Fowler edge finder

[GunsOfNavarone]

Merry Christmas all!
Anyway, just a final update, kind of interesting. So, Amazon let me keep the incomplete gauge (Amazon is pretty decent on their policies) credited me ttge $40 and sold me a new one for $20. The new one is complete and works, HOWEVER....
LOOKING at the two there are some difference and a large quality issue. Obviously the brand name model number are much harder to see than the other and the actual problem on one isn't flush and quite dinged up. I would be concerned on the centering of the probe. I ended up using the original shell with the new guts. It did include batteries this time. I'm going to check run out on both, even though you don't have it rotating when using, there could be a solid .010 runout, but who knows. Is one a knock off? They are different& I wouldn't see any other reason for the difference and quality.

 

[middle.road]

Joe Pie has a very good video on the subject.
When you need dead nutz, and all the pieces required are laying in the tool chest
Me personally, I don't need another gadget around that takes batteries. Can't seem to keep up with all of them as it is.

 

[homebrewed]

Regarding the projected surface technique described in the video (and the chair method as well), the skeptic in me wants to point out that they both assume the spindle is perfectly trammed. This is because the work and projected edge are at different heights. OK, the error will be pretty small but it won't be zero. Minimizing the delta-z (and potential error) would be easier with the projected surface method.

I find my wobbler-type edge finder plenty adequate for my current needs but it's interesting to see how one could do much better without really fancy or costly measurement devices. It would be a good way to test other types of edge finders, too.

A good discussion!

 

[middle.road]

Regarding the projected surface technique described in the video (and the chair method as well), the skeptic in me wants to point out that they both assume the spindle is perfectly trammed. This is because the work and projected edge are at different heights. OK, the error will be pretty small but it won't be zero. Minimizing the delta-z (and potential error) would be easier with the projected surface method.

I find my wobbler-type edge finder plenty adequate for my current needs but it's interesting to see how one could do much better without really fancy or costly measurement devices. It would be a good way to test other types of edge finders, too.

A good discussion!

If the spindle isn't trammed in properly, I wouldn't even bother to continue. You'd be fighting a losing battle.