# Shop Made Measuring Tools



## Harvey Melvin Richards (Dec 16, 2012)

We have a thread for over the counter measuring tools, so how about one for shop made measuring tools.

I often end up in situation where I don't have the correct tool, or the tool doesn't exist, or the existing tool is less than satisfactory. So I end up making or modifying a tool for the task. So show us what you've made or modified. Measuring related tools only, please.


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## Harvey Melvin Richards (Dec 16, 2012)

One way to check an item for square is to use a surface gage. You use the ball end of the vertical rod as your lower reference and an indicator as the upper reference and a known square surface such as a cylinder square, as the datum. My problem with this method is that it makes the fine adjust on the surface gage difficult to use. So I took a hard drive magnet, a chunk of aluminum and a small tooling ball and came up with this.


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## Harvey Melvin Richards (Dec 17, 2012)

I have an Indicol with an Adjustol and I've always found it to be difficult to use. Mine doesn't clamp at the joints tightly unless I really crank on the tiny knobs. Once I get it really tight, it's difficult to adjust a little bit more. I've always liked the ease of adjustment and the versatility of the Noga flexible arm, so I came up with a solution. The clamp is CNC'd 5/8" aluminum and the shaft holder and pivot are tool steel.


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## ScrapMetal (Dec 17, 2012)

Harvey Melvin Richards said:


> I have an Indicol with an Adjustol and I've always found it to be difficult to use. Mine doesn't clamp at the joints tightly unless I really crank on the tiny knobs. Once I get it really tight, it's difficult to adjust a little bit more. I've always liked the ease of adjustment and the versatility of the Noga flexible arm, so I came up with a solution. The clamp is CNC'd 5/8" aluminum and the shaft holder and pivot are tool steel.



Great "solution" there!  I will have to "borrow" that one for myself.

Thanks,

-Ron


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## Harvey Melvin Richards (Dec 19, 2012)

There are times when I need to run an plunger indicator along a difficult to reach surface. I have several indicator attachments that will change the direction of travel, but these only work on short travel indicators, and they don't give a linear result because of their pivot. So I made an offset tip for my indicators which works with the common 4-48 threads of most plunger or dial indicators. The longer that you make the bar, the more of a bending load you are applying to your indicator, so use caution. The bar is 3/16" square keystock, with a 4-48 tapped hole in one end and a clearance hole in the other.


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## Dresden (Feb 26, 2014)

On the surface gage with the tooling ball, nice idea
I just grind a flat on a one inch bearing ball and put 
it in the front V of the gage.


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