Engineering:Mortise gauge

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Short description: Woodworking tool for scribing mortise and tenon joints
Mortise gauge
Gramil.jpg
Hardwood mortise gauge with brass fittings
Other namesMortice gauge[1]
ClassificationWoodworking marking tool

A mortise gauge or mortice gauge is a woodworking tool used by a carpenter or joiner to scribe mortise and tenon joints on wood prior to cutting. Mortise gauges are commonly made of hardwood with brass fittings.[2][3]

Like the simpler marking gauge, a mortise gauge has a locking thumb screw slide for adjusting the distance of the scribe from the edge of the wood. It has two protruding pins, often called "spurs",[3] which are designed to scribe parallel lines marking both sides of a mortise at the same time.[4] One of the pins is adjustable, attached to a sliding fence,[5] so that mortises of different widths can be marked.[2]

Some mortise gauges are designed with one retractable spur, so that they can be used as marking gauges as well;[6] however, because the mortise gauge is an expensive and high precision tool, many carpenters prefer to have a separate marking gauge for general use.[5]

For complex joints, some mortise gauges have a double-beam design which allows the gauge to be wrapped around a tool such as a chisel for extra accuracy.[7]

References