Hall Tip - center height

[morrisman]

A Harold Hall tip

setting your tool height is critical for fine finishing cuts

if the tool is even a tiny bit above centre it will rub the work and not cut

It is OK if the tool is a fraction below centre, to check this, take a facing cut and look for the pimple left behind to see if your tool is below centre

Mike

[Grahame Collins]

For finding center height, I favor the six inch rule.
If the rule can be held perpendicular between the tool point and the work then the tool is on center height.
Adjust tool height to suit if not.An oldie but a goodie.

Grahame

[Anorak Bob]

any other tips out there on center height?
i use a height gauge.

Azz,

I'm sure someone will say this is too much frigging about but this little gauge has paid off the effort involved -

298555

An extended cross slide helps.

BT

[Oldneweng]

Azz,

I'm sure someone will say this is too much frigging about but this little gauge has paid off the effort involved -

298555

An extended cross slide helps.

BT

It is too much frigging around, but it looks nice. One does not have to go to that much trouble tho.



298559

Mine is made of stainless steel tho. Sort of the low maintenance version. :D

Dean

[Michael G]

I'm sure someone will say this is too much frigging about but this little gauge has paid off the effort involved -

298555




One does not have to go to that much trouble tho.



298559



Actually guys although nice work perhaps still too much effort. I recently read where someone scribed a line at the right height on their tailstock barrel and used that. No need for a separate stand. I'm lazier still. I do a facing cut and adjust my QCTP so there is no dimple in the middle or pinch a steel rule between the tool and a diameter and adjust until the rule is vertical.

Michael

[Oldneweng]

Michael.

The ruler idea is ok but if you don't have a QCTP doing a facing cut to set height is not always possible and I am not about to rely on the accuracy of my tailstock barrel to set centre height. Too much wear. These are the reasons I made a tool height gauge.:rolleyes:

Dean

[azzrock]

Michael the scribed line is a great simple solution to the center height problem..
Colchesters come from the factory with these lines. Its no longer ease to see.
So i use a spare vernier height gauge. I probably shouldn't cause it quite nice.
its imperial a back up.

bob very nice . i remember admiring in the past. well worth the extra time
dean yours is handy and simple thanks.

[Anorak Bob]

One does not have to go to that much trouble tho.

Dean

But one may wish to Dean. For some of us this is a hobby. Hobbies often don't have time constraints. The time I spend making something might be deemed a waste of time by others. I know one forum member who thinks anything I've made and the way I've gone about it, is a waste of time. But it is my time, mine to waste however I like.

[Oldneweng]

But one may wish to Dean. For some of us this is a hobby. Hobbies often don't have time constraints. The time I spend making something might be deemed a waste of time by others. I know one forum member who thinks anything I've made and the way I've gone about it, is a waste of time. But it is my time, mine to waste however I like.

Don't get me wrong Bob. I know you have a lot of nice things and a lot of them you have made yourself. When I said "One does not have to go to that much trouble tho." I was referring to others who may want such a tool. I personally do not think it is a waste of time for you to do this. It is what you want to do. I hope that one day I may have enough time to do the same myself but first I need to get a lot more experience. I should have used a smiley there as well.

Dean

[Gerbilsquasher]

But one may wish to Dean. For some of us this is a hobby. Hobbies often don't have time constraints. The time I spend making something might be deemed a waste of time by others. I know one forum member who thinks anything I've made and the way I've gone about it, is a waste of time. But it is my time, mine to waste however I like.


“In the long run, men hit only what they aim at. Therefore, though they should fail immediately, they had better aim at something high.” - Henry David Thoreau


I think most of us here are 'hobbyists'.... although for some of us it is a way of life...:rolleyes:

Without this digressing into philosophical rhetoric... we all have one life here, we need to make sure we budget our time to get the results we are happy with.

My tip: You get what you give.