Made one!! Very similar, pointer probably four times longer than yours. So quick to swap tools around in holders now. I was making more and more tool holders, because of the hassle changing tools (I'm up to twenty two holders). So thank you very much.
Mark !!! That's excellent.... So pleased that one of my ideas has helped someone. As you said, setting a new tool to height is unbelievably quick using this simple tool. Thanks for letting me know, you made my day 😊😊😊 Cheers Neil
Nice design. I’d add one thing to it though. I’d put a small flat on the shaft where your clamping screw is. This way it won’t get messed up from the clamping screw. Or you could use a screw with a nylon tip as well. Good job young man 🤙🏻
I like it, it has an old tool look, plus I try to make whatever tool I possibly can instead of purchasing someone else’s, it helps you to grow your talents and appreciate it every time you use it. “A sense of self accomplishment”
Hi Manny !!! I have only a few tool holders and I can fit a different tool and set its height in seconds now 😊 It does look like a tool from the past but it's the fastest method of high setting that i know of. If you make one, keep the indicator arm long and the contact point short. That way you get a high ratio and better accuracy. Thanks for coming by, it is really appreciated Cheers Neil 😊😊😊
Hi Steve and thanks for the kind comment. It was an out of the head idea and design. Works well but as others have mentioned, the ratio needs to be increased. Cheers Neil
That's really nice! As your friend said, I think increasing the leverage so that it is more sensitive is a great idea. It is very old-school and yet very useful. Well done!
Simplicity! All things being equal, the simplest solution is usually the best! Life is complicated enough without taking it into our love and hobbies.. It's just a very simple solution to a common problem. Thanks so much for coming by and commenting. All the very best to you , Neil
Eyup Neil Nice to hear from you, Ingenous, i'm not laughing !! i will need one soon with my knee, back, neck etc etc starting to creak, its now number 189 on my to do list. trouble is i cross one off then 10 get added to it🤔🤔👍👍👍👍👍👍 ATB Kev
Cheers Digg More !!! Only a simple solution to my problem. Hopefully others will benefit too. Thanks for watching and the comment. Always appreciated. Neil 😊😊😊
Thanks for coming by! It was only done to make life easier for me. If it helps anyone else, it's a massive bonus 😊 Thanks so much for commenting. Cheers Neil
Hj Mick! If you make one, keep the hammer arm short and the indicator needle long. The higher the ratio, the greater the accuracy. Good to hear from you, Cheers Neil
Cheers Taff 😊😊😊 No worries about the hurt. Abused myself physically when I was young (work wise I mean) and paying the price now. Great to hear from you! Cheers Neil ( also a Taff🤣)
@@tonypewton5821 its gotten me in trouble too! I designed, fabricated and fitted a counterweight system for a 700 tonne per hour bucket elevator. On its trial run, my boss said, "great idea you brought back from Germany on your last visit there". Germany??? I said, I came up with this design when I was pi##ed. I was in a takeaway as saw the pizza cutter and thought single wheel, centre counterweight column. Ideal for the elevators. He went nuts with me 🤣🤣🤣
I think it is absolutely brilliant! 👍 Just to add a thought, you can also shorten the length of your "hammer" arm, to increase accuracy. The leverage ratio is the hammer arm distance from pivot compared to needle pointer distance from pivot. Another option would be to glue something really hard onto the head of your anvil bolt. A little flat piece of carbide or HSS. I made a tool height setter for my CNC and used a tiny piece of hardened glass, it is very hard and very flat. It doesnt get chewed up from carbide cutting tools being pushed into it.
Great comment ! Yes, half the hammer length will double the ratio! That's the word I couldn't find when I was recording. RATIO!! Go for a real bearing if you make one and use stops on the flag plate instead of the hammer as I did. I dont draw designs, it's done in my head as i go along. Bigger the ratio, better the results 😊😊😊 Thanks for the creative comments, really confirms my thoughts! Cheers Neil 👍
That's very kind of you! Wish I could help out in some way but I have physical disabilities and no income so my uploads are limited to the materials I have to work with. You are more than welcome to use my videos to promote Homemade Tools when I upload them. But please understand that I can only spend short periods of time in my workshop due to health issues and I have limited access to materials to work with. Kind regards, Neil
Andrew, got to love your train of though. It's based on an old shop scales, in an old corner shop that I remember in the late 60s 😊 You want a lb of potatoes, you put a pound weight on the opposite side and make the pointer go to 0 ! Got to love simplicity 😊😊😊 Take care, Neil
@@NellsMechanicalManCave Hi Neil. I suspect we are of a similar age and have similar memories. I do remember such scales used at our local shops. Happy days shopping with my mum when I was a lad in the 60’s.
