Where does one get feeler gauges thicker than the 0.050" that comes 
in the sets. My old machinist set only goes to 0.045" and none of the 
hardware stores carry anything thicker. 

Mojo, I notice in your spreadsheets that you use sizes up to 
0.100"...now that I've been playing around for a while, I realize 
just how important that last little bit of facing is!!

jeff

The problem of thicker gauges is a royal pain!  I do not have a good
inexpensive solution yet.  I have been using several of the otherwise
unused sizes together.  I tried taping them together, but they evetually
bow in the middle.  My current set is Cy jel glued together.  Some of them
are separating.  Epoxy might be a better choice.

You need to periodically check your gages with calipers or a micrometer. 
You should flip them around too to see if your readings change.  Some gages
are tapered enough to throw off the readings.

For larger sizes (>.100"), you can find certified gage blocks.  But I have
not found a good selection from .050" to .100".

Doc Tenney says he uses a set that he had custom ground for him at a
machine shop.  I'm getting close to doing that myself.  But there may be a
solution short of custom grinding.  If a shop has some scrap sheet metal
pieces (preferably stainless steel), I think the following thicknesses may
be available in gage sizes: 1/16, 5/64, 3/32, and 7/64".  Then it is a
matter of getting them cut and the edges finished as needed.  Check them
with a micrometer for taper and exact thickness.  It does not matter what
the exact size is and long as you know what it is.

Maybe we can pool our needs together and get a shop to make a bunch for us.

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The more serious I get, the deeper I sink into this endeavour. In my 
frustration after looking at a bunch of curves today and realizing 
that I have to fill in points between .050 and .100 to know what the 
heck I'm doing, I hunted in my scrap pile and found a nice pristine 
piece of 1/16" brass. I carefully hacksawed a 1 cm wide piece and 
flattened it between some stainless in my vise by clamping and then 
heating it up to anneal and set. Then I lapped one edge real flat by 
clamping it in a drill press vise close to the edge and lapping it 
right down to the milled surface of the vise with a final polish. I 
polished the flat sides on a lapping plate, deburred the other three 
edges, mic-ed it carefully to ensure that I had kept uniform 
thickness and checked for flatness on a plate...all good!! Now I have 
a .063" feeler gauge (for only 1 hour of labor...probably worth 
$5??)!!.

I used it to measure my 'gold standard' mouthpiece (a Morgan 8J) that 
I have found to be a perfect radial facing (uncannily so). The new 
point fits exactly on the curve. Tomorrow I will go to the hardware 
store and buy 5/64 and 3/32 brass and duplicate the process!!

jeff (aka 'obsessed')

P.S. I'll bet I can get someone to make these on the side...I have 
connections to a bunch of local machine shops. Would people be 
willing to pay $15-20 for a set of 1X6 cm, .063, .078, .094, .109 thk 
(or some near equivalent) in stainless? If I get 15-20 people to sign 
up, I'll make up a drawing and shop it around.

--- In MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com, Keith Bradbury 
<kwbradbury@y...> wrote:
> The problem of thicker gauges is a royal pain!  I do not have a good
> inexpensive solution yet.  I have been using several of the 
otherwise
> unused sizes together.  I tried taping them together, but they 
evetually
> bow in the middle.  My current set is Cy jel glued together.  Some 
of them
> are separating.  Epoxy might be a better choice.
> 
> You need to periodically check your gages with calipers or a 
micrometer. 
> You should flip them around too to see if your readings change.  
Some gages
> are tapered enough to throw off the readings.
> 
> For larger sizes (>.100"), you can find certified gage blocks.  But 
I have
> not found a good selection from .050" to .100".
> 
> Doc Tenney says he uses a set that he had custom ground for him at a
> machine shop.  I'm getting close to doing that myself.  But there 
may be a
> solution short of custom grinding.  If a shop has some scrap sheet 
metal
> pieces (preferably stainless steel), I think the following 
thicknesses may
> be available in gage sizes: 1/16, 5/64, 3/32, and 7/64".  Then it 
is a
> matter of getting them cut and the edges finished as needed.  Check 
them
> with a micrometer for taper and exact thickness.  It does not 
matter what
> the exact size is and long as you know what it is.
> 
> Maybe we can pool our needs together and get a shop to make a bunch 
for us.
> 
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Search - Find what you're looking for faster
> http://search.yahoo.com

>>>P.S. I'll bet I can get someone to make these on the side...I have 
connections to a bunch of local machine shops. Would people be 
willing to pay $15-20 for a set of 1X6 cm, .063, .078, .094, .109 thk 
(or some near equivalent) in stainless? If I get 15-20 people to sign 
up, I'll make up a drawing and shop it around.

I think $20 would be a steal!  I'd buy at least 2 sets.

Using brass is a good idea too, though its softer than SS and would not
hold its thickness as long at the corners that you measure with.  I think
Micro-Mark sells small strips of brass.

__________________________________
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I'c consider going in for a set at that price, Keith. Keep us posted.
 
Don Hatfield

Keith Bradbury <kwbradbury@...> wrote:
>>>P.S. I'll bet I can get someone to make these on the side...I have 
connections to a bunch of local machine shops. Would people be 
willing to pay $15-20 for a set of 1X6 cm, .063, .078, .094, .109 thk 
(or some near equivalent) in stainless? If I get 15-20 people to sign 
up, I'll make up a drawing and shop it around.

