IH CNC Mills & Machinery

Making A Height Gage Part 1

Making a Height Gauge PT1

A Height Gauge is a wonderful little tool that can be used to set the height of tools and fixtures. Being fairly simply to use it beats other methods of touch off the tool simply because of the spring in the surface and the accuracy of the gauge. It's a lot easier to chip carbide tooling than you may think, mostly when touching off a tool against the table or a shim. This gauge eliminates that.

	We started with a 2.25" dial indicator and a 3" right angle. Both of these can be purchased very reasonably.

	Using a disk or belt sander grind off the mounting point on the back of the indicator.

	Start by putting flat material down on the bench, we used a piece of 1" x 4" aluminum. Set the angle on it's side. Build up a stack of parallels (we used a 1x2x3 block and a parallel), the goal is to make sure the plunger parallel to the side of the angle, and pretty much center the dial indicator. We had to take the tip off the indicator to get it to it to sit flat.

	Mix up some epoxy and bond the indicator to the angle. We "bumped" the one side of the angle against the disk as well to give it an epoxy ready surface. Epoxy is works great on this project and will last forever..

	While the epoxy dries make sure the plunger stays flat. We use 5 minute epoxy, it's very strong and dry's quickly.

	Let it all dry, then stand it up.

	While the epoxy was setting up we made this little flat for the top of the plunger. The hole is about .5" deep.

	Before you epoxy the top on go to Height Gage Part 2 to where we installed a small spring for good return. Epoxy the top to the plunger after you install the spring. Make sure no epoxy gets into the indicator.

	We centered the dial (Put the 0 of the indicator facing up) and tightened the face locking bolt pretty good. At this point the height gauge is done, but it still needs to be calibrated.


Go To Making a Height Gage Part 2

CNC & Machinery

IH CNC Mills & Machinery

Making A Height Gage Part 1