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HEIGHT GAUGE This article shows the making of a smaller version of height gauge for use on my 300 cm square surface plate. The height gauge is made by converting a vernier caliper. A micro-adjustment mechanism is included, as well as provision for locking the scribing foot at any height. |
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Two height gauges are shown -- a commercial unit on the left and the gauge I made on the right. The compact gauge offers greatly improved handling. |
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Cutting off caliper jaw using bench grinder with narrow wheel. |
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This is the vernier caliper disassembled . -------- Disassembled vernier caliper. |
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The two main parts remaining after trimming. |
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Fly cutting cast iron base. See Article Number 36 for information on making a fly cutter. See Article Number 29 for information on making a vise. |
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Machining the end of the base. |
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Slotting the base, 3.2 mm or sized to fit the scale. See Article Number 44 on making a metal saw holder. |
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Fixing a mistake. A miss-drilled hole was filled with a rod held in place with high strength Loctite 2760 or equivalent. |
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Machining the half-round finger groove to aid holding and moving the gauge. The round cutter was shop made as shown in Article Number 34. |
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A large chamfer is added to top edges of the base for hand comfort. |
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Machining tapers on front edges of base. The base is held in a vise, resting on a tilting table, raised to a slight angle. See Article Number 30 for making a tilting table. |
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Base machining is finished. |
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Machining the scriber foot from a round bar of SKS3 steel. (Similar to 1095 carbon tool steel.) |
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Scribing foot finished and ready for heat treating. |
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Machining the scriber post angle bracket. |
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This is the box bracket that joins the scriber foot to the scriber post angle bracket. |
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At this point most of the work has been done and the height gauge can be used even though the micro-adjustment mechanism hasn't been installed. |
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Zeroing the scriber foot by placing metal shims between the foot and post angle bracket. |
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Machining the micro-adjustment mechanism frame. |
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Machining micro-adjustment frame with a 1.6 mm end mill. |
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Micro-adjustment mechanism installed. |
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Close-up of micro-adjustment mechanism. |
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