Marking and cutting gauges are precision tools that enable you to scribe lines parallel to the edge of your stock – typically up to about 6″ from the edge. A marking gauge uses a single round pin to score a line. There is an oversized style of mark­ing gauge that enables you to scribe lines much farther from the edge of a board (from 12″ or so to several feet), referred to as a panel gauge. A marking gauge with two pins, that enables you to scribe both sides of a mortise simultaneously, is called a mortise gauge.

A cutting gauge uses a blade (with either a finger nail or pointed blade profile) or a round wheel (in which case the gauge is often referred to as a wheel marking gauge). Japanese-style cutting gauges use a blade that has a tapered profile. You can also use a cutting gauge to rip thin veneer.

All these gauge designs feature a movable fence that rides along a stem, and can be locked in place with a knob. Some gauges feature an adjustment knob that enables you to fine-tune the position of the pin or blade. Some gauges are available with dual posts, which assist with mark­ing double lines for mortises.

Marking gauges are often made of wood, while cutting gauges, particularly those that use wheel cutters, are made of steel.