Making a Height Gauge PT1
 
A Height Gauge is a wonderful little toy that can be used to set the height of tools and fixtures.  Being fairly simply to use it beats other methods of touch off the tool simply because of the spring in the surface and the accuracy of the gauge.

It's a lot easier to chip carbide tooling than you may think, mostly when touching off a tool against the table or a shim.  This gauge eliminates that.
 
We started with a 1" dial indicator (a cheap one) and a 3" right angle (another cheap one).

Both of these can be purchased for about $20 total.
   
Using a disk or belt sander grind off the mounting point on the back of the indicator.
   
Start by putting flat material down on the bench, we used a piece of 1" x 4" aluminum.

Set the angle on it's side.

Build up a stack of parallels (we used a 1x2x3 block and a parallel), the goal is to make sure the plunger parallel to the side of the angle, and pretty much center the dial indicator.

We had to take the tip off the indicator to get it to it to sit flat.
   
Mix up some epoxy and bond the indicator to the angle.

We "bumped" the one side of the angle against the disk as well to give it an epoxy ready surface.

I've heard "Real men" don't like to use "glue", keep in mind, the Space Shuttle along with new generation fighter planes are "glued" together. 

   
While the epoxy dries make sure the plunger stays flat.

We use 90 second epoxy, we don't like to wait.
   
Let it all dry, then stand it up.
   
While the epoxy was setting up we made this little flat for the top of the plunger.

The hole is about .5" deep.
   
Epoxy the top to the plunger.

Make sure no epoxy gets into the indicator.
   
We centered the dial (Put the 0 of the indicator facing up) and tightened the face locking bolt pretty good.

At this point the height gauge is done, but it still needs to be calibrated.
   
   
Continue to the next part  Making a Height Gauge pt2