# Tools that make my job easier.



## La machinist (Oct 10, 2014)

Thought I'd share a tool that measures wall thickness. A ultrasonic thickness gauge. When I drill a blind hole ( no drilling all the way through a solid part ) the drill may walk so I have to use a 4 jaw measuring wall with this then off set  o.d. Till i.d. Runs true.  
	

		
			
		

		
	



	

		
			
		

		
	
 .. I'm checking o.d to I.d. Thickness here


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## drs23 (Oct 10, 2014)

Cool beans. Looking forward to more. I don't have one of those and have not even know of them before this post. Keep 'em coming please.


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## Rbeckett (Oct 10, 2014)

Any idea of the cost of that set-up?  Trying to decide whether to get one or wait a bit.  Ouch!!!!MX-3 $1,450.00 Dakota MX-3 Thickness Gauge Complete Kit, that was a really bad come- upance.


Bob


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## chuckorlando (Oct 11, 2014)

ahahahahahahahaha. I wondered the cost for about 1min. Then I figured what a good digi height gage cost and concluded it had to be way more then I would be willing to pay. But when you need one, you pay what them folks want.

Cool tool all the same


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## nickmckinney (Oct 11, 2014)

There is a cheap Ebay one that works pretty good.


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## chips&more (Oct 11, 2014)

Interesting gizmo! Don’t have one of those in my piles! I have a kinda similar, but it’s for checking car paint thickness and Bondo. I think the mods should get together and buy one as a prize for the “ULTIMA Hobby Machinist”!


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## Bill Gruby (Oct 11, 2014)

Rbeckett said:


> Any idea of the cost of that set-up?  Trying to decide whether to get one or wait a bit.  Ouch!!!!MX-3 $1,450.00 Dakota MX-3 Thickness Gauge Complete Kit, that was a really bad come- upance.
> 
> 
> Bob
> ...


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## nickmckinney (Oct 11, 2014)

Bunch of engine machinist bought this after a thread a few years back, under $150 and works pretty good.



http://www.ebay.com/itm/TM-8811-Dig...645?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d05dbd08d


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## Tony Wells (Oct 11, 2014)

I have a couple of those, T-Mics. Can't recall the maker, but they are not cheap. I used it in a similar fashion as La does, except I did have a thru-hole, but after roughing and heat treating, the only way to get a straight ID was to bend them straight, according to the ID. Using a Tmic, the thick wall should indicate a high spot where the OD should be cut. It was always bad looking when the parts came off the press all bent up, but when the OD was finished, it was running true with the ID. These parts were 7-8 feet long so there was no way to get an indicator all the way in to measure ID/OD runout.

Probably not all that useful for hobby work, but for the tool junkie......indispensable.


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## JimDawson (Oct 11, 2014)

You just had to show me a new tool that I didn't know existed.  Now I'm going to have to have one.:whistle:  There goes the tool budget again.


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## La machinist (Oct 11, 2014)

Tony Wells said:


> I have a couple of those, T-Mics. Can't recall the maker, but they are not cheap. I used it in a similar fashion as La does, except I did have a thru-hole, but after roughing and heat treating, the only way to get a straight ID was to bend them straight, according to the ID. Using a Tmic, the thick wall should indicate a high spot where the OD should be cut. It was always bad looking when the parts came off the press all bent up, but when the OD was finished, it was running true with the ID. These parts were 7-8 feet long so there was no way to get an indicator all the way in to measure ID/OD runout.
> 
> Probably not all that useful for hobby work, but for the tool junkie......indispensable.



Been there done that as they say. Sometimes you gotta bend them to get them straight.


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## La machinist (Oct 11, 2014)

JimDawson said:


> You just had to show me a new tool that I didn't know existed.  Now I'm going to have to have one.:whistle:  There goes the tool budget again.



Oh  Jim I have plenty more to show. Lol


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## darkzero (Oct 11, 2014)

La machinist said:


> Oh  Jim I have plenty more to show. Lol



Ok, I'm going to make a big bucket of popcorn....


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