March 2023 - www.woodhappiness.com

In the woodworking activity , if you want to be successful and create correct and beautiful woodworking projects , you should kmow of the measuring and marking tools you should propably have . No matter if carpentry is your hobby or your profession . No matter if you're an amateur or a master carpenter . The woodworking measuring tools are the tools that provide you the ability , to measure and transfer to other spots , distances and lengths of all types ( straight lines , curves , circles , arcs ) , correctly , accurately being "surgical" precise , before you start marking your wood . The woodworking marking tools are the tools , that let you create totally accurate , correct as initially planned and visible marks on your wooden surface , before you start making actions ( cuttings , drillings , joinery , shaping et.c ) on it . What are the 3 basic Types of measuring tools ? The 3 basic types of woodworking measuring tools with which you can measure the majority of lengths , are the folding / tape type meters for measure straight lines , the divider / compasses for curves and arcs , circles and the squares for measuring and checking 90o and 45o degrees . Having the above ones , you can do most of the woodworking actions you want to create a wide range of carpentry projects . You can measure : straight lines , curved lines - circles - arcs , distances between 2 spots , tranfer distances of all kinds and check for squareness in order your wood plans , be design wise correctly . Why the woodworking Measuring & Marking tools are so important in carpentry ? The woodworking measuring and marking tools together with the accurate visualization of our carpentry project in the 3 dimensions ( 3 -D ) , are the most important issues in the woodworking , with the measuring and marking tools being more important . In my personal opinion , of course . Why ? If we don't measure "surgically" and 100% correct according to our initial wood design , all the next woodworking actions - steps we'll make , they'll be incorrect , awry and wrong , leading us to a complete failure . The correct , precise and very "strict" measuring is the column of our woodworking plan , after the correct supply of the appropriate wood we need for the specific creation we want to do . If we measure incorrect , we'll mark incorrect and after that all our next moves with our hand or power wood machinery will be incorrect - wrong - inaccurate . It's like the base , the foundation of a house . If the foundation is awry and incorrect , all the above floors will be awry , incorrect and maybe with disastrous affect to the entire construction - house . No matter how nice and correct we have visualized our wood plan , no matter how good is our cuttings , our drills , our sanding , our carvings , our expensive woodworking machinery , et.c , if the measuring is wrong , our project will be a disaster , at the "end of the road" . Imagine a mortise and tenon joint , if we've measure and mark incorrect with our gauges and our joint isn't tight but badly loose . The joint will be a total failure . So the supply of the best possible measuring and marking tools , as the correct use of them , is a necessity for a woodworker . What is the complete List of the Woodwokring meauring & Marking tools , i should have ? 1) The Folding Ruler . This is maybe the cheapest tool you may have or buy . Its a traditional woodworking tool and you can measure straight lines ( not very long ones ) with very nice accuracy . Its material is wood and always check the metric number on it , to fit in your demands . Remember not all condinents use the same metric system . Some use , meters/cm , other use inches , and whatever else . If you choose to buy a vintage one , check the number on it , to be clear and visible . See my best ruler suggestions for you to get from the markets , in HERE . 2) The Tape meter . It's a very comfortable version of a meter . It's very portable ( you can have in your pockets ) and it can measure very accurate small lengths , long lengths( wood boards ) and have also a very big advantage . It can measure circles , arcs and in general curves very accurate , if you are precise and careful enough . 3) Metal Rules . When you don't want to "carry" with you the folding meter and the tape meter doesn't give comfort yo measure small basically distances , the metal rules are covering this gap , in here . They're small pieces of metal with the metric numbers on them and you can use them very efficiently when you measure more "delicate" and small lengths above your woodworking bench . 4) Digital metric meters . When you want to measure very long distances/lengths , maybe an entire log , a very long wooden board and you want also very big accuracy , there are digital metric rules in the markets you can use . They use lazer to count the distances and they give very accurate results . In big constructions ( log houses , wooden platforms , bridges , et.c ) , these metric systems are very useful . 5) Digital calipers . You use these tools to measure the thickness of a wood piece . You can find traditional/vintage ones , but if you want "surgical" metric accuracy( in joinery , et.c ) , prefer the digital ones . My best caliper suggestions for you to supply , in HERE . 