@@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian I was born in 1966 but can still remember everything from the age of 3 😊 Growing up in the valleys, there was a tin shed at the bottom of our street which was a shop run by Ivor. There was a big old cast iron balance scales on the floor for weighing potatoes and us kids played at keeping the pointer jn the middle. Can even remember the balance scales on the back of the coal lorries. Happy days😊😊😊
@@NellsMechanicalManCave I’m 1960 vintage and my memories go back to 1963. Life was more visually interesting in the pre digital age. All cogs, levers and wheels. As you say, happy days. 😀
Greetings from Canada. I just found your channel from a search for a better tool height gauge. I like the style of your Ollie Gauge. And your buddy is right about the needle. Or if you can live with the slightly reduced reach of the anvil arm you could also re-drill it about 10mm shorter and shorten that arm. But really for this use the leverage ratio you have at just slightly over 1 is fine. Your design is also using the same idea as some older low cost indicators or indicators that might have been shop made by their users. It's an old style for sure. I was going to do a fixed height one but I rather like the idea of the needle and the more visual setting instead of working by feel. Anyway, you have a new subscriber now. I saw some of the older videos that I need to go and watch now.
Hi Bruce and thanks for the sub, it's always appreciated 😊 The needle was double the length but I had a brain fart and cut it down, that's the disadvantage of design and build on the run. If you do make one, use a small needle or roller bearing instead of a bush, I think it will be more reliable over time. The other suggestion I would make and will do in the future is put the travel limits for the needle on the flag face not in the block. Like the old gauges on cars. Only drawback with a shorter arm is weight. The shorter the arm the less positive weight on that side. But if a bearing is used there shouldn't be an issue. Thanks again for the sub !,! Best regards Neil...
@@NellsMechanicalManCave I've got lots of little bearing units from old computer hard drives. About 10mm diameter by 10mm long. One of those will be perfect for the bearing. Find a few old hard drives of your own over your way and pull the bearing hubs out of the head arms. Or even modify one of the head arms to be your pointer hub. Super fine and super free moving.
Well done Neil, I like your design as I lost an eye and it is very difficult to accurately set a gauge with one eye and I normally to check by feel but I do make errors.Your method with the needle seems to be the best for my case,thank you I will get to it asap.
Hi Grey, As stated,, increase the ratio between the arm and the indicator pointer. Other than that , it works great. Thanks fir coming by 😊 Cheers Neil!
It was only an idea floating around inside my head. If you read some of the comments, you will see that we all decided on a shorter arm that sits on the tool and a longer pointer. Greater ratio so more accurate. Thanks for coming by, Cheers Neil
Got your name on it mate ! If you didnt donate the materials, I wouldn't of made it. OTiS ! Ollys Tool Setter. Thanks mate for the metal ! Oh,,,, and the cider 🥃🥃
David, Its an idea or concept. If you improve on the basic idea, my job is done! Just share the idea with me or others. Electronic sounds great. Cant wait to see what you come up with. Thanks for the comment All the very best. Neil
I know I am a late comer. But, I don't understand exactly why you would need to make the stem of the device a tube. Why do you drill this bar out into a tube. I must be missing something. Thank you for the video. This is a great idea and has good use even if you would like to run just a little low or a little high the indicator could be marked as such. Great idea you have here.
Hi Glenn ! I simply had a brain fart 😁 Because the stainless steel bar was long, l was going to make the tube long . This is a drawback of not working from a drawing. I like to wing it most of the time and love to think and build spontaneously! Doesn't always go to plan though 🤣🤣 Thanks so much for coming by. Cheers Neil
Hi David. It works well but,,,,, The ratio between the arm and indicator needs to be greater and a real bearing used at the pivot point. When I get back in the workshop I will make these changes myself. Thanks for coming by and commenting, Cheers Neil
Looks great and I love the idea. Why does the tube need to be hollow for its full length? If you've already got the rod couldn't you just bore the same length hole in a longer bar?
You know what? Didn't thing of that! This is why I love people like you. The world needs more people like you who think outside the box. Brilliant 😊😊😊😊😊 I'll do that on my next visit to the workshop. Thanks for that. Neil
@@wistrel6371 I think Andy I got a bit of tunnel vision at the time. I design in my head and almost never do a drawing. Initially the flag and the hammer were separate on the stainless steel rod but alignment was a fiddle. That's when I added the tube and cut the bar to suit. As soon as I read you comment I realised I had a dippy moment. Thanks for waking me up on that one. Haven't stopped smiling ☺ Cheers Neil
Hi John, It's just so simple to use. I'm limited with tool holders and this is so quick. I can change and then set a tool in a holder in seconds. Probably one of my best time saving ideas yet. Thanks for coming by.. Neil 😊😊
Any chance you have any drawings for this tool. I am a total newbie to anything to do with machining. All the help with learning from other ideas/drawing would help a lot.. Cheers. from Aust.
