# Reasonably priced height gauge



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

For anyone looking for a reasonably priced height gauge this one should do the job. No electronic module to fail and no batteries to replace. Should work well for router and table saw. I've dealt with Cripe Distributing several times in the past and they are a very good outfit to deal with. They also ship to Canada and will do so as cheaply as they can. Vermont American 23476 Depth Gauge 4" or 10cm | eBay


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> For anyone looking for a reasonably priced height gauge this one should do the job.


that beats my Trend...


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I don't know about you Stick but I've started avoiding digital tools in favor of the old school ones you have to read for yourself. The digital ones only seem to last a few years. Neither the Trend or this VA gauge appear to be all that well built but with just a little bit of care when using they should be good for at least 15-20 years I figure and maybe longer.
The stainless steel calipers that I have will probably outlast me by one more lifetime.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> I don't know about you Stick but I've started avoiding digital tools in favor of the old school ones you have to read for yourself. The digital ones only seem to last a few years. Neither the Trend or this VA gauge appear to be all that well built but with just a little bit of care when using they should be good for at least 15-20 years I figure and maybe longer.
> The stainless steel calipers that I have will probably outlast me by one more lifetime.


I have one digital... angle gage similar to the Wiggy...

that Trend costs 3 time what yours did...


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I have a Starrett digital caliper that I needed for work. I had to measure something coming off a production line 10 at a time every 15 minutes or so and needed an instantaneous reading to 1000ths. But it cost $180 and is hard on batteries in my opinion. At home I have a little more time and don't need the luxury of instant readout.


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

Both those gauges look good to me, I've never used one on the TS, I'd be leery of trusting it, (TS) mine anyway, I always creep up to my marks then lock and hope I don't have to go back later for a repeat cut.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Ron, as far as I'm concerned, any gauge like these is just to get you close for the trial cut. I'm not sure I'd trust a digital gauge any better, at least not at first. That's if you really need to be that accurate. In many cases, the rough measurement with these would be good enough. The price plus shipping is about the price of as fast food meal deal but this one will stick with you longer so if you use it much at all will be a good deal.


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## Multiwood (Feb 24, 2013)

It is good to know that Vermont American makes something good. Most of there tools and bits (the ones that I have seen) are made in China and are junk.


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## ksidwy (Jul 13, 2013)

Very handy!
Sid


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## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

On the TS I use my set up blocks up to 1" more than that I use my square. For use on the router I use eyeball trial and error. Been doing it this way for 50 years and it works for me. To each his or her own but I think sometimes people get caught up in new "improved" gadgets and miss out of the joy of using their ability to use the tools they have at hand. Somethings as Charles said require precision measurements but most of woodworking is not and cannot be that accurate. JMO


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## MT Born (Oct 29, 2014)

Thanks for the tip Charles. I just ordered one!


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## GregLittleWoodworks (Dec 9, 2014)

I use dial calipers for a lot of my work. I have looked, and continue to look for a dial caliper height gauge but haven't found one yet. I did purchase a Wixey digital height gauge and it does a good job but those small little flat batteries just don't last. I never had to change a battery in my Starrett dial caliper yet.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

GregLittleWoodworks said:


> I use dial calipers for a lot of my work. I have looked, and continue to look for a dial caliper height gauge but haven't found one yet. I did purchase a Wixey digital height gauge and it does a good job but those small little flat batteries just don't last. I never had to change a battery in my Starrett dial caliper yet.


How to use and read a dial caliper correctly


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

the Bench dog lift has a very accurate hgt adjustment its been a great bene to me replicating hgts


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## al m (Dec 13, 2012)

I agree with Greg,dial caliper over digital,just keep the rack clean


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## GregLittleWoodworks (Dec 9, 2014)

There are a number of dial height gauges that I have found but all of them seem to be designed with metric dials and not in fractions. if anyone comes across a fraction oriented dial height indicator please let me know.

There are many other ways that I use to measure height..but I do like my shop toys


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I don't think I've ever seen a fractional height gauge except for ones like this thread is about or Stick's Trend. The real deal is for machining and machinists don't work in fractions. I did find this dial caliper with fractional and decimal inch. Lee Valley Tools - Important Announcement


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## al m (Dec 13, 2012)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> I don't think I've ever seen a fractional height gauge except for ones like this thread is about or Stick's Trend. The real deal is for machining and machinists don't work in fractions. I did find this dial caliper with fractional and decimal inch. Lee Valley Tools - Important Announcement


I have never thought of it like that,decimal equililents are so implanted in my head ,.125 is 1/8 and vice versa and so ,don't even realize I am converting at times


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

al m said:


> I have never thought of it like that,decimal equililents are so implanted in my head ,.125 is 1/8 and vice versa and so ,don't even realize I am converting at times


+1 I sometime have to think when I get to 1/32nds but it's not that hard. Worth memorizing.

by the way, some of the Wixey gauges do imperial fractions.

Also, for many things, the actual measurement isn't even a multiple 1/8s or 1/16s. When was the last time 1/2" plywood was actually .500"?


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

Same for me, I framed for nearly 26 yrs, converting decimal to fractions, back and forth was nearly a daily activity. I was taught to do my own calcs for rafters and stairs from the crew I learned most from. We had books and calculators on the jobsite but if the book or calc ain't there what're you going do. There's always a pencil and chunk of wood to scribble on.

True once you memorize the equivalents down to 1/64 adding subtracting and multiplying is easy.


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## bruce thom (Apr 2, 2008)

Made my own..
Less expensive that way and Hey we are woodworkers Yes?
























Magnets hold my metal ruler


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

I have this one that works very well for height, depth and set back...
it's from Trend...
digital is available...
SAE and metric...


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Abthom said:


> Made my own..
> Less expensive that way and Hey we are woodworkers Yes?
> View attachment 133329
> 
> ...


I agree with you. Shop made is always more satisfying to use. That's a nice job by the way.


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## Ray Newman (Mar 9, 2009)

As another poster utilizes, I also work with set up blocks. Lee Valley has very useful sets: 

Veritas® Set-Up Blocks - Lee Valley Tools

I find that I am reaching for the set up blocks more and more. And I recommend the 19 piece primary set (Imperial measurements). Metric sets also available.

Also have another useful tool that works very well --Garrett Wade "Hi-Gauge Attachment for Combo Squares": 

Hi-Gage Square Attachment

Price is right, US$29.99 + S/H. No batteries and easily attaches to a square.

And speakin' of Lee Valley, another useful gizmo-- VERITAS tapered gauge: 

Veritas® Tapered Gauges - Lee Valley Tools


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

All good choices Ray. Quite a few members use brass keyway stock as set up bars also.


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## 163481 (Jul 8, 2015)

This one was VERY reasonably priced...made entirely of scraps I had laying around. (The vertical element is really straight up and down...I tilted the camera.) Works well on the TS, should work equally well on the router table.


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