A Simple Tool That I Can't Live Without: Incra Gauge

I know that most of the posts on this blog have been about Shopsmith manufactured tools, but I was in the shop this weekend and I realized that I haven't mentioned one of my most-used tools: my Incra Gauge.  This neat little tool is my center finder for doweling; it's my marking gauge for most joint layouts; it's the toll that I reach for whenever i need to set the depth of cut on my Mark V tablesaw when kerfing or dadoing; and it's the tool I use to set my rip fence on my saw and on my bandsaw.  Outside of my Mark V it's the most handy multitasker in my shop.

The tool is only two identical plastic plates that are held together with a small carriage bolt and a knurled brass knob.  Each side has a scale and a rack of grooves that engage the matching rack on the other plate.  The racks lock together and precisely lock the tool at your desired dimensional setting.  This is great because you aren't left trying to eyeball your dimensions while you measure and set your tools, but rather you have a physical item that is locked at your dimension.  I know I'm doing a poor job explaining this, but it's just a neat and simple tool.

Here's a link to a pdf of the owners manual for the Incra Gauge, and here's a link to the tool at Woodcraft.com  It's only $19.50 and you'll not regret it.