New height gauge

[LCHIEN]

Pretty neat Loring. I really like the multigauge idea. That one would do everything I need. So it's heavy enough made of MDF?

Only has to hold against the spring load of the contact rod - and those are very lightly sprung.
Like I said, it would be easy to clamp that design if you want/need to because of all the flat suraces (three sides) and the big hole in the middle.

[lcm1947]

Thanks Loring. Yes that will definitively be a project I'll do. I was actually thinking about buying one it looks so useful. But I got to ask - why in the world white!

[dverg14]

could you discribe in more detail? how you modified the vernier caliper to fit in your frame? i made my height gauge several months ago. it works well but it's very klunkie! i would like to get the bugs out it as you did. yours is very well thought out and smoooth. thanx tony

[LCHIEN]

could you discribe in more detail? how you modified the vernier caliper to fit in your frame? i made my height gauge several months ago. it works well but it's very klunkie! i would like to get the bugs out it as you did. yours is very well thought out and smoooth. thanx tony

If you look around they're available from time to time on eBay as digital depth gauges. Basically a digital caliper but without the jaws.. They just have the sliding bar with half the jaws attached, and a peice of stainless steel forming a "T" with the body instead of the other half of the jaws.

Like here's a 6" one on sale on eBay, starting at $10 + $8 shipping.
http://cgi.ebay.com/6-Depth-DIGITAL-...QQcmdZViewItem

Having the right starting point makes it easier.

[LCHIEN]

Thanks Loring. Yes that will definitively be a project I'll do. I was actually thinking about buying one it looks so useful. But I got to ask - why in the world white!

so what color should it have been?
Grizz green, dewalt yellow, bosch blue, PC gray, Jet Beige, bessey Red?
HF mustard, black and decker?

[lcm1947]

Well - a black would be nice. Just messing with you Loring. It's fine being white.

[footprintsinconc]

wow! those are all neat. how did you make those button style bottoms for the guage? looking at the first picture, it almost looked like it was made out of steel not mdf.

[LCHIEN]

wow! those are all neat. how did you make those button style bottoms for the guage? looking at the first picture, it almost looked like it was made out of steel not mdf.

Bought some, made some, the last pic is of the one Oneway supplies with the multigauge.

I published a PDF file on where to buy or how to make them.
I offered to e-mail it to anyone who gives me their e-mail address.

[newood2]

Just Maa-voo-lus and purr-ty.
Nice work.

Howie

[dbhost]

Okay let me see if I have this straight. To make the flat foot you took what looks to be an AOL CD, cut a small disc out of it, and then epoxied it onto the orignal round nose foot of the depth gauge, is that about right? I assume any small, perfectly flat disc should do... Any other requirements?

[LCHIEN]

Okay let me see if I have this straight. To make the flat foot you took what looks to be an AOL CD, cut a small disc out of it, and then epoxied it onto the orignal round nose foot of the depth gauge, is that about right? I assume any small, perfectly flat disc should do... Any other requirements?

Yeah. I was scrupulous with the drill press to make sure the hole for the dial gauge was perfectly perpendicular to the base. A few degrees off zero makes one side of a flat foot that's square with the probe tilt several thousandths of an inch on each edge of a 1/2" disk foot.
Now that the probe is perpendicular to the table/base I epoxy the foot to the round nose with the foot flat on the table below and the probe hitting the foot. Centering the probe is not so important as getting the foot/probe/gauge all square. If the disc is not square to the probe, as you rotate the probe you get different errors under each side. And if the probe is also not square tot he table running truly vertical the error doubles again.

CD's are flat and pretty durable. I just cut a 1/2" disk with a plug cutter. 3/8" to 5/8" is about right. Too small and its hard to sit on a sharp pointed blade or bit. Too large and errors start to magnify... any tilt of the probe or foot.

Use a very flat worksurface. Sit it below the gauge, center by eye and put a dollop of glue in the center. Then push the gauge probe into the dollop of glue and use something to hold it there while it sets.

[radhak]

Whoa - an old thread revived, still totally relevant today.

In fact, I want to make one of these today itself!

Lot of names on this thread are long gone or don't post any longer...

[LCHIEN]

I have a couple of spares of the pictured bridge body if someone wants one.
Just the wood bridge part all drilled and ready - right sized for a 1" dial gauge.
you will need to supply the gauge ($16 at Harbor freight) and the flat probe (read 2 comments back for how to make one.)

This is the favorite one I use all the time to set my table saw cut depth and router table cut depth.
Its best because you can sit it and the probe foot on top of the blade or bit and the dial gauge print maintains a gentle contact and you can raise or lower and see the dial move to the nth degree as you turn the height adjuster.