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Show us your Tool Height Standard

Susquatch said:
Mine had two V rails. You couldn't use a standard. Even the top of the cross-slide wasn't flat. There may be some out there though. I don't know.
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Here's what I have used. I first made the aluminum thing that sat over my ways but more recently I came across the height gauge and find it a bit more convenient in that it is adjustable and smaller.
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There was a discussion on this a few months back in the HomeShopMachist forum. A bunch of different ideas, some of those presented here and some others:

Setting lathe QCTP tools on centerline - The Home Shop Machinist & Machinist's Workshop Magazine's BBS

How do you set your lathe cutting tools on centerline? I used to do that visually with a small steel rod in the chuck and aligning the tool height to the center of the rod. The accuracy of this method is .010-.020", which is fine in most cases. Unfortunately my eyes are not getting any better...
bbs.homeshopmachinist.net
 
DPittman said:
Here's what I have used. I first made the aluminum thing that sat over my ways but more recently I came across the height gauge and find it a bit more convenient in that it is adjustable and smaller.
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That approach would work well for my South Bend.

BTW. I'm not allowed to post to the thread about membership and costs.
 
jcdammeyer said:
That approach would work well for my South Bend.

BTW. I'm not allowed to post to the thread about membership and costs.
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Ya, there are others with that problem too. Generally it seems as though turning off your add blocker while you are on CHMW you should be able to post there. If not, I'd suggest sending a PM to Jwest.
 
Dabbler said:
agree. Works far better on parting and grooving tools as well.
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@Dabbler & @Six O Two .

Ive never had that problem, but adding a flat is no big deal. It might help out someday when and if I do.

Do you guys use your finger and finger nail to detect the height difference?

Btw, a dentist once told me that there is one thing more sensitive to height differences than your finger nails. That is your tongue. He said your tongue can detect as little as 1 micron height difference between a filling/or on-lay and your tooth. I'd appreciate it if you guys tried that out and then let the rest of us know how it worked....... LOL!
 
Susquatch said:
I'd appreciate it if you guys tried that out and then let the rest of us know how it worked....... LOL!
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Sounds like "lick this fence" in -40 degree weather. :D

Susquatch said:
Do you guys use your finger and finger nail to detect the height difference?
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I use my ring finger tip. I can easily distinguish one half thou with it. ( checked with gauge blocks... )
 
Dabbler said:
Sounds like "lick this fence" in -40 degree weather. :D



I use my ring finger tip. I can easily distinguish one half thou with it. ( checked with gauge blocks... )
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You are better than I am. I can do a bit under a thou with my nail but not my finger. I guess I'll have to try my tongue! o_O
 
Susquatch said:
Ya, there are others with that problem too. Generally it seems as though turning off your add blocker while you are on CHMW you should be able to post there. If not, I'd suggest sending a PM to Jwest.
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Turned off the blocker for this site. That worked for that list. Hasn't impacted posting on the other lists with ad blocker ON.
 
StevSmar said:
Perhaps this does what you’re after:
Haimer 3D sensor
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Unless I am missing something, I don't think it will.

Unlike the x & y axis where you can set a repeatable zero on the axis of the mill itself without a tool there, the Z Axis requires a tool. Even with a stop, the Z cannot be reset precisely. So far, @thestelster has the best solution. I tried his method today. It isn't perfect but it was well within a thou. Maybe not quite good enough to pick up on existing machining, but plenty good enough for new machining. I don't care much for touching off, so it's a pretty good method
 
This discussion has inspired me to build a tool height gauge for my lathe . For the last 18 years , I’ve been using a cheap o height gauge , I can’t remember where I bought it, maybe House of Tools ? 61A0DBE0-5068-43F1-849C-7BF9A7F68F9B.jpeg
 
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Mine was BusyBee too. I still just use the vertical piece of metal to adjust too height. Sloppy I know.
 
Any method or setter works, biggest secret is always reference off the same surface once the tool is set.

In my case I have a piece of chrome moly that I've turned to reference off the carriage cover (it is stiff and flat) and lets me use the cross slide in any position. On my previous lathe it was off the flat on the bed ways (not a convent spot on the new lathe).
 
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