a David Marks tip

[Ed Lowenstein]

I saw David do something on a recent show that seems real trivial until I realized that I didn't do it. He was bringing a line around a rectangular piece of stock using a tri-square to transfer tyhe line from one surface to the next. Rather than trying to line up the tri-square edge on the edge he was transferring, he put his pencil point on the line, then slid his tri-square to that point. Yeah, I know it's trivial but I've done that transferring around a rectangle many times and usually wind up on the

4th side 1/16 or greater than where I started. Using his method, It his right on the money.For what it's worth.

---> Ed

[Todd Fatheree]

Something else I was taught was not to wrap the line all the way around in one direction. Go part way around one way and the rest of the way the other way around. It prevents any errors from building more than necessary.

todd

[Leon]

Before converting to the computer, I did this also in drafting. I naturally kept it up when doing woodworking.

[RonB]

Ahhh - Another draftsman and all the baggage that comes with it (good and bad). I learned the trade at Pittsburg State Univ (Ks) in the late 60's then went on to do aircraft and airframe design for several years. I still use a lot of drafting practices in my wood project designs and layouts. After years of doing aircraft design, my mind thinks in hundreds and thousandths and I find myself constantly converting from decimal to fractional equivalents - easier to do the math.

[Norman D. Crow]

Another way is Lee Valley's "Saddle Square", designed to transfer the line around the corner.

[Eric Tonks]

I know what you mean. I was a graphic artist who worked exclusively in hand ruling (in ink) of business forms. I can work/convert/divide in points, picas, 1/16ths & 1/8ths, tenths and 5/32nds in my head. Computers took over, but the skill helps out in woodworking and other jobs.

PS. One trick I picked up many years (decades) ago: Do you have problems keeping a sharp point on your pencil when drawing guide lines on your wood or drafting. When drawing the line don't keep your pencil vertical, keep it at an angle somewhere between 60, 45 or 30 degrees above where you are drawing the line and twirl the pencil as you draw the line. This way the wear is spread all around the lead and keeps the point sharper and the resulting line finer, much longer. It is a trick that is easy to use and really works.

[charlie b]

They now also have a saddle dovetail marking gauge.

If you use a marking knife rather than a pencil for layout you can drop the knife into a scribed line at a corner, move you're square to it and cut the next line.

charlie b

[George]

Got one for father's day. Works as advertised. No parallax and doesn't care if I'm near the line on my bifocals.

[Swingman]

and works just as well in a pinch, is a good old fashioned butt hinge.

[Joe Gorman]

Yes, but then you can't add a few items from the Special buys section, or pick that 'one last item' you've been meaning to get for the last year, month or week;-) Joe