Easy Way to Mark the Center of a Board Without Measuring (Quick Tip)

Easy Way to Mark the Center of a Board Without Measuring (Quick Tip)

How to Make Simple Wooden Hinges With a Box Joint Jig Reading Easy Way to Mark the Center of a Board Without Measuring (Quick Tip) 3 minutes Next 3 Tricks for Reading Grain Direction (Quick Tip)

Need to find the center of a board? This no-measure method is as easy as it gets.

It works best when you need to find the center point on a board’s long grain or end grain edge.

But it can work on faces as well, as long as your board is less than around 6” wide.

This is my favorite center-finding technique when I need to resaw a board on the table saw…

Or want to quickly layout mortises and other joinery.

And best of all, it can often give you more accurate results than measuring.
 
All you need is a marking gauge and a trusty set of eyeballs.

Here’s how it works.


1. EYEBALL CENTER

centering a marking gauge

Start by setting up your marking gauge so the cutter is roughly centered on the board.

Press the fence against the edge of the board, position the cutter, and lock it down.

No need for the calipers. Just use your eyeballs here.


2. MARK A LIGHT LINE

using a marking gauge

With the fence firmly against the board’s edge, mark a light line (or a deep line if you're feeling wild).

It doesn’t need to be deep. A scratch will do.

You can even just compress the blade into the wood slightly to make a mark.


3. MARK A LINE FROM THE OTHER SIDE

using a marking gauge

Now repeat the step above — but with the marking gauge fence referencing the opposite edge of the board.

If the marking gauge cutter drops perfectly into the first line you scribed, pat yourself on the back. You nailed center first try.

But more than likely, you’ll have two parallel lines. And center is right between them.


4. ADJUST AND REASSESS AS NEEDED

board on table

When to call it quits depends on what you’ll be doing next.

If you're resawing a board on the table saw, for example, two parallel lines with a gap between are actually more helpful than a single center line.

That’s because that gap lets you account for the kerf of the blade.

But for joinery where you need a precise center line, I like to repeat this process until the blade sits in the same position from both sides of the board.

When it’s all set up, scribe the final center line and you’re ready to keep working.


Want to know other techniques for finding the center of a board? Read this.




What’s your favorite no-measure method for marking center? Let us know in the comments below!

Follow us on Instagram @katzmosestools, on TikTok @katzmoseswoodworking, and check out my YouTube channel for more great woodworking content...

And as always, STAY SAFE IN THE SHOP!

3 comments

Bob Boenau

Bob Boenau

Well isn’t that just fine! I’ve been doing this for years with a combination square, but never really stopped to think about it. I figured it worked better for me and well I must be getting old and lazy and liked my personal no measure approach whenever possible.
NICE TO KNOW NOW (FINALLY), THAT I AM NOT ALONE.
It does work quite well as a no fuss, just get on with it approach. Glad that you put this out there to the world. There are countless more tricks like these to make it all more fun and intuitive. Cheers, from a Maine boatbuilder.

Well isn’t that just fine! I’ve been doing this for years with a combination square, but never really stopped to think about it. I figured it worked better for me and well I must be getting old and lazy and liked my personal no measure approach whenever possible.
NICE TO KNOW NOW (FINALLY), THAT I AM NOT ALONE.
It does work quite well as a no fuss, just get on with it approach. Glad that you put this out there to the world. There are countless more tricks like these to make it all more fun and intuitive. Cheers, from a Maine boatbuilder.

Ernest Boulanger

Ernest Boulanger

Looking forward to the next product
Launch
Thanks

Looking forward to the next product
Launch
Thanks

Redds Combs

Redds Combs

That was so easy. Thank you

That was so easy. Thank you

Leave a comment

This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.