Marking Tools for Woodworking

In this instructable you will see some Basic marking tools for woodworking. In carpentry and joinery practice some basic tools are used for marking and transferring a design or pattern to a work-piece, as the first step in the manufacturing process. It is performed in many industries or hobbies where the repetition works in initial setup is required.

Thus marking tools fulfill the necessity of requirement of those industries or hobbies, where the repetition works in initial setup is very much needed.

That's why I am showing a few basic marking tools that are often being used by woodworkers or craftsmen. I will also discuss the use and working of each tool in their respective sections. Such tools are,

• Try Square
  
• Miter Square
• Sliding T-Bevel Gauge
• Marking Gauge
• Center Line Finder
• Speed Square

I have only used wood for making this tools and very few other materials like nuts, nails or pvc for the supports work.

Let's see the making.

Here are few Tools and Materials that I used for making all of these marking tools are listed below,

TOOLS

• Hacksaw
• Sandpaper (or sanding board)
• Protector
• Angle
• Compass
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Clamp
• Screw Nut and Bolt (M2x20 & M4x15)
• Nail
• Drill Machine and Bits (6.5mm, 1.5mm, 2mm)
• Rotary Tool

MATERIALS

• Wooden Beads
• Bamboo Stick
• PVC
• Wood Glue
• Super Glue
• Varnish (coating agent)

A try square is a tool used for marking and checking 90° angles on pieces of wood. Though woodworkers use many different types of square, the try square is considered one of the essential tools for woodworking.

The square in the name refers to the 90° angle. To try a piece of wood is to check if the edges and faces are straight, flat, and square to one another. A try square is so called because it is used to try how square the work piece is.

Making

Here I took some gamari wood pieces and cut on a specific sizes for both the blade and stock parts to form the L-shape and made ready to glue them together.

Next, I glued the cut pieces of the stock using some regular wood glue and clamped it for drying overnight.

Next morning, I removed the clamp and again glued the blade that I already prepared to the stock gap and clamped it to dry again.

After fully drying, I sanded the wood parts and checked with protector or any instrument to have absolute 90 degree from both inner and outer sides.

Lastly, I applied a coating of Varnish to get a tint look and save the wood in long run.

A try square is made of two key parts, the blade (also known as a beam or tongue) and the stock, which are fixed together at 90° to form an 'L' shape.

Often the top of the stock will not cover the full width of the blade so the stock does not get in the way when making a mark. Try squares are typically 3 to 24 inches (76 to 610 mm) long.

Application

The stock is usually held against the edge of the work-piece and either side of the tongue is then used as a straight edge for making a mark, or as a reference to check the accuracy of an angle.

When checking if an angle is square, the woodworker will test the work-piece in multiple places or will pun the square along the length of the work-piece.

A miter square or mitre square is a hand tool used in woodworking and metalworking for marking and checking angles other than 90°. Most miter squares are for marking and checking 45° angles and its supplementary angle, 135°.

A miter is a bevelled edge – usually 45° – used, for example, for making miter joints for woodworking. Squares are tools designed for marking and checking specific fixed angles, usually 90° or 45°, though most squares are exclusively for working with 90° angles.

Making

Again I took same wood pieces and cut specific lengths for both the blade and stock parts to form the shape and made ready to glue them together.

Next, I glued the 45 degree angled stock pieces using some regular wood glue and again clamped it for drying overnight.

Next morning, I removed the clamp from stock piece and again glued the blade that I already prepared in the stock gap and clamped it to dry again.

After fully drying, I sanded the wood parts and checked with protector or any instrument to have absolute 45 degree and 135 degree.

Lastly, I applied a coating of Varnish to get a tint look and save the wood in long run.

As with 90° squares, there are many different types of miter square. Miter squares are also made from two fixed parts, a stock and a blade.

Modern factory-made miter square has a thin piece of metal blade which is fixed at 45° angle forming a 'T' shape. The stock is usually much thicker than the blade and is made from wood, metal or plastic.

Until the development of factory-made squares in the 18th century miter squares were made entirely from wood, though some woodworkers still make themselves wooden miter squares.

A sliding T bevel, also known as a bevel gauge or false square is an adjustable gauge for setting and transferring angles. Different from the square, which is fixed and can only set a 90° or 45° angle, the sliding T bevel can set any angle and transfer it on another piece.

Making

Here also, I cut my wood pieces for both the blade and stock parts to form the slider and made ready to glue them together. I again, cut a slot in the middle of the blade piece in order to have a sliding position.

Then, I sanded the blade piece and made it smooth.

Next, I glued the cut pieces of the stock using some regular wood glue and clamped it for drying overnight.

After dried, I drilled a hole at the open end so that the knob can be inserted.

Then, at the opposite side I carved a hole and fixed the Nut inside it with some super glue. Now the Tightening screw will attach firmly.

Then, I sanded the stock piece and made it smooth.

Here, I made the Tightening screw with two pieces of wood and one piece of PVC. I cut round pieces of them and carved the bolt gap.

Then I fixed a 4mm Bolt screw into it and glued all the pieces together. Then I kept it for drying again.

Then, I sanded the knob and made it smooth.

