Thread: Pair of mic gauges

A few years before I retired, at work I discovered an old analytical instrument in the basement was going to be scrapped and be collected by the scrap metal merchants. There was very little of value left on the instrument, all of the electronics had gone and it was mainly stainless vacuum tubes, some small pieces of 10 mm ally plate which I also grabbed, steel angle framing and some large copper coils - all of the scrap value was in the copper. There were however two Mercer mic gauges left on the machine which I grabbed.

Now if I could post a pic here is where I would post one of the pair.

One had what felt like a busted return spring and the other had a rear mounting support missing (it looked like it had literally been torn off the back of the gauge ) but it worked fine.
Imagine a picture of torn rear mount.

I wrapped them in rags and put them in a box and forgot all about them,
This afternoon I found the box and opened the back of the one with the busted return spring and sure enough one end of the spring had broken off, a deft twist on a pair of coils at the broken end with some surgical tweezers fixed that.

Pic of fixed spring.

The one with the broken back looks pretty easy to fix - I will turn a new back out of a piece of ally plate and probably attach a mounting support using a some small screws.

I have since cleaned them up and lubed them and the work real nice.

Which brings me to one of the reasons for this post and that was to suggest a Measurement forum. It won't have many entries but it will consolidate this topic into the one place. By "Measurement" I refer to it in a braid sense, not just distances but, temp, hardness, electrical stuff etc.

Hi Bob,

I like your idea !

There is lots of info but its skills are gradually being lost because information, techniques etc, are scattered all over the place. Metrology is a very interesting subject and its study should be encouraged.

Thanks BJ, I've been in measurement most of my working life so its second nature to me but for some reason I used to switch that off when I went into a workshop. i.e. workshop is for doing and labs are for measurement. These days things have changed, workshop work for me now involves a lot of measurements.

Great idea Bob. I was searching for a DTI repair I had seen before and it would have been a lot easier to find had all things metrology been in the one place.

Phil

Originally Posted by BobL

Thanks BJ, I've been in measurement most of my working life so its second nature to me but for some reason I used to switch that off when I went into a workshop. i.e. workshop is for doing and labs are for measurement. These days things have changed, workshop work for me now involves a lot of measurements.

I like the pictures Bob. I will when they arrive anyway.

I was at a slightly lower position on the rung than you. I was the one who took the parts to the lab to be checked and then used that information to calibrate for further work. I was often doing constant measuring at the machine, so this is second nature to me. I remember having a nice clean flat surface on the top of the machine or a bench with a clean orange cleaning rag neatly spread out for the mic to sit on. The flat machine surface did not lead into the works and was entirely safe. We often used comparators as well.

Dean

Originally Posted by Oldneweng

I like the pictures Bob. I will when they arrive anyway.

I was at a slightly lower position on the rung than you. I was the one who took the parts to the lab to be checked and then used that information to calibrate for further work. I was often doing constant measuring at the machine, so this is second nature to me. I remember having a nice clean flat surface on the top of the machine or a bench with a clean orange cleaning rag neatly spread out for the mic to sit on. The flat machine surface did not lead into the works and was entirely safe. We often used comparators as well.

Dean

I wouldn't call it lower Dean. The lab are after all providing you with the service.

God idea about having a clean surface to put measuring gear on.
Must do that myself as I'm sick of finding mics and other measuring stuff under soggy swarf on the lathe sward tray.

Gave up waiting, so courtesy of Google

https://goo.gl/photos/KFwbMA6MUTQ4fWwX9

https://goo.gl/photos/egs35THbBDkttaaaA

https://goo.gl/photos/exW6k3NKnk7k4tkQ8

Hopefully it works?

Cheers

Originally Posted by BobL

I wouldn't call it lower Dean. The lab are after all providing you with the service.

God idea about having a clean surface to put measuring gear on.
Must do that myself as I'm sick of finding mics and other measuring stuff under soggy swarf on the lathe sward tray.

The top of my free standing tool chest is my usual location. I have an ali tray so stuff doesn't fall off.

I don't like putting things in the swarf tray because you have to walk around the back to get them out again. It is part of the base casting and only a few inches off the floor.

Nice looking indicators. I have a similar Mercer indicator that I think I paid $20.00 for indicator and Eclipse mag base.

Dean