Hi Harriet,
I would like to post a question. I need to buy a digital
micrometer that will read in gauges.
I don’t think there is such a tool, unless it was specially made for
someone. I’ve looked in several industrial supply catalogs that have
over 25 pages of different micrometers each, & none listed a
micrometer with a gauge readout.
I’d suggest you use a regular micrometer, or if you are checking
metal thicknesses all day you might consider an electronic micrometer
that has a digital indicator.
No matter which you use, you’ll have to refer to a chart that lists
the decimal equivalent of each gauge. If you look at the back side of
an American Standard (also known as a Browne & Sharpe) wire gauge
you’ll find the decimal size of each gauge listed. Conversion tables
of wire/sheet gauge to decimal or metric dimesions are also listed in
many metal working books.
Dave
This is a difficult problem as Gage number is not an exact
measurement but a measurement with relatively wide tolerances. For
quite a while now it is suggested that materials be sold to a
decimal measurement for thickness. Precious metals NEED to be sold
by weight because of the tolerance allowed for thickness by gage
standards. If you measure much material with reasonably good
tooling ( current digital micrometers) you will get a wide range
of thicknesses within a “gage"size. You will often find a material
that is within tolerance but is not the conversion table thickness.
how close the tolerance is actually held to the table number
depends on a lot of factors controlled by the manufacturer and his
tooling. You can buy a metal " gage” where the metal fits in a
slot or not for about $15.00. a decimal indicating caliper from $20
up, a snap type decimal indicator for about $200 . For what you
are asking you would need one of the decimal types with an output
to a PC programed with the gage numbers with the tolerance range
included in a special program system then costing about $X,000.00
to $ X0,000.00. ??? Jesse
Harriet, I have never seen a micrometer that measures in gauges.
Eventually, after you check the charts for the umteen-millionth time
you will have memorized the chart or at least the most common sizes
that you use. Spend some time with a chart and memorize it. That
seems to be the cheapest and fastest way around your problem.
Larry
I need to buy a digital micrometer that will read in gauges.
I’m not sure such an animal exist. The standard for measuring sheet
and wire is the Brown & Sharp Wire gauge. Nothing electrical, or
mechanical, no moving parts, $20.00 or less.
There may be speciality measuring tools available but without a
doubt, they will be very expensive, and most likely not suitable for
the small shop. It would be interesting to see what large metal
companies, IE Hoover and Strong, Stullers, Rio Grande, and such use
for measuring their sheet mill output.
Don
I need to buy a digital micrometer that will read in gauges.
Harriet, I’ve never seen a digital (or analog) guage calibrated in
traditional guages. I’ve two suggestions. One would be to do as many
smiths working in gold or platinum end up doing, learn to work in
millimeters. As a measuring system, It makes a lot more sense, is
then consistant with the measurements used for stones, and all in
all will end up making your life easier. Many of the rolling mills
today have adjustment dials calibrated in millimeters in any case, so
learning to work with that system of measurement will just make your
life simpler. Plus, I’d point out that if you’re rolling your own
sheet, you’ve no real reason to be making any one specific guage just
because that’s some decided upon number. make your sheet the
measurement you need, even if that happens to fall between guages.
Working with millimeter measurements, such adjustments are automatic
and intuitive. With the guages, they’re not always so. There’s
often a bit too much difference between guage numbers for comfort, in
some types of work.
But if you must have an accurate guage to read B&S guages, I’d
suggest rather than a digital instrument, get a decent dial type
caliper. this can also include the types sold for pearl
measurements, or the leveridge style guages. With these, you could
simply mark the additional on the appropriate spots on
the guage face with a marker, or if you like, open the front cover
of the dial and mark the dial face itself. then you’d have a custom
caliper to do what you need. You might also check the presidium
version of the leveridge guage. I have a dim memory that it does
more than just millimeters. might do metal guages or some such too.
but i’m not sure of that.
Easiest of all would simply be a nicely large type chart of guages
and their millimeter equivalents. The trick would be to make it on
graph paper, with a linear measurement in millimeters along the
graph, with the B&S guages arranged along it. This way, you start
with the digital millimeter guage measurement, look at the chart, and
not only can see where it relates to the B&S guages, but since the
chart is linear for the millimeter measurements, you get a visual
clue as to where you are between guages, and how much further to
roll, etc. And once you use that chart for a while, you’ll soon
learn to be more comfortable with just remember which millimeter
measurements you need in the first place, bring you to my first
suggestion, skip the guage numbers altogether (grin)
Peter
I need to buy a digital micrometer that will read in gauges.
Harriet Berliner
Hello Harriet: I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a creature. You’ll
likely have to settle for metric or inches and use a conversion table
to determine the guage equivalents. You can get a good, affordable
digital caliper from Harbor Freight at http://www.harborfreight.com or
get a catalog from A&A Supply for a good selection of measuring
devices, metric or inch micrometers, digital or otherwise.
http://www.aajewelry.com
David L. Huffman
I have looked at lots of these and never seen one in B&S Gauges. You
may just have to memorize the measurements. It is not that hard.
There is a chart in almost every jewelry making book.Bill