# G4003G - Setting tool heights so much easier now



## coolidge (Apr 5, 2014)

I stole this idea off someone here on the forum, so much easier than trying to eyeball tool heights which I found highly annoying with my 50 year old eyes. Also discovered Grizzly spec's for swing over the cross slide were off (in a good way). I measured 3.838 inches from the top of the cross slide to the spindle centerline vs Grizzly's published specs of 3.500 inches. The brass height guage came out to 3.837 man the DroPros EL400 DRO is really coming in handy for stuff like this.


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## bvd1940 (Apr 5, 2014)

Pretty fancy there bud, I just use a 6 inch pocket rule but that sure is a nice looking addition.:allgood:


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## coolidge (Apr 5, 2014)

Thanks man, I can't see a 6 inch rule anymore. Reading glasses are spotty I have to be just the right distance or its a blur. Hmmm I may have to mount a big magnifying glass on my lathe :think1:


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## alandelena (Apr 5, 2014)

coolidge said:


> Thanks man, I can't see a 6 inch rule anymore. Reading glasses are spotty I have to be just the right distance or its a blur. Hmmm I may have to mount a big magnifying glass on my lathe :think1:



Nice project, how is the upper portion attached the lower part?


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## mgalusha (Apr 5, 2014)

Really nice, I saw the one that I think inspired you and that is on my list as well. I've been using a vernier height gauge I picked up for cheap and just keep it set at the correct height but I really like the idea of a dedicated tool. 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


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## bvd1940 (Apr 5, 2014)

coolidge said:


> Thanks man, I can't see a 6 inch rule anymore. Reading glasses are spotty I have to be just the right distance or its a blur. Hmmm I may have to mount a big magnifying glass on my lathe :think1:



You do not read the rule you put it between the work and the bit and raise or lower your tool till the ruler is plumb.


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## coolidge (Apr 6, 2014)

bvd1940 said:


> You do not read the rule you put it between the work and the bit and raise or lower your tool till the ruler is plumb.



Yeah I can't see that either. lol

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alandelena said:


> Nice project, how is the upper portion attached the lower part?



They are not connected, the upper piece just sits on top, raise the tool until the upper piece tips slightly, then lower until its flush again.


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## dave2176 (Apr 6, 2014)

bvd1940 said:


> You do not read the rule you put it between the work and the bit and raise or lower your tool till the ruler is plumb.



Been thinking about this all night. So you put the center of the rule against the curve of the work piece and touch the tool to the rule firm enough to hold it. If the tool is high it will lean away from you, low it leans towards you. Get it exactly centered and the rule is plumb. Yes?
Dave


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## drs23 (Apr 6, 2014)

dave2176 said:


> Been thinking about this all night. *So you put the center of the rule against the curve of the work piece and touch the tool to the rule firm enough to hold it. If the tool is high it will lean away from you, low it leans towards you. Get it exactly centered and the rule is plumb.* Yes?
> Dave



Yes Dave, that's exactly it. Quick-N-Easy, spot on and takes seconds. One of the first things I "learned".

Nothing disrespecting Coolidge as I think some of his "vision" comment was tongue in cheek. I'm sure if his vision was really that bad he'd have reservations about running machinery.


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## coolidge (Apr 6, 2014)

Yeah I'm not that blind lol. The rule/plumb method won't work with my indexible tooling, or boring bars, or hex/square stock, and sounds like a good way to chip a $8 carbide insert. Its a neat trick though.


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## David Kirtley (Apr 6, 2014)

coolidge said:


> Thanks man, I can't see a 6 inch rule anymore. Reading glasses are spotty I have to be just the right distance or its a blur. Hmmm I may have to mount a big magnifying glass on my lathe :think1:




Hey, no joke. I do use one on my lathe all the time. I have one of those articulated ones with a circular fluorescent bulb. It can also swivel over to the mill as well. Thinking about adding another one.


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## coolidge (Apr 6, 2014)

David Kirtley said:


> Hey, no joke. I do use one on my lathe all the time. I have one of those articulated ones with a circular fluorescent bulb. It can also swivel over to the mill as well. Thinking about adding another one.



Agreed, I already have one on a floor stand for soldering circuit boards for tube guitar amps. Wouldn't be much trouble to bolt one onto the lathe. My biggest problem right now is my lathe is about 5 inches too tall so its already hard to see anything from above. That's getting on my last nerve really.


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## bvd1940 (Apr 6, 2014)

dave2176 said:


> Been thinking about this all night. So you put the center of the rule against the curve of the work piece and touch the tool to the rule firm enough to hold it. If the tool is high it will lean away from you, low it leans towards you. Get it exactly centered and the rule is plumb. Yes?
> Dave



Yup thats the way I have done it  for years and you always have a 6" rule in your bibbers)

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coolidge said:


> Yeah I'm not that blind lol. The rule/plumb method won't work with my indexible tooling, or boring bars, or hex/square stock, and sounds like a good way to chip a $8 carbide insert. Its a neat trick though.



I use that method with carbide inserts all the time and have never busted anything.:nuts:


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## coolidge (Apr 7, 2014)

bvd1940 said:


> Yup thats the way I have done it  for years and you always have a 6" rule in your bibbers)
> 
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> 
> ...



Good luck with that using this insert and this tool, my method is WAY faster.


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## Shadowdog500 (Apr 10, 2014)

That looks like a slick way to do it.

 I faced off the head of a bolt so it would stand on the cross slide, then I locked two double nuts at the proper height so I could set the tool height on the bottom one. Your looks much nicer.


Chris


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## Shadowdog500 (Apr 10, 2014)

bvd1940 said:


> You do not read the rule you put it between the work and the bit and raise or lower your tool till the ruler is plumb.



i sometime do the same thing with a feeler gauge placed between the cutter and the work.  

I also use this trick to put the tail stock back in alignment after turning a taper on centers.
If the feeler gauge sits square between the centers they are in alignment.

Chris


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