Gauge

Description

Nicely made gauge, possibly for cutting or scribing parallel lines. Two birch stiles are mortised into a birch rail (at either end) and pinned in place by two pegs through each joint. The stiles are relieved in thickness 4 1/4" from rail and another birch rail mortised for these 1/4" thick stile ends slides over the relieved section, which are scribed and numbered, 1/4" resolution, inch marks labelled. Iron or steel pins are driven through the unrelieved rail sections to secure the gauge on whatever is being cut or scribed, and iron plates are set into the undersides of the rails, each held by five flat-head wood screws so that their outer edges are slightly proud of the rail edges. A strip of birch veneer is tacked to the top edge of the movable rail, purpose unknown.