the mill work just tilting the blade one way or the other to get the bevel close to the edge, hardly ever use my Japanese marking knives.
10 March 2021 at 08:31 #532902
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
Posted by JasonB on 10/03/2021 07:03:50:

Or use a spear/vee point marking knife which has a double edge.

Myself it's a scapel for fine work and Stanly knife for more run of the mill work just tilting the blade one way or the other to get the bevel close to the edge, hardly ever use my Japanese marking knives.

.

… That would be even more at risk of being damaged

… and I had already presumed that Robert was a purist; so would be using a traditional one-sided marking knife. [which he subsequently confirmed]

MichaelG.

.

Edit: something in this style

https://www.axminstertools.com/crown-112-marking-knife-ax21839

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 10/03/2021 08:39:55
10 March 2021 at 11:05 #532948
Rik Shaw
Participant
@rikshaw
So its a dovetail marking jig. Thanks for all the replies. Not surprised I was clueless – "brown" stuff does not float my boat!

Rik
10 March 2021 at 11:22 #532954
Robert Butler
Participant
@robertbutler92161
Gentlemen to shatter a possible illusion, I remember well my woodworking lessons over 50 years ago now. Regrettably not much time for woodwork now. Dovetail squares (now there's a contradiction in terms) permit striking out using a proper marking knife with the unsharpend edge of the blade resting against the square thereby preventing wavy lines.

Robert Butler
10 March 2021 at 11:48 #532965
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
Robert,

So far as I can tell, my only illusion was that I thought you must be currently an enthusiast woodworker.

Your description, of the proper knife and its use, is exemplary.

My comment about needing two knives related specifically to their proper use in Rik’s device.

MichaelG.
10 March 2021 at 12:53 #532985
Dalboy
Participant
@dalboy
My marking out knife is a similar design to the one Jason shows which means one knife can do both sides. I have yet not had any damage to it when marking out dovetails or any other work.(Except when I dropped it on the floor and blade hit first as it always does).

Also worth noting is that the gauges that Jason shows have different angles either end so care is needed to use the same end for both left and right marking out. The one where there is an internal dovetail is also different angle to the outer angle
Author

Posts