I think $20 would be a steal! I'd buy at least 2 sets.

Using brass is a good idea too, though its softer than SS and would not
hold its thickness as long at the corners that you measure with. I think
Micro-Mark sells small strips of brass.




A man grows old only if his dreams turn to regrets - John Barrymore

Outside a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside a dog, it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx


---------------------------------
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Jeff Rosner wrote:

> The more serious I get, the deeper I sink into this endeavour. In my
> frustration after looking at a bunch of curves today and realizing
> that I have to fill in points between .050 and .100 to know what the
> heck I'm doing, 


The old Eric Brand kit only had feelers up to .050", which was fine for 
clarinet work, or way back when sax tip openings were much smaller than 
today.  But now we need larger for exactly the reason you state.  This 
is why the Winslow kit (Madison Enterprises) has .063", .077", and 
.094".  In addition this kit includes .014", which gives an extra point 
of measure in the critical "break" area.

Paul

Micromark does indeed have strips of brass, as do many hardware stores 
and hobby shops that cater to model railroad and airplane hobbyists.

Look for a small rack of K&S brass.  They have tubing, angle, channel, 
square tubing even, strips and sheets.

You can also buy online from Walthers.  http://www.walthers.com/

K&S has been around ever since I was a kid, an old established product line.

Paul

Keith Bradbury wrote:

>>>>P.S. I'll bet I can get someone to make these on the side...I have 
>>>>        
>>>>
>connections to a bunch of local machine shops. Would people be 
>willing to pay $15-20 for a set of 1X6 cm, .063, .078, .094, .109 thk 
>(or some near equivalent) in stainless? If I get 15-20 people to sign 
>up, I'll make up a drawing and shop it around.
>
>I think $20 would be a steal!  I'd buy at least 2 sets.
>
>Using brass is a good idea too, though its softer than SS and would not
>hold its thickness as long at the corners that you measure with.  I think
>Micro-Mark sells small strips of brass.
>
>__________________________________
>Do you Yahoo!?
>Yahoo! Search - Find what you're looking for faster
>http://search.yahoo.com
>
>
>Got a Mouthpiece Work question?  Send it to MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
>
>Visit the site at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MouthpieceWork to see the Files, Photos and Bookmarks relating to Mouthpiece Work.
>
>To see and modify your groups, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/mygroups 
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
> 
>
>
>  
>

K&S is what I have been using...the gauge measures surprisingly 
accurate...I just didn't have 5/64" yesterday, but am off to get 
some!!

jeff

--- In MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com, Paul Coats <tenorman@t...> 
wrote:
> Micromark does indeed have strips of brass, as do many hardware 
stores 
> and hobby shops that cater to model railroad and airplane hobbyists.
> 
> Look for a small rack of K&S brass.  They have tubing, angle, 
channel, 
> square tubing even, strips and sheets.
> 
> You can also buy online from Walthers.  http://www.walthers.com/
> 
> K&S has been around ever since I was a kid, an old established 
product line.
> 
> Paul
> 
> Keith Bradbury wrote:
> 
> >>>>P.S. I'll bet I can get someone to make these on the side...I 
have 
> >>>>        
> >>>>
> >connections to a bunch of local machine shops. Would people be 
> >willing to pay $15-20 for a set of 1X6 cm, .063, .078, .094, .109 
thk 
> >(or some near equivalent) in stainless? If I get 15-20 people to 
sign 
> >up, I'll make up a drawing and shop it around.
> >
> >I think $20 would be a steal!  I'd buy at least 2 sets.
> >
> >Using brass is a good idea too, though its softer than SS and 
would not
> >hold its thickness as long at the corners that you measure with.  
I think
> >Micro-Mark sells small strips of brass.
> >
> >__________________________________
> >Do you Yahoo!?
> >Yahoo! Search - Find what you're looking for faster
> >http://search.yahoo.com
> >
> >
> >Got a Mouthpiece Work question?  Send it to 
MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
> >
> >Visit the site at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MouthpieceWork to 
see the Files, Photos and Bookmarks relating to Mouthpiece Work.
> >
> >To see and modify your groups, go to 
http://groups.yahoo.com/mygroups 
> >Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> > 
> >
> >
> >  
> >

I would buy. mike collins 570.424.9145
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Don Hatfield 
  To: MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Sunday, March 07, 2004 8:44 AM
  Subject: Re: [MouthpieceWork] Re: Thicker feeler gauges


  I'c consider going in for a set at that price, Keith. Keep us posted.

  Don Hatfield

  Keith Bradbury <kwbradbury@...> wrote:
    >>>P.S. I'll bet I can get someone to make these on the side...I have 
    connections to a bunch of local machine shops. Would people be 
    willing to pay $15-20 for a set of 1X6 cm, .063, .078, .094, .109 thk 
    (or some near equivalent) in stainless? If I get 15-20 people to sign 
    up, I'll make up a drawing and shop it around.

    I think $20 would be a steal! I'd buy at least 2 sets.

    Using brass is a good idea too, though its softer than SS and would not
    hold its thickness as long at the corners that you measure with. I think
    Micro-Mark sells small strips of brass.





  A man grows old only if his dreams turn to regrets - John Barrymore

  Outside a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside a dog, it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx



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