An inexpensive alternative thickness gauge.

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Kevin Sjostrand
Posts: 3721
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

An inexpensive alternative thickness gauge.

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

I wanted to share my find with you guys. I bought these at Woodcraft for around $35. I used them yesterday for the first time when thicknessing sides for the guitar I started. They work great! You can set them for mm, decimal or inches.
I have a dial indicator and tried making my own gauge, but these work fine, and are plenty precise enough for what we are doing.

Kevin
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deadedith

Re: An inexpensive alternative thickness gauge.

Post by deadedith »

Thanks Kevin, I wondered about those, though of course I'd prefer to spend over a hundred bucks for a Lee Valley set. Not. :-)
Kevin Sjostrand
Posts: 3721
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: An inexpensive alternative thickness gauge.

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

You guys are killing me. Only one response to this fabulously informative, value saving post??
Come on guys, I figured you would be tripping over each other to get more information from me about how this thing works.
:>)

Kevin
Ben-Had
Posts: 1405
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 2:14 pm
Location: Creedmoor, NC

Re: An inexpensive alternative thickness gauge.

Post by Ben-Had »

It looks painful to me! Why not just use rubber gloves?
Tim Benware
Ken Hundley
Posts: 608
Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2006 12:34 am
Location: Wilmette, IL

Re: An inexpensive alternative thickness gauge.

Post by Ken Hundley »

So they outlaw those things in maternity wards and they show up in woodshops?
Ken Hundley
Nocturnal Guitars
http://www.nocturnalguitars.com

So, my big brother was playing guitar and I figured I'd try it too.
- Stevie Ray Vaughan
Kevin Sjostrand
Posts: 3721
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: An inexpensive alternative thickness gauge.

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

Okay, make fun if you must, but I saved a whole lot money, works I'm sure just as good as the $150 unit the suppliers are selling.
I guess I will just have to smile to myself everytime I use it and treat myself to a Wendy's frosty with the money I saved.

Kevin
Tony_in_NYC
Posts: 827
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 9:11 pm

Re: An inexpensive alternative thickness gauge.

Post by Tony_in_NYC »

Actually, it is an excellent tool and I thank you for posting it Kevin. I think I will pick one of these up to double check the thickness of boards I run through my drum sander. And then I too will buy a Frosty, or something else, with the money I saved.

Tony
Ben-Had
Posts: 1405
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 2:14 pm
Location: Creedmoor, NC

Re: An inexpensive alternative thickness gauge.

Post by Ben-Had »

Tony_in_NYC wrote:Actually, it is an excellent tool and I thank you for posting it Kevin. I think I will pick one of these up to double check the thickness of boards I run through my drum sander. And then I too will buy a Frosty, or something else, with the money I saved.

Tony
I agree, hope you know Kevin we were just joshing (whatever that means) you. I'm all for saving money on tools and jigs and that was a good find.
Tim Benware
Kevin Sjostrand
Posts: 3721
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: An inexpensive alternative thickness gauge.

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

Of course of course.
I just used my $150 Ryobi drum sander and thicknessed the back of my present walnut OM build, and checked the thickness with my wonderful $32 digital outside calipers.....ah, life is good!

Kevin
Ben-Had
Posts: 1405
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 2:14 pm
Location: Creedmoor, NC

Re: An inexpensive alternative thickness gauge.

Post by Ben-Had »

I was able to purchase a Performax 16-32 off craigslist recently for $375. I was just ready to order a Grizzly 10-20 the new one, for the same price. Life is good with cheapy tools (good ones that is).

edit: dang typos
Tim Benware
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