A Tool Height Gauge

Mike Turner makes a simple gauge for tool height setting.

I have been looking for a simple way to make a simple gauge to adjust lathe cutting tools to centre height and in doing so making one which is universal to all lathes regardless of centre height without having to readjust each time or check that the gauge has not moved out of accurate position. I hope the following will be of interest to other readers.

The gauge, photo 1, can be made out of any bar stock around 20mm diameter. I will describe the sizes I used but they are not rigid and can be varied by the maker. Chuck a piece of 20mm diameter x 60mm long mild steel and face both ends.

Machining the flats