The marking gauge appears to have come into use about 1600. Until the late nineteenth century it was usually made by the craftsman who would use it.

It is a simple tool, consisting of a fence and a stem with a spur at one end, and it is used to mark a line parallel to the edge or face of the workpiece. The panel gauge is a larger version, used for marking door panels or similar work.

Mortising gauges are used to lay out mortises and so have two spurs, often fixed on two different stems for adjustable settings for the width of the mortise.

The slitting gauge differs from the other types in that instead of a spur there is a knife blade. This is to prevent splintering, especially on crossgrain work. Another use for the slitting gauge is for cutting strips of veneer. Click on the thumb nails below to view the enlarged images.