Ever Heard Of A Sine Micrometer?

[hman]

The Jan/Feb issue of Home Shop Machinist includes an article about sines, starting on page 58. Photo 2 in that article shows a tool called a sine micrometer. Looks extremely handy for precisely measuring small angles. I tried several searches for sine micrometers, but came up with diddly nothing.

Does anybody know where I might find one new/used?

Then again, this might be a fun project. I do have a micrometer head kicking around someplace, and it would be a nice exercise in precision machining!

 

[joshua43214]

Can you post a pic of the magazine?

Starrett makes a sine level. It can be used to either measure how far something is out of plumb, or to set things off plumb.
It suffers from having a very narrow range though.

 

[brino]

That magazine article was the 1st time I'd seen one as well.

Not sure the legalities of posting a magazine page, but here's another picture of one:
http://s65.photobucket.com/user/Dinsight/media/Books/IMG_1455.jpg.html

I found from here:
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...or-sale-or-wanted/taper-micrometer-fs-233926/

-brino

 

[John Hasler]

Not sure the legalities of posting a magazine page,

That would be fair use.

 

[chips&more]

Geez, I can’t believe this! This is the second time today I have been stumped! I have never ever seen this taper micrometer before. Thanks for sharing…Dave.

Update: looks like eBay does and has had a few but $$$.

 

[David VanNorman]

That was the only time I've seen one as well.

 

[hman]

Thank you, Brino!!! You unraveled the mystery for me when you posted the links to taper micrometers. I went back to eBay, searched for taper micrometer, and got three hits (all from the same seller). As chips&more said, they're kinda pricey!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TAPER-MICRO...345531?hash=item2a5f6908fb:g:uoAAAOSwX~dWjNJ-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TAPER-MICRO...481956?hash=item48889aa6e4:g:5toAAOSwZ1lWgyhE
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TAPER-MICRO...345533?hash=item2a5f6908fd:g:RgcAAOSwa-dWjN5Y

... and just for fun, here's the original patent:
http://www.google.com/patents/US2746158?dq=2746158

... and a more recent one:
http://www.google.com/patents/US4589214

Again, thanks to all! I may yet decide to try making one of these.

 

[Billh50]

First time I have ever seen one also. But I sure could have used on a few times through the years.

 

[Holescreek]

I don't get machinist magazines but thought they sounded familiar so I did a google search. The first hit was a pretty detailed thread on them on the PM forum in 2009. Given that no one else has made any since the company went out of business and none of us have been clamoring for a solution in the decades since that pushes them into the "novelty" category for me. Pretty hard to replace the simple bevel protractor for quick checks.

 

[joshua43214]

very cool.
not $350.00 worth of cool, but still very cool.
Definitely would be a fun project. It would see more use sitting on the coffee table than in the shop though.