Level up your DIY by grabbing this cool little tool
What it is : The Kreg Tool Multi- Mark
What it costs: Between $16-$20 CDN
What does it do: It does a bunch of stuff including featuring three different scale configurations, a built in level and a handy 3/16 inch reveal guide
So there are a lot of reasons to love this gadget, including the fact that you can transfer measurements directly with the built in rulers which you can lock out with the built in thumb screw. Even the level is pretty handy. But to be honest, I bought this tool because I am obsessed with making sure I have the proper reveals on my casings.
What the heck is a reveal??
Our Friends at Wiki describe a reveal as:
In carpentry, a reveal is a feature resembling a rabbet, but constructed of separate pieces of wood. A reveal may typically be seen at the edge of a door or window, where the face molding is set back, often by a distance from 3/16" (5 mm) to 1/2" (12 mm).
So it's literally just a setback on a door or a window casing which 'reveals' a 3/16th to 1/2 inch of the side jamb.
So what?
Well I promise you, if you are new to DIY, anyone with experience will see the lack of a reveal as a reason to look a little bit harder at the quality of the reno. The devil is in the details, and a nice reveal shows that you:
Have some knowledge
Care about the quality of your work
Now of course there are styles and instances where a reveal might not be used, but for the most part, it looks great and should be incorporated. Trust me when I say that when you don't incorporate a reveal, it will leave you scratching your head as to why your install doesn't look professional.
So now that I have blathered on about what a reveal is, I need to explain why the Kreg tool is a life saver for this. Around the outer edge of the tool, is a perfect gauge for a 3/16th reveal. You wouldn't believe the lengths I have gone to before I got this tool to make myself a little jig, or some kind of guide to help me make sure my reveal was perfect. And in between jobs, I would inevitably lose the jig, only to have to make another. This Kreg tool eliminated my need to ever have to do this again.
So if you are new to DIY, there are a lot of tools out there you could waste your money on. Sometimes it's hard to know what you don't know, so try not to buy too many gadgets until you see that there is a definite, repeatable need for something. In my opinion, the Kreg Multi-Mark is worth the small investment so that you can level up your DIY game and get your jobs looking more professional.
And if you ever need more specific tips and tricks, you can always reach out to a pro on The Project Garage.
© Stephanie Paraskevopulos 2023
Comments