The gage shown here is one of the home-made variety, that will work outside the limitations of the average store kind. It is easily and cheaply made, and will prove one of the most useful tools in the workshop.

Fig. 113 - Side and plan views of the handy man's gage.

The body is of cast iron, 4 inches high and 2 1/2. inches along the base at the sides. The base is 1/4 inch thick, and the sides 3 16 inch, and both sides and base are machined, so that they are square with each other; the body thus forms a handy squaring tool in itself. The scribers are 6 inches long, and are secured in position by passing them through split washers clamped together with a milled nut, as shown in the detail view. The hole at the bottom of the slots facilitates the removal of the scribers.

Fig. 114 - Various uses of the gage.

It will be seen by looking at Fig. 114 that the scope of this gage is wider than most of those of the so-called universal type. It can be used as either a height or depth gage, giving two measurements in each case, or for height and depth at the same time. It is also an adjustable mortise gage, and can be used as a pair of dividers, as inside or outside calipers, and for a hundred other purposes that will readily suggest themselves to workers in wood and metal.