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Micrometer stand

G

garageguy

Super User
Premium Member
A while back I saw a couple pics of homemade micrometer stands but I can't find much now. I have a little time right now to build one but would like some ideas for different designs that I can use with what material I have kicking around the shop. If anyone has any pics or plans , drawings etc. I would like to see some. Thanks in advance for any help.
 
Best if you can see it in real life or have an exchange arrangement. Long time ago I gambled on a KBC one that looked like this. Very crude POS IMO. Maybe I got an angry Monday model butit had issues beyond that. The disc swivel was ratchety & ill fitting. No rubber padding protection anywhere. I think it had a nylon cap on the screw which is wrong IMO, its slippery plastic. You don't want to be applying any force o your $$ mic.

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these are everywhere but no experience
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I saw some Mitutoyo style clones but cant recall where
 
Okay I'm taking one for the team. Yes it's probably garbage as is but it might be useable or made to be useable. Too cheap not to gamble. I've ordered and I'll report back when I get it.

LuckyHigh Precision Micrometer Holder Stand Cast Iron Base Rubber Lined Jaws Inspection Fixture https://a.co/d/aCZnthE

Now on the other hand I imagine the Mitutoyo stand is well made and functions as it should. But holy cow $143! I'll let someone else order this one and we can compare notes. Peter??

Mitutoyo 156-101-10 Micrometer Stand for Micrometers Upto 4" https://a.co/d/eb5MlaD
 
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I'm leaning towards making one. Haven't cut a chip in a couple weeks and am starting to get the shakes. I saw the blondihacks vid and it gave me some ideas. I have a magnetic base from an old wheel alignment machine that I may use and build up from there. That way there is no possibility of it tipping over over or heaven forbid getting bumped off the bench. Thanks for all the replies and looking forward to more good ideas.
 
@DPittman thanks for your sacrifice. Looking forward to your results as this could result in ground-breaking new info for metalworkers across Canada. Or not. :) Anyhow, looking forward to what shows up at your door.
 
One of the things I am working out is the design of the clamp. I'll probably use a spring loaded rubber lined jaw with a thumbwheel type adjusting screw. This whole thing will likely not be real pretty, but should be very functional.
 
when I was still wrenching for a living I always found myself wanting a mic stand when I was measuring shims for adjusting pre-load in differentials. Now that I'm retired I'm going to make one. sheesh....
 
DPittman said:
Now on the other hand I imagine the Mitutoyo stand is well made and functions as it should. But holy cow $143! I'll let someone else order this one and we can compare notes. Peter??
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Where is the sheepish emoji? LOL. I've been using one for +10 years. But it was less than half that price back then & Mitutoyo sale flyer time. OTOH I use it daily for the kind of work I do. Often times its more convenient to bring parts to a fixed measuring device. Yes its a nice to have. Yes you could replicate one but as mentioned I would pay attention to the details: clamp mechanism, angle adjustability (to accommodate the work & also read the dial/display) and overall heft so it stays put.

This is not a good design IMO. Very high center of gravity. The base footprint is skinny footprint area & orientated in the wrong orientation. She could rotate the mic 90-deg for some improvement, but it looks prone to roll over in use. It needs substantially more area & dead weight in the base, even a shell filled with cheaper inert weight. There is no provision to swivel the mic plane up for better visibility which is desirable if the secondary lines happen to be on the far side of barrel, or just better viewing of an display mic which ideally the stand it should universally accept. Some mics frames are constant thickness solids or I-beams, but some are also tapered in thickness. Digit style mics might have a flat area but more limited clamp area & arguably more delicate bodies. I'm just saying have a look at your collection or what you might anticipate buying & design the grip around that. Also, you can buy something like sheet rubber & bond it to a surface which will provide more gription & conform better vs a hard surface. Call me a snob but I'm of the opinion if you spent good money on a mic, don't stick it into something resembling a bench vise LOL

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PeterT said:
Call me a snob but I'm of the opinion if you spent good money on a mic, don't stick it into something resembling a bench vise LOL
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Hee hee I won't call you anything but wise. I didn't spend good money on my mics so this stand might be part for the course. ( I actually have one small Mitutoyo micrometer but I like my cheap knock off of the same size better as it has a better fine adjustment mechanism)
 
The PA one has more desirable features to my eye. Mitutoyo style for comparison.
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I might be wrong but I think the pillar style are meant to support (bigger) mic's upright like this. Even so, a hefty base for stability.
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@DPittman:

I'm glad you ordered one. I'm excited to see what you learn.

There are things I can never seem to do right and things I can never seem to do wrong.

I cannot hold thread wires and take a measurement worth crap. This might be a place for your micrometer holder. However, I got two thread mics a while back and am very happy with them.

Other than that one case for thread wires, I don't have trouble holding a micrometer in my right hand with my ring and baby fingers curled around the curved section of the mic and spinning the mic spindle with my thumb and pointer finger. I can't really imagine how a mic holder will be better for that.

But never say never - everything can be improved! Please keep us posted.
 
I have one of the Accusize holders. I find it rather fiddly but I've never tried a different style to compare to. I hardly ever use my holder but maybe thats because I hardly ever use my micrometers. I find most of the time my dial caliper is more practical.
 
The mic stand is a 'nice to have' maybe not a 'need to have'. Depends on your work & your dexterity. I find it stabilizes things, reduces hand induced variation such that your only remaining task is bring part to jaws & make the contact/clutch identical each time. On a bigger, heavier part, it is definately not the weapon of choice. Sometimes with different mic anvils (disc mic, wedge tip mic) & fiddly objects where you have to contact very specific areas of a part, its just more comfortable to have the mic isolated & stationary. Maybe it started out life on a factory floor environment where the days job was constantly checking parts, not sure.
 
That PA stand looks like a good unit. I've never seen one in the Regina store but would likely grab one if I did. As far as the blondihacks one, @PeterT pretty well summed it up. A heavier sturdier base is a must.
 
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