Veritas Wheel Marking Gauge

[Gil Knowles]

Hi
I am considering purchasing a Veritas gauge and am wondering if the one with the micro adjust feature is worth getting over the standard one.
Many Thanks
Gil

[Eddie Darby]

I have the LV version without the fine adjust, and I have the LN version with the fine adjust, and I use the fine adjust almost all the time, so I think that getting the fine adjust is worth the extra expense.

If you do dovetail work, then it is real handy.

[gary Zimmel]

I don't have the Veritas making gauge.

But the ones I have all have the micro adjustment.
To me it's a great feature. Well worth it.

[John Coloccia]

Mine doesn't have the micro adjust. I wish it did! Well worth the extra cost.

Tip to easily get the gauge flush without the micro adjust, especially handy for dovetails. Instead of trying to hold the wood and the gauge, and get everything just right while you tighten, put the wood down on your bench, and put the gauge on top of the wood, i.e. use the bench as a stop for the gauge and essentially transform the activity into taking a depth measurement. That's FAR easier for me, anyway.

[lowell holmes]

Definitely, get the fine adjust model. I have all of the LV marking gages. I use the fine adjust model most of the time.
I have the mortise attachment for the non-fine adjust gage. It is set to match my 1/4" mortise chisel.

[Jim Koepke]

I have enough gauges without the fine adjustment feature to know if another is bought, it will have the fine adjustment feature.

jim

[Shawn Albe]

I'm wondering the same thing, but came across a couple of reviews on other sites where people weren't at all happy with the micro adjust. Seems it is a two-handed affair (not as slick as the Lie-Nielsen/Tite Mark design. People who bought it were saying it wasn't worth getting the microadjust version.

One was on lumberjocks (http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/product/72), the other was on a british site (http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4110)

I was set to get the micro adjust version, but it sounds like it just doesn't work that well. Does anyone here have the LV micro adjust version? Is it a pain to use the micro adjust feature?

[Jon Toebbe]

I got the non-micro-adjustable gauge and haven't really felt I was lacking. They're nicely made gauges that get the job done. It sounds like the consensus is pro micro-adjust, so maybe I'll have to pick one up... y'know, just to see how it works.

[Chris Friesen]

I have multiple gauges. I have actually used them all in one project...it's handy to be able to set a dimension and leave it till I *know* I won't need it anymore. Anyways, here's my thoughts on the ones I have, in order of acquisition:

1) Lee Valley 3-in-1 brass gauge. Great for small measurements, inexpensive, flexible. Needs two hands to lock it. Won't roll off the bench.

2) Veritas wheel gauge. The microadjust is useful but needs two hands to use. Don't bother with the graduations. Can roll off the bench. I keep thinking about filing some flats fence to prevent rolling, but haven't yet been able to bring myself to do it.

3) Lee Valley deluxe mortise marking gauge (got it at half price, needed some tweaking). Looks great, old school. Nice for marking out mortises.

4) Glen Drake Tite-mark. The Caddillac/Bentley/Rolls of wheel gauges. Microadjust with one-hand operation. Expensive. Love it.

[Eric Brown]

I have the Micro-adjust one, a bunch of other "traditional" ones and the new LV small double ended one. I find the micro-adjust handy but feel it needs two hands to operate. However, it has a longer adjustment body which makes it easier for me to hold. The traditional styles have wider registration faces though. I prefer the wheel type cutter over the pin or knife but that could simply be my lack of experience. One more little thing, the round gages tend to roll. If I had to buy again, I would give the tite-mark very strong consideration. It even comes in a small version with mortice blades and shaft extensions optional.

Eric

[Mike Henderson]

I have the LV micro adjust and never had any problems. Never used the tite-mark, however.

Mike

[Sam Babbage]

Among a whole buunch of gauges, I've got a Titemark at home and a couple of LV with micro-adjust at work. The Titemark is the best certainly, but for the money the LV are awesome. Most of the time I don't bother engaging the micro, since the o-ring friction on the shaft makes it easy to set. But when you need ridiculous accuracy it is nice to have and worth the few extra dollars.z

EDIT: For what it's worth, while not nearly as elegant as the Titemark, you can use the LV micro with one hand. Set the gauge roughly by eye or using the graduated stem if you have one, flip it in your hand so you are holding the head in your palm and tighten the collet, flip the gauge again and use your thumb and forefinger to micro-adjust.

[Derek Cohen]

I have the Tite-Mark (with micro adjust) and the LV (without micro adjust). Of the two I consider the TM the better made/designed gauge. It is a solidly and capable of precise adjustments. However I often find that I grab the LV more often. It is easier/less complex to use. While lacking a mechanical micro adjust, it is very capable of fine adjustments with a squeeze of the tip of a thumb. Both gauges are easy to adjust with one hand.

Regards from Perth

Derek