PG-24 Precision Panel Gage

This is an archived item. It is out of production and not available for purchase. Please see our FAQ section for more details.

The panel gage, the largest of the marking gage family, is the
tool you use to layout or determine parallelism over distances greater
than six to eight inches. Just as you would use a pocket rule for small
measuring tasks and a bench rule for larger dimensional needs, so
exemplary is the use of a marking gage and a panel gage. This occurs
frequently in furniture building and is a task easily suited to the large capacity of the PG-24 Precision Panel Gage. The capacity of this tool is 1/2"-24".

This tool will accurately scribe or draw lines, circles and arcs to the center of a 48" wide panel. The ability to do this accurately depends upon a tool that maintains a very rigid and square relationship between the beam and the head. We have achieved this in the PG-24 Precision Panel Gage by relying on one of geometry's basic tenets, the trapezoid, and the phenomenal strength and dimensional stability of Juara™ wood.

When the locking knob of the PG-24 Precision Panel Gage applies pressure to the beam, the trapezoid cross-sectional shape of the beam is forced downward into a slightly oversized, but identically shaped trapezoidal passage. This "wedges" the beam into the head, providing very strong resistance to movement, both longitudinally and radially.

This sharp knife, hardened to Rc 60, remains "pinched" in the head and does not rotate during use. After significant use, simply loosen the socket head machine screw and rotate the knife approximately 1/16". You will get a razor sharp mark each and every time you use the PG-24 Precision Panel Gage either with or across the grain.

Because the scribing knife is beveled, you never have to worry about it "tracking" in parallel, open grained woods. . The bevel creates a constant
force between the cutter and the fence (or head). This ensures your tool will always maintain an incised straight line, absolutely parallel  to your reference edge. For those occasions where a scribed line is undesirable, use the precision brass collet to hold a pencil.  

Patiently waiting in the threaded brass sole of your PG-24 Precision Panel Gage is a steel pivot point. With a small screwdriver, remove the point and
reverse it. You now have a delightfully functional beam compass, capable of scribing arcs up to 46" in diameter! You can scribe arcs with the precision knife, or you can use the beautiful brass collet to clamp in a pencil. With either application, the PG-24 Precision Panel Gage is a versatile shop compass that will provide you with accurate circles and arcs for decades to come. A large marking gage and a compass in one tool--a combination tough to beat! Circles and arcs from 4"-46" in diameter are easily and accurately achieved with the PG-24 Precision Panel Gage.