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The top surface must be level in both directions.

 
A simple, all wood (glued only, no metal)
cover to protect the surface from damage.

Surface Gauges

Universal Starrett surface gauge
holding its hardened steel scribe.
Base is 2-13/16" (L) x 2-3/8" (W) & is
supplied with 9" & 12" spindle lengths.
Starrett Model 257 exploded diagram.

The base has a V-groove for centering on round parts.
The pins can extend to act as guides along an edge.

Base guide pins extended.


The fine (tilt) adjustment mechanism works very well.




 Starrett Model No. 56 toolmaker's surface gauge.
The small size helps when working in tight locations.
The base is 2-1/8" (L) x 1-3/8" (W) x 7/8" (H) &
the spindle length is 4-inches.
Starrett No. 56 surface gauge parts diagram.

The universal & toolmaker's
surface gauges compared for size.

Height Gauges

 
A Mitutoyo, 8", 543-244 digital height gauge
with fine adjustment mechanism.
The height gauge & a granite surface plate
make an accurate combination for measuring
parts or laying out precisely scribed lines.
Resolution: 0.0005". Absolute electrostatic
capacitance type linear encoder. A fine
adjustment carriage is a requirement for fast,
accurate settings. See Mitutoyo 543-244 digital
height gauge manual & dimensional drawing.
For accurate, repeatable measurements, insure
the surface plate, height gauge, & scribe
working surfaces are free of debris/grit.
Check to see if the scribe bracket is tight.
Periodically inspect the adjustable ways
of the transducer for excessive play.

 
A carbide-tipped (Mitutoyo) 10", dial height
gauge on a granite surface plate (+/-0.0001").
High accuracy can be achieved using
gauge blocks to set specified heights.
Use layout die to make the scribe marks easier to see.
Mitutoyo height gauge manual.
Surface plates are useful for precision
alignment when assembling parts, too.
See Height Gauges in Mensuration for
additional descriptions of various accessories.

Starrett No. 3751 digital height gauge.

Starrett No. 995E (USA) Universal Precision Gauge Set.
A post clamp holds a hardened HSS scribe which
is being set at 3.0000" height using a gauge block.
Starrett  Model No. 995E Universal Gauge exploded diagram.

Transfer Punches

These punches are used to align parts & to
transfer the center of a hole to mate an adjoining part.
Transfer punch sets: Fractional - 3/32" through 1" by 1/64th", 0.0025" undersized.
Numbered - 1 through 60.  Lettered - A through Z.  Metric - 1mm through 13mm by 0.5mm.
 Black anodized & heat treated. Some of the original stands were replaced with Huot USA brand.
Note: Smaller, import punches sometimes have off-center
tips that need to be corrected using a lathe tool-post grinder.

A 5/16" transfer punch marked the center.
The bearing center was transfered to the gear plate.

A stand was fabricated.
Sizes 5-3/4" x 2-5/8" x 1/3" thick & the bottom plate is 1/16" thick.
A thick top plate keeps the punches vertical plus it's
easier to take them in & out than the multi-plate designs.
The holes were made using each bit of the entire
set of metric drills; the transfer punches are undersized.
After the plate was drilled, the top surface was fly
cut & then the holes chamfered to make a nice finish.
1-1/8" long, 4-40 steel standoff posts were used as spacers.
The bottom plate corner holes were first threaded,
the posts were then screwed in followed by a nylon-insert
lock nut that secures the post & acts as the feet.


Integer sizes were stamped onto
the top & filled-in with black marker.

 
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Transfer Screws

Transfer screw sets for mating threaded parts
especially blind holes. Hardened screws stored inside handle.
Storing all the screws in the handle oriented one-way
e.g., tip in first) seems to help insertion & removal.
Handle end has a hex driver that serves as wrench.
Top to bottom examples: 3/4-10, 4-40 & M10-1.5 (metric).

A 10-32 transfer screw (top-center) in the end of a
3/8" dowel pin for the Taig DRO x-axis modification.
This was part of the pre-CNC Taig Micro Mill DRO design.


A metal holder for the transfer screw sets.
The hardware: 1/4-20 cap-head bolts,
brass tubes, & lock nuts.

The lower plate has corresponding
holes that capture the tips.
The lock nuts also function as feet.

Modified all of the holders where
1/4-28 bolt heads now act as feet.
 

Holders for metric (L) & imperial (R) transfer screw sets.
Similar design to the Silver & Deming drill bit stand.
The metric are imports & the imperial are USA manufactured.

These case-hardened M8-1.25 transfer screws
were made using a hexagonal 5C fixture.

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All sizes are available.

Imperial & Metric

Expanding transfer punches.

Protractor

Accurate, all-metal protractor set.

There is an etched degrees scale with a
5' precision vernier (nonius) scale.
 If the magnifier is needed, the two
screws are used for attachment.


A vernier scale as viewed under the magnifier
accessory. This scale is reading 0 deg 5' angle.

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Also see Angle Gauges Section

Optical Protractor

An optical protractor excellent for ergonomic analyses
of cockpit & workstation display layout geometries.

OPTO-METRIX Optical Protractor OP-1a.
US Patent No. 4,257,164.

Machinist Calculator

Machinist Calc Pro capabilities: cutting speed, spindle
speed (rpm), feed rate, cutting feed, feed per tooth
(chip load), built-in drill & thread size reference tables,
drill point cut depth solutions, wire sizes & 3-wire
measurements, bolt pattern hole layouts with center
x, y coordinates, right-triangle math, trigonometric
solutions, work in & convert between US & metric units
including decimal inches/mils, feet-inch-fractions, m,
mm, cm, area, volume & weight. Many of these
parameters can also be calculated using DRO functions.
It defaults to 75% threads but I like being able to
quickly calculate any other needed % e.g., 50% or 65%.
After selecting a hole size, one can scroll up & down
the table to see the closest inch & metric bit sizes.
Their app is lower in cost but I did not want my
iPhone to be exposed to a shop environment.
Machinist Calc Pro 4087 Manual   Machinist Calc Pro 4087 Specs




Shop-hardened case with a sturdy double
hinge & two effective locks (front & back).

 
Click on linked thumbnail 

Layout Tools, Levels, Scribes & Automatic Center Punches,
Layout Fluid, Precision Gauge Blocks, Surface Plates,
Surface Gauges, Height Gauges, Transfer Punches, Transfer Screws,
Protractor, Optical Protractor, Machinist Calculator

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