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Easy Scribed Joints
DON’T LAUGH – we’re fascinated by a new tool called the Perfect Butt. That’s butt as in “butt joint,” and this new scribing tool truly is darned near perfect.

The Perfect Butt is based on an old idea: To scribe a cabinet to fit against an uneven wall, you insert a pencil in the center of a wheel and roll the wheel along the wall, tracing its ups and downs on the cabinet. (This method works for copying curved profiles, too.) The usual trick is to use a washer as the wheel, but it can be awkward and inaccurate assuming you even have a washer of the right size.


The Perfect Butt is much easier to use and will yield more accurate results. It’s composed of a hollow tube – with a spring-loaded pencil inside and five tracing wheels (11/16″, 1-1/8″, 2″, 2-3/4″ and 3-1/2″ dia.) that fit onto the tube. The wheels spin, like bearings, so there’s no drag as you trace your line.


This serious tool is beautifully engineered – it’s definitely not a cheap plastic gimmick. It’s made in the United Kingdom.