A precision tool from junk

[Bernd]

I did notice that alot of the info I found tended to lean toward laser use. Remember this was 25 years ago when I was introduced to such find measurements. We still had mechanical devices for measurement.   

Things have changed a lot since then.

Bernd

[AussieJimG]

Thank you Bogs and John Hill, I have been considering making one of these but thought it was really difficult. Perhaps it is, but this simple one is just what I need and John's suggestion for testing it (and, perhaps, checking my lathe) is great.
Jim

[John Stevenson]

Grab a selection of old piston gudeon pins [ wrist pins for the cousins ] precision ground parallel, hardened and a surface finish you could laser cut a gnats left bollock with.

Some of the truck diesel ones are very useful as being a large diameter it next to impossible to knock them over.

John S.

[doubleboost]

old bearing tracks are also very handy
John

[ven]

I have a feeling that I am being thick here. I am sure that any moment now something in my brain is going to click and all will be clear to me, but how do we go from talking about checking for unwanted lathe tapers to 'two cylindrical squares'? If we are talking about ordinary engineers ninety degree squares then do we place the stock against the end-face?  Or perhaps the other way round?
Skimming a round bar, then measuring the diameters up and down it seems a lot easier and the results of tailstock adjustment can be assessed without removing the test piece from it's centres. This traditional method seems so much simpler; I must be missing something.

[ven]

Right, it is clearer to me now.  When I logged in and clicked on this subject it must have come up on page 2. There was no trace of an earlier page, although, not expecting this, I didn't check page numbers.  I first came to bogstandard's contribution and talk of cylindrical squares, so I checked the calendar to see if it was April 1st.
Using squared-off pipe stubs, perhaps in pairs at times, is a good idea that I must follow up.

[lugnut]

A long gone friend of mine used to have several of these types of squares setting around,  When I ask him where he got them, he said they were "wrist pins" from a large diesel engine. 
Mel

[ste bre]

goin to make one over weekend  thanks guys               (am new to this )

[John-Som]

Taking the idea of the cylindrical square one step further scribe a line on the cylinder at lathe centre height to form a handy tool cutter guide. Two tools for the price of none.

John-Som

[Bogstandard]

Nice one John,

I will have to make another one now, to replace my old tip height setting tool.


John

[John-Som]

John

I hadn't appreciated the significance of the working end - a little knowledge is a dangerous thing ! I'd better make another to be on the safe side.

John-Som

[BillTodd]

Taking the idea of the cylindrical square one step further scribe a line on the cylinder at lathe centre height to form a handy tool cutter guide. Two tools for the price of none.

John-Som

Brilliant Idea John-Som   

I've cut a couple of grooves in mine one for height above the apron the other for height above the cross-slide.

[John-Som]

Hi Bill

Just gets better and better !

John-Som

[shoey51]

I learn something new every day

[AR1911]

I've been using cylinder squares for years. Mine are various sizes of piston pins for car and truck engines, as John Stevenson suggested. I haven't tried lasering a gnat though.
Ground to mirror finish and accurate to a high degree. My biggest are from a truck diesel, at about 2" dia X 5" long. All were free for the asking.

One good use for the big ones is rough tramming a milling head. Lower the quill to just off the table, then set the cylinder next to it with a light behind. Adjust, repeat.
I often get it close enough that I don't need to get out the tramming bar.

[Mike4]

I've been using cylinder squares for years. Mine are various sizes of piston pins for car and truck engines, as John Stevenson suggested. I haven't tried lasering a gnat though.
Ground to mirror finish and accurate to a high degree. My biggest are from a truck diesel, at about 2" dia X 5" long. All were free for the asking.

One good use for the big ones is rough tramming a milling head. Lower the quill to just off the table, then set the cylinder next to it with a light behind. Adjust, repeat.
I often get it close enough that I don't need to get out the tramming bar.

Another source of quick tramming gauges is to salvage a pair of roller bearing rollers from a large machine ,the pair which I have are 73mm high and as long as the ends are not worn or otherwise damaged the factory finish is quite sufficient for most purposes and these can be positioned anywhere on the mill table .

My mill has the ability to tilt the head up to 90 degrees ,I often find that is handy for drilling holes in parts rather than setting up some jig for a one off job.
Michael