6) Dividers - Compasses . The dividers are very basic measuring tools . You can measure extremely accurate distanses with them from the point A to point B , no matter what interferes between these two spots . A small object - obstacle , a wood gap , a wood bump , et.c . You can measure straight lines , straight lines that end to curve lines , curves , arcs , circles , diameter of circles , circle radii and whatever mixture you can imagine . See my best divider suggestions for youto buy , in HERE . If you have 2 spots , you can measure their distance , no matter what there is between them . Another colossal qualification of the dividers is that you can transfer curves and wood patterns from one area to another ones with 100% precision . A log curved wood pattern , can be transfered to another surface with easiness . 7) Trammel Points . When our divider is small and we want to measure curves , arcs in large and very large wood pieces , we choose to use the trammel points . My favorite protractors , trammel points , et.c suggestions for you to purchase , is HERE . 8) Marking pencils - Lead holders . After your correct measuring you'll need of course something to mark on your wood . Try to have the best possible pencil you can have and as many of them , because pencils are small , easy to get lost , et.c . The lead holders , together with the classic carpenter's pencil , will be just fine for all your needs . Precision and accuracy is the "name of the game" in here and some nice quality's , lead holders and pencils are a must . I've chosen some of the most classical pencils - lead holder to purchase , see more in HERE . 9) Marking Knives . For your wood joinery( and not only ) , you'll need some marking knives . They mark highly accurate , something you'll need for your joints . My top striking - marking knives suggestions for you to buy , in HERE . 10) Squares . The squares allow you to check the face and the edges of your boards , concerning the 90o wood squareness "law" . They're very important carpentry tools . Of course except the 90o checking , you can mark your wood( in 90o ) using the squares and then proceed to your cuttings , et.c . Check your verticality with my top square suggestions to buy and more , for you in HERE . 11) Combination Squares . Using these squares , you can not only check for 90o squareness but for the 45o degrees also . 12) Double Squares . They have a T shape and you can check the depth of your joinery , easily . 13) Try Squares . They are vintage type ones . 14) Framing Squares . They are big squares , letting you check big boards and big wood pieces for squareness , when the other ones cannot do . 15) T - Bevel Squares . These are sliding squares and you can "hold" and transfer angles easily ( making dovetails ) and not only . 16) Marking Gauges . We use the marking gauges , to mark very accurate reference lines from our wood board edge and other pieces using sharp pins . The gauges uses the edge as a stable refering and guiding spot , in order to mark inside the wood surface , across and totally parallel in all of its length . Tool Gauge (ca.1939) by Chris Makrenos. Original from The National Gallery of Art. Digitally enhanced by rawpixel. They're of course adjustable and we can mark lines in our wood board or whatever , as we want . I've picked some of the best scribing gauges for you to buy from stores , in HERE . 17) Mortise Gauges . These gauges are used to make - mark the "shoulder" of our mortise joint . They have two pins - whells - cutters , adjusted to where we want . 18) Wheel Marking Gauges . These ones , they use a sharp wheel( not a pin ) to mark the reference lines , we like in the wooden board . 19) Panel Gauges . These gauges are the largest gauge we can have and they used to mark - cut lines in big boards and usually when we want to rip a wooden board , in a length we like . 20) Cutter Gauges . When we have a very tough - hard type of wood and the "clasical" pin in our gauge cannot mark easily , we use these cutter gauges . They have cutters - slicers in order to mark the hard surface of a hard type of wood , or maybe across the wood's fibers , which is a tougher "job". Remember in HERE , the basic 3 types of wood . 21) The Straightedge tool . You don't need to buy this and you can make it yourself . You use this to check the edge & face flatness of your wooden boards after you've square them . 22) The Protractor . The protactor is use dot check your angles after your sharpening . I've chosen some very good protractor choices to buy , make a check in HERE . 23) Twisting Winding Sticks . These have the same "laws" and approach as the straightedge . You use the twisting sticks to check if your board , surface is twisted by putting 2 of them in the edge of your board and passing them , in all its length . If you see somewhere ups or downs , you can use your hand planes to fix them . I've picked some of the best straightedge & winding sticks to buy from Amazon , in HERE . 24) Fealer Gauges . These are as the clasical fealers you know . They are metalic pieces - "leaves" and by passing them between your twisting stick and the wooden surface , you see the flatness and the gaps . Get some feeler gauges for your thickness checks from the stores , in HERE . 25) Dovetail Makers . I know that you can make dovetail with many ways , but one way to make dovetails with accuracy and easiness , is by using the dovetail makers . What is the most Often Measuring tool in woodworking ? The most often measuring tool in woodworking is the folding rule and the tape meter and these two are often used and carried together from the carpenters , because they are portable and can handle "heavy duty" missions in all weather , or other conditions . Of course the carpenter's pencil is never missing from any woodworker's toolbox and pocket . Keep woodworking and gain happiness from it .