After that, I again applied Varnish as coating agent to all the Bevel gauge pieces and assembled them together.

The bevel gauge is composed of two elements connected with a thumbscrew or wing nut, which allows the blade to pivot and be locked at any angle.

The handle is usually made of wood or plastic and the blade of wood or metal. The bevel can be used to duplicate an existing angle, or set to a desired angle by using it with any number of other measuring tools (such as a protractor, or framing square).

A marking gauge, also known as a scratch gauge, is used in woodworking and metalworking to mark out lines for cutting or other operations. The purpose of the gauge is to scribe a line parallel to a reference edge or surface. It is used in joinery and sheet-metal operations.

The gauge consists of a beam, a head-stock, and a scribing or marking implement, typically a pin, knife, pen or wheel. The head-stock slides along the beam, and is locked in place by various means, a locking screw, cam lever, or a wedge. The marking implement is fixed to one end of the beam.

Making

Here, I took a wooden bar (generally used in windows) to make the main stem. I cut my wood piece and sanded it made a rectangle shape or you can directly take a rectangle piece and made a hole at one end for inserting the spur (marking pin).

Here, I cut three wood pieces for the Fence and glued them together.

After drying I carved out a rectangle hole in the middle, with some carving tool, in order to insert the stem through it.

Then, I drilled another hole from the top, so that the Thumb screw can be inserted here.

Here, I made the Spur (marking pin). For this I cut a small round piece of wood and fixed a nail in it.

Next, I took two small pieces of wood and a M2x20mm screw. Then I drilled and inserted the screw into one piece of it and glued the other piece together.

After drying the glue I put the thumb screw in the rotary tool and sanded it to made it round.

Now, all the marking gauge piece are ready. So I applied some Varnish again as a coating agent and assembled all the pieces together.

Some marking gauges have the capability to allow a number of implements to be fitted. A steel pin is used when scribing with the grain. A steel knife is used when scribing across the grain. The pen or pencil is used when the woodworker does not wish the surface to be marred. It is also used to mark parallel lines to the face side and edge side.

Variations

The gauge which uses a knife is often described as a Cutting gauge. It is used to slightly "mark" the wood surface before a cut to prevent tear out later when doing the main cut.

Sometimes a longer beam is used with larger headstock for scribing lines that are further from the reference edge called a Panel gauge.

Again, many times a gauge has two pins that can be adjusted relative to each other at the end of the beam. This gauge is used to scribe two lines simultaneously and is most commonly used to lay out mortise and tenon joinery is called a Mortise gauge.

A center line finder is a very useful tools for woodworkers to get the exact center line of the work-piece, either its a block, a wooden bar or any side surface.

The size of the jig varies according to need. The jig will work till 6cm wide. A larger jig can be made in order to mark center lines on wider wood pieces.

Making

Here, I cut a 3 inch wood piece for the making. I drilled a hole in the center for making the position so that later on we can insert the marker.

For the marker, you can use a pin, but here I used the tip of a pencil. I cut a small part from the pencil and took out the lead piece and sharpened the tip.

Next, I used a bamboo stick of 8mm diameter and cut two pieces 2cm long. Then I sanded them and made them ready to glue together.

Then, I glued the axis rods and to the plate. Also I inserted the marker tip in the center hole and our tool is now completed.

With this jig, you no longer have to guess to get an accurate center line on your instrument. The tool is constructed such a way that the jig centers itself automatically.

We just need to hold the two axis rods to the edges of the work-piece, this ensures that the jig stays in place during your work. Now, a gentle push will continue to mark out the center line so easily.

A speed square, also called a rafter square, rafter angle square, and triangle square, is a multi-purpose triangular carpenters' tool use for marking out. Its functions include many of those of a combination square, try square, and framing square. Carpenters use it to make basic measurements and mark lines on dimensional lumber.

Speed squares are manufactured from a variety of materials such as aluminum, steel, and composites such as HDPE. They are also made in several sizes from 7 inch to 12 inches.

Making

Here again, I took same wood bars and cut out several pieces for the making. Then I cut the ends in according angles to form the rafter angles.

Also, I cut a wood bar in the middle length to have a T-edge joint.

Next, I fixed and glued all the triangle side pieces together and glued them using wood glue and some super glue.

Also I added a small bar in the middle to have some strength in it. Lastly I glued the T-edge joint in the bottom.

After the glue is dried, I sanded the wood pieces and made it smooth. Then, finally I applied some Varnish again to enhance the look.

Now, our speed square or rafter angle is ready to use.

Normal speed squares measure 90 degree and 45 degree, but this is a modified square, it measures 60 degree and 45 degree instead.

It's basic uses are marking common, hip, valley and hip, or valley jack rafters, laying out stair stringers, determining and marking angles, and making square cuts on boards.

Common lines made using a speed square include perpendicular cut marks and angles for roofs, stairways, and decks.

Now, we have finished making all the marking tools for woodworking and they all are ready to use. Though I have not covered all the marking tools here, there are more easy and useful tools out there for woodworking.

Therefore, I will try to make some other useful marking tools in the future instructables.

Hope this instructable was simple enough to understand all the making steps. If you found any difficulty please leave a comment below, I will be very much happy to help you out.

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