(02-15-2020, 08:20 PM)GeeDub Wrote: If I were going to make that block I would use a straight grained hardwood like maple or white oak. Instead I would just use a 1-2-3 block which can be had for about $10. If I wanted to splurge I would spend another $10 on a HF dial indicator and make a poor man's Rotocator.
Most machine setup involves a 'difference' between two points so the wood block would not have to be terribly accurate if you had a dial indicator attached. If all the angles are actually important to the method they use, forget the last 90 seconds of your life ;-)
I agree with GeeDub to a point. The problem with what he points out is the point (tip ) of the indicator. What works even better is a 1/2 inch flat point for the indicator. Starrett and mitutoyo both sell the points separately. One can unscrew the point and exchange it. that way one can find the high or low spot easily by rocking the cutter head. The cutter head is rotated in such a way that the relieved side of the knife slides on the the tip , the other way and the cutting edge contacts the knife and knocks it out of wack.
I am not sure but I think that 1-2-3 blocks are sold in pairs and although the indicator and 1-2-3 blocks are not that expensive I think they will come to a little more than $20. The last time I bought a flat point it was $6 but that was about 25 years ao so I am guessing at least $15.
I am a Tool and Die Maker by trade and use indicators all the time. Note: I do not want to take away from GeeDub, he is on target I am just adding from my trade what works even better which is a flat point. However I do prefer to use what is called a one way gage. It come with the 1/2 dia flat point. If I remember right Woodcraft sells them. Anyway here is how I use it
I indicate cutters in from the datum surface, which in my case is the planner bed. The cutter head may or may be exactly parallel to the bed. In my 30 years with this planner I have never checked to see if it is parallel. I want the cutting edges to be parallel and I want the TIR ( total indicator runout) of all 3 knives within .002 total difference so each knife it taking the same amount off. and if one hae a low knife it gets dull 3 times faster and that knife controls the finish out of the planner.
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My next use of the gauge is being able to accurately measure raising or lowering a router bit in a router table.
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I raise or lower tablesaw heights with it and can rock the blade to find the exact height. For example 1/4 of an inch is .250 and so I don't need brass set up blocks the indicator is direct reading.
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Lets say I measured a piece of wood and it is a hair to wide I can use it to measure how much I move my fence. I hair is .003 and it is measurable so move the fence .003. No opps I moved it to far. And you can see the 1/2 inch point very well in this picture.
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And the last two are me setting jointer knives I like light cuts on a jointer it reduces the amount of pressure on a board a bowed piece on the jointer with to much top pressure means a bowed piece after the cut. Just like the planner cupped in cupped out but parallel. I set my infeed table at .015 which is 1/64th. 4 passes and I have taken of 1/16. By the way the out feed table is your datum on the jointer just like the router and table saw top surface is your datums
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Last Time I checked the gage was about $100 but I don't need gage blocks so I can set by feel and I don't need aoo the height gauges to setting table saw height and I mount the indicator on my planner so if I measure the board with a dial or digital caliper and it read .785 I drop the cutter head .035 and end up at .750 which is 3/4s exactlly and I can come back to that exact measurement any time i want.
I hope I helped.
Tom
