Scribbing jig

[Eli Jensen]

Piggy has been asking for pics of this for a while. Who has $40-50 for a scribing jig from the supply houses? I built mine for $8. Bought a carbide scribe at The Depot, drill a hole in a brass tube, stuck it in there. Drilled two holes perpendicular, but the brass in one, the knob in the other. The hole for the knob is slightly undersized, so twisting it in cuts the threads into the wood. Its handy location means I won't ever lose it. Some advise, use something hard and flat because the wood warped and is a bit touchy to keep an equidistance between the wood and scribe.

[piggy]

thanks Buddy I need to think my way around this and see if it will work for me.

[ricky_arthur]

Handy trick. I usually just squint one eye as I stand on one leg and grind. Maybe I should try a scribe. lol

[Ray Rogers]

I have a commercial scribe built on exactly that same design. The main difference in mine is a small square block of brass is used instead of a large piece of wood. Cruddy picture but I think you'll get the idea ...

[Eli Jensen]

Ricky I only use the scribed line till the edge is about 1/32" then I eye ball it

[Eli Jensen]

Ray that probably works better. But mine works that's good enough

[smithy]

I have one like yours, Ray. I have used it for "wax work" in goldsmithing for thirty years.

[Crex]

Although the one I made for myself is very similar to Rays, I like Eli's broader support plane. Just think I would have used a good hardwood or micarta (you can see where the pine is starting to wear and become uneven in the future). Still good practical design.
They are very simple to make, just study Ray's and Eli's pics. Nothing going on there the average knifemaker doesn't do hundreds of times making knives.

[metal99]

I normally forget to scribe a line but when I do remember its usually the drill bit trick. It kind of works, not like I have any luck following it or anything haha.

[piggy]

Ok I can do this. Couple inches of brass, tube, drill hole in tube use metal screw for scribe. Drill hole so tip of screw stays sharp. Then use set screw or handle or something to hold tube in place but quick to adjust. Don't know why these should cost so much. Thanks the pic is a big help.

[Ray Rogers]

Lee,

It's a solid brass rod, not a tube. And, it uses a standard carbide scribe replacement tip that you can buy at any tool supply or any knife supply place that sells scribes. The rod won't flex or wobble like a tube might after a while and the carbide tip will scratch anything, even a hardened blade while an ordinary screw is quite soft and will wear away a fine tip quickly...

[piggy]

thanks Ray. The scriber is under $4 and has a set screw to reverse tip. I can use these parts to make an adjustable that was over $40. just need the rod after I see what diameter. In the meantime there is a lot of things to use. I like that this keeps the line from going up or down hill. If I had a jumbo I can put hash marks turn it sideways and mark off for file work. A little different setup same principle.