Slip Guages, and Setting a Quick Change Tool Post to Centre Height

[David CambridgeParticipant @davidcambridge45658]

I’ve bought myself a set of slip gauges from ebay, so I’ve been entertaining myself making another YouTube video, using the gauges to measure lathe centre height, and making myself a reference bar for setting QCTP centre height.

David

[David CambridgeParticipant @davidcambridge45658]

[Nick HulmeParticipant @nickhulme30114]

I think gauges should be slid and not snapped apart?

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Posted by Nick Hulme on 26/02/2017 23:42:03:

I think gauges should be slid and not snapped apart?

plus 1 for that.

Emgee

[David CambridgeParticipant @davidcambridge45658]

Which is the great thing about this forum, plenty of helpful people and plenty to learn. Suitable annotation added to video! Thanks Chaps

David

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Slip gauges should be wrung together, and slid apart.

Ian S C

[Nick HulmeParticipant @nickhulme30114]

That looks like a nice set, what brand are they?

Now you have gauge blocks you can shop for an accessory set

– Nick

[Neil LickfoldParticipant @neillickfold44316]

The most important part about slip gauges is keeping any form of abrasive off them. To clean them, use only materials that can be used to clean glass lenses without scratching. A lot of paper towels are actually very abrasive and will do damage to the slip gauge surfaces. In home workshops, slip gauge sets can be just so handy to have at times for so many things.

Neil

[Curtis RutterParticipant @curtisrutter61973]

For setting centre height I've always just measured up against dead centre on the tailstock (as long as the lathe has been set up accurately) only takes a few seconds each time and has always been spot on.

[VicParticipant @vic]

I made a gauge for tool height setting. I mostly only use it for my Tangential tool now though as my carbide tooling has been permanently set by gluing a slips to the bottom of the tool holder.

[VicParticipant @vic]

[Brian HParticipant @brianh50089]

I enjoyed the slip gauge video, apart from the annoying background noise that makes it difficult to hear, especially if ones hearing is not 100%

Brian

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Two comments:

Boxes of slip gauges (Matrix – Coventry) used to contain a piece of chamois leather with which to wipe the slips,. (Paper towels can be abrasive, and we are dealing with items mirror finished to better than a millionth of an inch.

At the Sentinel Works of Rolls Royce Oil Engine Division, our ex Sentinel Instructors advocated the clean ball of the thumb as an alternative, before wringing the slips together, or separation by rotating them.

They also drummed in to us ALWAYS to use the Protective slips on each side.

Howard

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