The gauge looked forlorn, unloved, abused.  Don’t remember how I came by it, but it was destined for the rubbish.  One last look before I launch it into the rubbish bin’s gaping maw.  The gauge silently pleaded with me.  It played on my weaknesses – lame dogs, birds with broken wings, rusty old iron, busted wood!  It caught me out, it had me at a weak moment.  Back to the bench it went.

"I can do it" I thought, "I can salvage this miserable piece of unloved, abused toolery".  Having resolved to proceed, here are the words and  pictures:

First thing – strip it down to its most basic components.  What a sad and sorry bunch of bits. Is it worth it??

Deep cracks in the woodwork.  Shall I make new wooden parts or salvage the old?  The answer was easy.  After studying the work required to make new, I resolved to salvage the old.

Bent wear strips.