Marking Out Tips Compiled by Richard Nice

1. Steel Ruler Stop when you have a series of repetitive measurement to make simply cut a slot in a block of wood, slid the steel ruler into the slot and fasten it off with a screw, simply but very quick and easy to do and use, as shown below.

2.Shelf supports When drilling the 5mm holes for shelf supports, drill a template of thin MDF or Ply with the required holes spaced out with a compass or dividers (standard euro spacing is 32mm ) and use this template on all four sides a drill fitted with a depth stop which will mark the template and not the work.

3. Marking out in pairs. Will keep the project simple and stop you making silly mistakes. The old saying "Measure twice and cut once" is excellent advice it is so easy to measure once and cut it in the wrong place, this might be rectified if it was cut longer than intended but it is no good if cut too short.

4. Face marking. Placing the faces together and then opening them up, as you would open a book, to mark on shelves or joints ensures you haven't got two right sides ! It also enables you to get the shelves squarer as you are squaring across twice the width of the sides.

5. Leg marking. I nearly always mark the legs of tables on the top of the legs to indicated the where the joints are going be. This ensures that I always end up with a rectangle shape. I know what your thinking this guy must be stupid ! but it takes just a second to do and it clarifies the position so that there are no mistakes. I have seen perfectly cut joints for a table forming a question mark shape than should have been a rectangle.

6. Mark out the waste. I know it is so simple ! but because it is so simple, it is the cause of many stupid mistakes that could have been avoided. Dovetails are one area it is easy to place a saw cut on the wrong side of the line and thus ruin a complete joint.

7. Remember to cut on the waste side of the line. If you always leave the line you are cutting along showing you will never cut under size. This also allows you to plane to the line after you have sawn off the waste.

8. Plan how you are going to cut boards. I always plan how I am going to cut up a sheet of ply for instance, on a piece of paper first, it is surprising how many times you can save timber by rearranging how you cut the sheet up. A mistake on an A4 sheet of paper is easily rectified whereas it can be very expensive on a sheet of ply.

9. Pencil Gauge. I have several pencil gauges that are simply a marking gauge with a pencil inserted in the end. These are ideal for making temporary marks such as marking out where handles come on drawer fronts, if you have several you can leave them set at certain sizes. They are also useful in marking out guide lines for routering in inlay.