What are the parts of a cutting gauge?
What are the parts of a cutting gauge? |
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Cutting gauge knife tip |
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The cutting gauge uses a knife instead of a pin to mark wood. This allows it to make a deeper marking, meaning it can be used against the wood grain. One side of the knife will have a bevel (a sloping edge) to make the knife point, this should face the fence so that it is waste side of the work piece (the side of the wood that will be cut off).
By using a knife it can also cut through thin veneers. It is important that the knife tip is kept sharp to make an accurate marking. |
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Cutting gauge knife wedge |
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The cutting gauge’s knife is held in place with a wedge, this also allows it to be removed or replaced if it becomes dull. A dull blade will not mark the workpiece as accurately as a sharp blade, because it will leave a much wider line. | |||
Cutting gauge fence |
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The fence of a cutting gauge is used to hold a measurement. It can be moved along the gauge’s stem and secured in place using the thumb screw.
The fence has large enough that it butts up against the edge of a workpiece to easily make a measurement. It has two brass panels down the front to protect both the tool and workpiece from scratching each other. |
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Cutting gauge stem |
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The stem of a cutting gauge is its main body – it holds the knife and the fence. Larger cutting gauges have longer stems to allow them to work over larger work surfaces. | |||
Cutting gauge thumb screw |
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The thumb screw is situated on the fence, sometimes on the top or side. Once the fence has been moved into position, the thumb screw is turned clockwise to fix the fence in place and stop it moving. To release the fence, the thumb screw is turned anti-clockwise. | |||
