Height gauge height

Woz · Mar 20, 2010

I'm thinking about buying a digital height gauge. I have the choice of a 150mm (6 inch) at A$129 or a 300mm (12 inch) at A$219. I wonder if I will get enough use out of the extra height to justify the extra $.
Any comments on which way to go would be appreciated.
Woz

BigBore · Mar 20, 2010

Howdy Woz! Welcome, permission to come aboard! Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do.

As far as your question, I typed in height gauge and came up with this for you

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=8275.0

I think that is what you were asking about. Again, welcome and jump in anytime.

Ed

Tin Falcon · Mar 20, 2010

Woz
1) Welcome.
2) please post an intro in the welcome section. tell us about you , your shop and your aspirations in this hobby.
3) the size height Gage you need will be driven by the size parts you intend to make . the x-y travel of your mill and the size of your surface plate. I personaly use a 8" dial gage on a 12 x 18 plate for a seig x -2 mill. You may also want to shop around for better price or selection.
Tin

Blogwitch · Mar 20, 2010

Woz,

In all honesty, if you can learn to read a vernier, or you may be able to already, I would suggest you look at mechanical ones as well. You just might save a lot of your hard earned, and end up with a more rigid one.

They are just as accurate, and if you went for a dial version, maybe more accurate than a digital one. It all depends on how rigid the setup of the height gauge is. The more rigid, the deeper your pockets need to be.

As already mentioned, size is dictated by what you want it to do and where you will be using it. The taller it is, the more the accuracy will suffer because of it becoming unstable and flexing in use (hence the warning about rigidity).

I have a 12" mechanical vernier one, but in about the 20 or so years I have owned it, I don't ever think I have used it above 9" more than a dozen or so times, and I use mine all the time, mainly not for critical layout (and it could be used as such), but just for double checking when machining using the mill DRO. It's called belt and braces machining.

The choice in the end has to be yours, just soak up the info given, and make your choice.

You are the one who will be using it, and you are the only one who knows your own limitations.

Bogs