Combination Mortise Gauges by Joseph Marples

You can scribe thin, precise lines with Combination Gauges made by Joseph Marples, a venerable Sheffield toolmaker. The combination gauge combines a single pin marking gauge with an adjustable dual-pin mortise gauge. Marples calls them "screwslide mortise & marking gauges," sometimes spelling mortise "mortice," for extra British points.

Combo-Gauges mark accurately, but without need for numerical measurement. As an example, our preferred method for marking out a mortise is to set the width of the gauge using the following formula: mortise chisel width plus a bit of wiggle room to pare the sides after wasting. Keep the gauge at the same setting while laying out the tenon, and the layout will match identically without ever needing to "measure." We find it useful to own more than one gauge, so they can be set, and left alone until layout is complete.

We carry a few different styles of Marples Combination Gauge, some in very limited quantities.

The plated screw adjustment (“screwslide”) version is available in Rosewood and Walnut.

Marples suspended using Rosewood for years but has now identified a plantation source for this strikingly beautiful wood. Both versions feature a solid brass adjustment and plated fence. The screw adjustment for the second pin is handy because it prevents the pin from moving while setting the fence. Stem Measures: 6" (7 1/2" including screw adjust) x 3/4" x 3/4" , Fence Measures: 2 1/2" W x 2 1/8" H x 1".

We carry two Beech Slide adjustable gauges, both with plastic locking screws.

They both have sliding adjustment, but the fancier one has a brass plated fence. The plated beech gauge is a nice second gauge to the rosewood model. If you (like us) leave your gauges set throughout a project, the difference in color between the rosewood and the beech make it obvious at a glance which gauge is which. Stem Measures: 7 1/2" L x 3/4" x 3/4" , Fence Measures: 2 1/8" W x 2" H x 1".

Joseph Marples Combo-Gauges are made in Sheffield England - just as they have been since 1840. Joseph Marples is a family owned business, currently run by Joseph (Tony) Marples. Tony is the 6th generation Joseph to have run the business. Tools for Working Wood has carried Marples measuring and layout tools for years, and the value they provide for the price, make them a popular choice for layout tools. The company’s no-nonsense gauges deliver the solid feel and value that made Sheffield famous.