A scriber is a hand tool used in metal work to mark lines on workpieces, prior to machining. The process of using a scriber is called scribing and is just part of the process of

marking out Marking out or layout means the process of transferring a design or pattern to a workpiece, as the first step in the manufacturing process. It is performed in many industries or hobbies although in the repetition industries the machine's initial set ...

. It is used instead of

pencil A pencil () is a writing or drawing implement with a solid pigment core in a protective casing that reduces the risk of core breakage, and keeps it from marking the user's hand. Pencils create marks by physical abrasion (mechanical), abra ...

s or

ink Ink is a gel, sol, or solution that contains at least one colorant, such as a dye or pigment, and is used to color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing or writing with a pen, brush, reed pen, or quill. ...

lines, because the latter are hard to see, easily erased, and imprecise due to their wide mark; scribe lines are thin and semi-permanent. On non-coated workpieces

marking blue Marking out a metal bar Marking blue or layout stain (sometimes called ''Dykem'' after trademark erosion of a popular brand, or ''Prussian blue'' after the blue pigment) is a dye used in metalworking to aid in marking out rough parts for furth ...

is commonly used to increase the contrast of the mark lines. They are a rod with a tip made of

cast Cast may refer to: Music * Cast (band), an English alternative rock band * Cast (Mexican band), a progressive Mexican rock band * The Cast, a Scottish musical duo: Mairi Campbell and Dave Francis * ''Cast'', a 2012 album by Trespassers William ...

steel that has been hardened and tempered. The point is sharpened to an angle of 30 or 40 degrees. Some scribers have a point at both ends. It is used by dragging the point over the surface of the workpiece to leave a shallow scratch on its surface.

Scriber block

A scriber block is used to lay out lines at a set height from the base, thus its second name ''surface height gauge'' or just ''surface gauge''. The workpiece is held against an

angle plate An angle plate is a work holding device used as a fixture in metalworking. Angle plates are used to hold workpieces square to the table during marking out operations. Adjustable angle plates are also available for workpieces that need to be incl ...

so that it is perpendicular to the surface plate; the scriber block is then adjusted to the required height and used to scribe a line parallel with the table, by sliding the block along the table's surface. The scriber block has pins that can be pushed to protrude through the base; these can then be used as limit pins to allow the block to press against the edge of the table, controlling its movement in that plane. The upright post can be adjusted to tilt back or forward, effectively moving the scriber point up or down in a controlled fashion; coarse adjustments are made by sliding the scriber along its clamping block. The scriber block may also be used in place of a

dial indicator In various contexts of science, technology, and manufacturing (such as machining, fabricating, and additive manufacturing), an indicator is any of various instruments used to accurately measure small distances and angles, and amplify them to m ...

to detect ''run out'' (a variation in

concentric In geometry, two or more objects are said to be concentric, coaxal, or coaxial when they share the same center or axis. Circles, regular polygons and regular polyhedra, and spheres may be concentric to one another (sharing the same center ...

ity) of a workpiece mounted in a

four-jaw chuck A chuck is a specialized type of clamp used to hold an object with radial symmetry, especially a cylinder. In a drill, a mill and a transmission, a chuck holds the rotating tool; in a lathe, it holds the rotating workpiece. Chucks commonly us ...

. The scriber point acts as a visual reference against which any variation in the workpiece can be judged. It is also used to check the trueness of the flat surface.

References

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