Originally Posted by nicko17  usually i have been just using a digital Verney to measure I.D 's . . |
you said you're a machinist but you don’t have telescoping gages and small hold gages and mics?
to start with, get yourself some external mics, small hole gages and telescoping gages. A mag base doesn’t come into measure ID, you'd use it to set an ID (or OD) running true in the 4 jaw for example. As Geof said, indicators are only useful for measure ID if you have a bore gage; leave that for later.
you can do almost as good a job as the dial bore gage by making stepped plug gages and measuring with a tenths micrometer. Not for production but good for a one of where you need a good fit.
Our timing is off, i just sold (cheap) some extra gages.....my preference is not to buy SPI or other offshore junk, buy quality brands usd. I saw a Helio mic (german stuff that makes Starrett and Mit look a little scruffy) sell recently for $14. Why buy the cheesy stuff when you can have the worlds best for the same money?