Official Luthiers Forum!

Owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink
It is currently Sun Nov 24, 2024 10:32 am


All times are UTC - 5 hours


Forum rules


Same rules apply to all forums at the Luthiers Forum.




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 17 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Thickness Calipers
PostPosted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 12:24 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 2:40 am
Posts: 148
Location: United States
I've got the guage but need ideas for the "body" to measure top thicknesses. Stew-Mac's is a little pricey. Anyone have any pics of their set-up? Thanks.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Thickness Calipers
PostPosted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 2:07 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 7:50 am
Posts: 3152
Location: Canada
This is mine that I made a few years back. I works quite well.

Attachment:
Caliper5.jpg


Shane


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

_________________
Canada


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Thickness Calipers
PostPosted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 2:25 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:52 am
Posts: 4524
First name: Big
Last Name: Jim
State: Deep in the heart of Bluegrass
Country: usa
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
excellent piece of work there shane . I see that in my future as well . [:Y:] [clap]

_________________
The Shallower the depth of the stream , The Louder the Babble !
The Taking Of Offense Is the Life Course Of The Stupid One !
Wanna Leave a Better Planet for our Kids? How about Working on BETTER KIDS for our Planet !
Forgiveness is the ability to accept an apology that you will probably NEVER GET
The truth will set you free , But FIRST, it will probably Piss you Off !
Creativity is allowing yourself to make Mistakes, Art is knowing which ones to Keep !
The Saddest thing anyone can do , is push a Loyal Person to the point that they Dont Care Anymore
Never met a STRONG person who had an EASY past !
http://wiksnwudwerks.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/groups/GatewayA ... rAssembly/


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Thickness Calipers
PostPosted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 4:13 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat May 17, 2008 1:11 pm
Posts: 2373
Location: Spokane, Washington
First name: Pat
Last Name: Foster
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Shane, that's really elegant.

Mine's plain, but works. Made of scrap maple.

Attachment:
l1.jpg


Pat


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

_________________
formerly known around here as burbank
_________________

http://www.patfosterguitars.com


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Thickness Calipers
PostPosted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 4:23 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2005 5:49 pm
Posts: 2915
Location: Norway
Here's mine, another simple plywood affair. It is inexpensive and it works, but no beauty prices for this one... :lol:

Attachment:
8-1.jpg


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

_________________
Rian Gitar og Mandolin


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Thickness Calipers
PostPosted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 5:38 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:34 am
Posts: 3081
When my 30 year old IV caliper jumped off the bench last fall, I decided to go digital and have inches and mm. Cannabalized the lever and used a scrap of Coco...

Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Thickness Calipers
PostPosted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 5:40 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:52 am
Posts: 4524
First name: Big
Last Name: Jim
State: Deep in the heart of Bluegrass
Country: usa
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm haans will u send me that one ? laughing6-hehe I like it , I like it

_________________
The Shallower the depth of the stream , The Louder the Babble !
The Taking Of Offense Is the Life Course Of The Stupid One !
Wanna Leave a Better Planet for our Kids? How about Working on BETTER KIDS for our Planet !
Forgiveness is the ability to accept an apology that you will probably NEVER GET
The truth will set you free , But FIRST, it will probably Piss you Off !
Creativity is allowing yourself to make Mistakes, Art is knowing which ones to Keep !
The Saddest thing anyone can do , is push a Loyal Person to the point that they Dont Care Anymore
Never met a STRONG person who had an EASY past !
http://wiksnwudwerks.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/groups/GatewayA ... rAssembly/


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Thickness Calipers
PostPosted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 10:46 am 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 2:40 am
Posts: 148
Location: United States
Thanks for the ideas. I was wondering, would there be any advantage to having a "table" as the bottom arm so that a top would sit flat and not have to be held while it is being measured? Or is that simply over-thinking?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Thickness Calipers
PostPosted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 11:47 am 
Offline
Koa
Koa
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 7:17 am
Posts: 1383
Location: Canada
No, that would work, but if that's what you want, I'd do it on a drillpress table, like this (not mine).
Attachment:
drillpress thickness.jpg

Then, go ahead & build the type others have shown, as you'll probably want that too.


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

_________________
Dave
Milton, ON


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Thickness Calipers
PostPosted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 12:22 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:05 am
Posts: 9191
Location: United States
First name: Waddy
Last Name: Thomson
City: Charlotte
State: NC
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Actually, a flat table would not work for "top thickness", as it would mask unevenness on the table side, and only measure the thickness of the thickest variant. It would not measure thickness at the point of measurement. You need two points that are opposite each other to get accurate readings, even then you get variations if you slightly lean the top or piece you are measuring.

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Thickness Calipers
PostPosted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 12:32 pm 
Offline
Koa
Koa
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 7:17 am
Posts: 1383
Location: Canada
Yep, you're exactly right Waddy! Too quick on the draw! oops_sign

_________________
Dave
Milton, ON


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Thickness Calipers
PostPosted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 8:31 pm 
Offline
Koa
Koa
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:50 am
Posts: 941
Location: Ellicott City, Md - USA
First name: John
Last Name: A
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Dave Stewart wrote:
No, that would work, but if that's what you want, I'd do it on a drillpress table, like this (not mine).
Attachment:
drillpress thickness.jpg

Then, go ahead & build the type others have shown, as you'll probably want that too.



You know I just noticed the effect of leaning the side too much and getting a thicker reading - I think it may have lead me to over thinning a little bit. I was going to make a new holder that has a 1 inch by 1 inch platform to rest the wood on - maybe a little platform of granite or Corian since that is flat. What do you all think ?

_________________
It's this new idea from recent decades that everyone gets a participation award. - MUX


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Thickness Calipers
PostPosted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 7:29 am 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:34 am
Posts: 3081
Nope, you need two pins that touch. I had to bevel and round the nylon screw I used because it gave "various" readings.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Thickness Calipers
PostPosted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 7:46 am 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 7:29 am
Posts: 3840
Location: England
I made this a good few years ago, as a temporary fixture as I needed one quickly, meaning to make a better one when I had the time. Well I've had the time but as this did the job perfectly never felt the need to up-date it.

Colin

Image

_________________
I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Thickness Calipers
PostPosted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 7:56 am 
Offline
Koa
Koa
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:50 am
Posts: 941
Location: Ellicott City, Md - USA
First name: John
Last Name: A
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Looks just like mine. So when you move the board you have to be careful to hold it even, and if you move it - just move it to get the lowest reading. I was hoping for something a little more reliable. I guess you can't have everything.

_________________
It's this new idea from recent decades that everyone gets a participation award. - MUX


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Thickness Calipers
PostPosted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 9:34 am 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:05 am
Posts: 9191
Location: United States
First name: Waddy
Last Name: Thomson
City: Charlotte
State: NC
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
It will only give you an approximate reading, but that should be close enough. There are too many variables in tilt. If you had tiny points, it would be more accurate, but then you'd damage your surface. So, yes there is always a trade off.

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Thickness Calipers
PostPosted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 9:25 pm 
Offline
Koa
Koa
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 2:45 pm
Posts: 1336
Location: Calgary, Canada
Status: Amateur
Here's one I built about ten years ago based on the one in the benedetto book and still use today for archtops rough thicknessing. It gets me within 64ths which is usually close enough at least for me. A piece of maple, a small pulley, a guitar string, bent piece of 1/4" tubing and a piece off a broken tape measure.


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 17 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 36 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
phpBB customization services by 2by2host.com