Slip Gauges

Hello. As a past fine limit sheet metal worker for over 25 years, now semi retired and out of engineering for over 15 years, I have started this new hobby of model engineering now around six months. I am surprised how much I enjoy being in the shed working on my lathe and mill, and using my hands making some small engines, as at the time in sheet metal work I hated every hour at the factory. I have purchased a lot of essential tooling needed for lathe and mill work but noticing only one thread on slip gauges has made me create this one. I purchased a set of slip gauges on e-bay last November, Precise, John Bailey 1964, a set we use to use years ago, I must say that they have been one of the most useful ofl toolsl . They are .862 inch square with around 60 gauges from 3 inch down to .100, I have used them as parallels, stops, height gauge for centering on the lathe, packing when drilling etc. As I have said with only one thread on slip gauges are other model engineers aware of how useful they are..

I have a full imperial set, used for checking slot widths/setting sine bars/marking out/checking micrometers. The list is endless.

Definitely on my list of things to get , Chronos have a set for 100 quid , we had inspectoin grade blocks at work to set micrometers and check components but for home workshop use these Chronos ones would be fine , just a shame they havnt got a metric set.

regards Geoff

i used to use them to set the depths of drilled holes on the depth stop.

Michael W

For any one interested...

**LINK**

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**LINK**

George

I got this old bakelite box of Coventry Matrix imperial slips on the auction site for peanuts. It was one of the best buys I ever made. Invaluable for all sorts of measuring/calibration but they really come into their own when used with my cheap Chinese dig height gauge for marking out / checking etc. I would not be without them!

Rik

Possibly not.

I have both imperial (81 blocks) and metric (87 blocks) sets, both Grade 1, bought 15+ years ago. I use them for checking micrometers, setting sine bars, accurate measurement of slot widths and accurate positioning of mating parts for machining.

For longer lengths (up to a few feet) I have sets of precision round bars that are useful for checking my larger micrometers and for calibrating DROs.

Andrew

It may be that those who have sets of slip gauges are clued up on their uses, and so, no questions or topics have arisen here (until now). That does not mean that they do not know how useful they are, but it might mean that others who don't know would benefit from guidance.

Perhaps there could be a series of one-page articles for MEW entitled 'How to get the best from ...' ?

Regards, Tim

Edited By Tim Stevens on 24/02/2016 13:33:46

> Perhaps there could be a series of one-page articles for MEW entitled 'How to get the best from ...' ?

Only if someone writes them

Neil

Hi Guys
AS  mentioned on this thread .  slips/ gauge blocks can be used with sine bar to set correct angles
Regards Nobby

Edited By Nobby on 24/02/2016 16:47:16

Another useful tool I have had for years but now showing wear is a optical centre punch. I remember paying a lot of money for it, but looking at Axminster they seem quite cheap..

Alot of people made simple screw jacks with a 0.5mm pitch or the imperial equivalent fine pitch. This was because many years ago gauge blocks were very expensive. The other alternative was to use adjustable parallels . Now gauge blocks are quite cheap and affordable. But to keep them in good order they used to have wear blocks to use in the outer of the stack to protect the very special surface finish. They can be easily damaged if no care is taken.

Neil

Also, when a stack of say four slips are needed each slip is placed at 90 degrees or so to another and given a firm twist another 90 degrees. This procedure makes the slips "stick" to each other and proves that there is no foreign matter in the sandwich. This twist of the wrist is know as "wringing". My slips are elderly and no longer wring properly but I'm not worried as I do not look for the precision called for in a grinding tool room type of environment.

Rik

Edited By Rik Shaw on 25/02/2016 09:26:37

.

And there, gentlemen, is the important bit ... Recycling.

We can feast on items of no further use to the Metrology Lab.

There are 'orders of magnitude' difference in the requirements of different users, and the trick is to find the donor whose 'worn-out' item is still ten times better than we need for our more modest purpose.

MichaelG.

Bob, precision slip gauges are as their name states 'gauges' for measuring things very accurately.

They should never be abused as stops or packing. I have a set of Moore & Wright slip gauges and they came in a padded box for a reason. What you do with yours is up to you.

* Danny M *

Getting used used slips to wring does seem to be tricky. It might help if they are cleaned thoroughly. Personally I don't think it matters that much unless inspection grade type results are needed and they are clean anyway. It doesn't really matter if they are metric or imperial either.

Ringing effectively means that there is no significant gap between them. It needs an incredibly fine surface finish.

Which reminds me that I have finished up with 2 sets some how so must put one set in the classified on here.

John

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Edited By Ajohnw on 25/02/2016 10:34:10

Rather by chance I bought a carbide set of slips which have the supreme advantage of not rusting as well as a much lower co-efficient of expansion - reduces the effects of hot fingers but complicates the issues when measuring against steel components. They are also more resistant to wear, although since I use mine 3 or 4 times per year, that is not a major advantage.

They cost me no more than the steel ones which were all listed as 'slight staining' or worse - maybe there are other disadvantages to carbide but I have yet to discover them!

I also have a tatty set with various degrees of surface rust which are only suitable for parallels or similar - they have long since gone past the point of being able to be wrung to anything and since they cost me next to nothing, it pleases me that I have some use from them.

Simon

The accessory sets for slip gauges always look useful to me, but usually go for lots of beer vouchers on our favourite auction site. for anyone who has not seen a set, it consists of various frames to hold a stack of slips together with a variety of fingers or points to take or set measurments, often includes a height gauge. Would look to have many uses if the need to work to very small limits should arise.

Mike

I agree that if you can get them solid carbide slips are much better than steel ones provided that you do not drop them or abuse them as they can chip a lot easier. The carbide slips last much longer than steel ones and take a better lapped finish. It's not long ago that a set of grade 1 or 2 slips cost over £1000.

The post from Danny about they should be used as gauges as a precision tool. The set I got from e-bay cost £30 and was the same type that we used when doing fine limit sheetmetal work, they were used as an adjustment aide when cutting, bending, punching holes using the fly press all types of fine limit adjustment. The welder actually had his own set when setting up using tig welding, if I remember correctly I think we had around five boxes of Precise John Bailey gauges to use. But obviously the tool shop had their own and God help you if you even looked at them, so if I paid a lot of money for a new box today I doubt if I would use them as the stuff I am turning out would not justify an expensive item.