Tools used to lay out, measure or mark a piece of wood before it is cut, drilled or joined, rather than to cut or shape the wood itself. This includes squares of every kind used to check right angles, gauges used to scribe lines parallel to an edge, the chalk line, plumb bob and spirit level used to establish a straight or level reference, and marking tools such as the scratch awl, marking knife, wood scribe and carpenter's pencil that scribe or write a visible line for a saw, chisel or plane to follow. The race knife and skirret, though named as a knife and a form of chalk line, are placed here because their function is marking out a line or point, not cutting material.