Here's a tool I have made that was designed by Steve Latta. I saw this in FWW years ago and then I met Steve at Colonial Williamsburg/FWW seminar. He had the gage and showed me the advantages of this tool. He had no reservations about making them for myself and others as long as I didn't market them on a large scale.
This is a great tool for many reasons. As soon as you set it up you will realize some of the benefits to a gage with a big fence that fits in your hand comfortably. If you look closely you will notice the one on the left is made for a lefty. If you don't bother to add the wear plates in brass to the tool, it remains interchangeable.
A while back, Kevin(Jazzflute) was selling this wood out of his truck at one of the Raleigh Lunch gatherings. I didn't know what to do with this tropical wood so I put it to work as tool stock. Any hardwood will work. Obviously.. there's one in maple.
For those who want to strike out on their own the only part that is a little hard to find is the knurled set screw. You can find them at Rockler. I found the sheet brass at a scrap yard and I keep it around for my rifle patchbox projects.
Once you have the pieces shaped up and the soft brass filed you put the exacto blade in the end. I like this for the ease of replacement and cost. It leaves a great scribe line when marking across the grain for mortise and tenon work or dovetailing.
With the wide fence and the sharp blade, it makes marking hard maple a breeze and you don't get the fuzz line you get from a pin.
Ok enough of the tool sales pitch. Maybe this could make for a workshop where you make a gage and take it home? My shop won't accomodate 6-8 bodies but maybe at another shop if there is enough interest? If only a couple have an interest, I could do it in my small shop.
Here is the address for the edition of FWW. It say #189 pg 90
https://www.finewoodworking.com/2006/12/15/a-shopmade-slicing-gauge
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