A profile gauge or contour gauge is a tool for recording the cross-sectional shape of a surface. Contour gauges consist of a set of steel or

plastic Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptab ...

pins that are set tightly against one another in a frame which keeps them in the same plane and parallel while allowing them to move independently, perpendicularly to the frame. When pressed against an object, the pins conform to the object. The gauge can then be used to draw the profile or to copy it on to another surface.

Applications

Profile gauges are used widely in

metalworking Metalworking is the process of shaping and reshaping metals to create useful objects, parts, assemblies, and large scale structures. As a term it covers a wide and diverse range of processes, skills, and tools for producing objects on every scale ...

and

woodworking Woodworking is the skill of making items from wood, and includes cabinet making (cabinetry and furniture), wood carving, joinery, carpentry, and woodturning. History Along with stone, clay and animal parts, wood was one of the first mate ...

. In

architectural conservation Conservation and restoration of immovable cultural property describes the process through which the material, historical, and design integrity of any immovable cultural property are prolonged through carefully planned interventions. The indivi ...

, they are used to document the profiles of decorative moldings.Neal Vogel, Christopher Jenks, "Documentation Projects, Part 2: Measured Drawings", ''Common Bond'' (New York Landmarks Conservancy) Winter, 199
full text
In

archaeological illustration Archaeological illustration is a form of technical illustration that records material derived from an archaeological context graphically.Barker 1977 Overview Archaeological Illustration encompasses a number of sub disciplines. These are: * ''Su ...

, they are typically used to record the profile of

pots Pot may refer to: Containers * Flowerpot, a container in which plants are cultivated * Pottery, ceramic ware made by potters * A type of cookware Places * Ken Jones Aerodrome, IATA airport code POT * Palestinian Occupied Territories, the We ...

, and are thus named pottery gauges; but in ceramics, a

pottery gauge :''In archaeology, a pottery gauge is a profile gauge used for pots.'' A pottery gauge is one of various tools used in pottery to ensure that pots thrown on a potter's wheel are uniform in size or shape. Some pottery gauges simply ensure that the ...

is a template used in making pots.

References

Metalworking hand tools Woodworking hand tools Methods in archaeology {{Archaeology-stub