Marking Gauge

One common form of construction of this tool is a sliding block of beech, fitted tightly on a parallel bar of the same material and provided with a screw of boxwood, let into the side of the former, so that it can be readily pinched on to the latter, to fix them in any desired position. At one end of the bar, a sharp steel pin is passed through for the purpose of marking the wood to be gauged. This tool is employed for gauging wood to any desired size, such as, for example, width or thickness of a rectangular block, preparatory to planing down to the required dimensions.

Mortise Gauge

The mortise gauge is very much like the marking gauge, the chief difference lying in its being supplied with two marking pins instead of one. The block and bar are made of rosewood, and the screw of steel. One of the pins can be moved along the bar by means of a screw and slide, so that the marking pins may be set at any desired distance apart. This gauge is used for making two marks at one time, necessary as in the case of the mortise and tenon joint.

Paring Chisels

These are divided into two classes, namely, firmer chisels and bevel-edged chisels. Firmer chisels are of rectangular section, while the others, as their name indicates, have their edges bevelled away at an angle, making them more suitable for some kinds of work, as also lighter to use. They are made entirely of cast steel, the cutting edges being at one end and a tapered tang at the other. The cutting edge is formed by grinding at the angle of 200 and setting on the oilstone at an angle of about 300. This is done on one side only, the tool being left quite flat on the other, just as in the plane irons, and unlike the axe, which is sharpened equally from both sides. A hardwood handle is driven on to the tang. Chisels vary in width from 1/16 in. to 2 in. and upwards, and are employed to form flat surfaces, on many of which the planes could not be applied.

Socket Chisels

For heavier work this chisel is more suitable than the firmer chisel, and instead of the handle being driven on to a tang, it is fitted into a socket. They are also known as mortise chisels because much of the work done by them is of the nature of mortising. The most of their work being heavy, a hammer or mallet is necessary to drive them into the wood, the mallet being the better of the two for this purpose.

Gouges

Gouges are very much like firmer chisels, only they have a curved form of section. They are of two kinds, namely, firmer gouges, which are ground on the outside of the curvature, and incanneled gouges, ground on the inside. This is to allow of a greater variety of work being done by them. They are to be had from 1/8 in. upwards. The general remarks on firmer chisels apply here, except that in sharpening the concave surface, a slip of oilstone with a suitably curved edge has to be used, the oilstone itself being employed for the outside.