Matthew, I think it's probably best to get one of these in time. I have managed to do everything so far with a steel square, panel gauge and a marking gauge with a knife edge. I think I'll get a good mortise gauge soon enough, but you can make due without one for quite some time.
I don't mean to imply that they are unnecessary, but rather that you can work around not having one until they are able to be afforded.
Last edited by Brian Holcombe; 11-02-2014 at 9:08 AM.
Bumbling forward into the unknown.