Hi there ! Sorry my friend but I don't work from drawings. I design everything in my head as I make each individual part. That's why sometimes things dont quite work. Think of this as a balance scale or a seesaw. There is more weight on the side that touches the cutting tool so it stays in contact because of gravity. The pointer is directly above the pivot hole and needs to be a minimum of 4 times longer that the distance from the pivot hole to the point where the cutting tool touches. This gives you a ratio of 4:1. That's it really. Make a small seesaw on the table and move the pivot point back and fore. You will see how it can effect the amount of travel. Cheers Neil
Outstanding! It gives
'mechanical advantage'
a whole new meaning…
Made one!! Very similar, pointer probably four times longer than yours. So quick to swap tools around in holders now. I was making more and more tool holders, because of the hassle changing tools (I'm up to twenty two holders). So thank you very much.
Mark !!!
That's excellent.... So pleased that one of my ideas has helped someone.
As you said, setting a new tool to height is unbelievably quick using this simple tool.
Thanks for letting me know, you made my day 😊😊😊
Cheers Neil
Very nice tool!!! I like it better than the levels.
Nice design. I’d add one thing to it though. I’d put a small flat on the shaft where your clamping screw is. This way it won’t get messed up from the clamping screw. Or you could use a screw with a nylon tip as well. Good job young man 🤙🏻
I like it, it has an old tool look, plus I try to make whatever tool I possibly can instead of purchasing someone else’s, it helps you to grow your talents and appreciate it every time you use it. “A sense of self accomplishment”
Hi Manny !!!
I have only a few tool holders and I can fit a different tool and set its height in seconds now 😊
It does look like a tool from the past but it's the fastest method of high setting that i know of.
If you make one, keep the indicator arm long and the contact point short. That way you get a high ratio and better accuracy.
Thanks for coming by, it is really appreciated
Cheers Neil 😊😊😊
Really good idea ,yeah I like that . I've not seen anything that gives as clear an indication as that or quick to use anywhere.
Hi Steve and thanks for the kind comment.
It was an out of the head idea and design. Works well but as others have mentioned, the ratio needs to be increased.
Cheers Neil
That's really nice! As your friend said, I think increasing the leverage so that it is more sensitive is a great idea. It is very old-school and yet very useful. Well done!
Simplicity!
All things being equal, the simplest solution is usually the best!
Life is complicated enough without taking it into our love and hobbies..
It's just a very simple solution to a common problem.
Thanks so much for coming by and commenting.
All the very best to you , Neil
Eyup Neil
Nice to hear from you,
Ingenous, i'm not laughing !! i will need one soon with my knee, back, neck etc etc starting to creak,
its now number 189 on my to do list. trouble is i cross one off then 10 get added to it🤔🤔👍👍👍👍👍👍
ATB
Kev
I just want to tell you that your mini lathe construction videos are brilliant. looking forward to the next one.
Got to prioritize my mate !
Us old gits are only allocated a certain amount of shed time per year 🤣🤣🤣
That is very good. I'm not laughing and it doesn't look poncey. It is good to see you posting again.
Hi Carl !!
It's been a tough year. Hope to be able to access the shed more now things are getting warmer.
cheers Neil..
@@NellsMechanicalManCave I am glad to know you are through it and back doing things that feed the soul.
Quite ingenious Neil. Love it. Especially if it saves you pain . Double wammy.
Regards.
Steve.
Brilliant, thank you for posting.
I like it. Gives me an idea for an electronic model with a LED that lights when it's right
That sounds like a great idea !
Cheers Neil 😊😊
Another clever Man Cave idea! Well done Nell!
You ok Dan?
I haven't been around much, but neither have you!
Very clever stuff
Very very nice really like the idea. Spot on
Cheers Digg More !!!
Only a simple solution to my problem. Hopefully others will benefit too.
Thanks for watching and the comment. Always appreciated.
Neil 😊😊😊
Very nice work. A clever solution.
Thanks for coming by!
It was only done to make life easier for me. If it helps anyone else, it's a massive bonus 😊
Thanks so much for commenting.
Cheers Neil
That's brilliant! I'm definitely making an Ollie Toolsetter.
Hj Mick!
If you make one, keep the hammer arm short and the indicator needle long. The higher the ratio, the greater the accuracy.
Good to hear from you,
Cheers Neil
Lush... I need one and such a brill idea. Sorry you are hurting. Greetings from a Penarth boy living in Houston...
Cheers Taff 😊😊😊
No worries about the hurt. Abused myself physically when I was young (work wise I mean) and paying the price now. Great to hear from you!
Cheers Neil ( also a Taff🤣)
Spring has sprung time to switch on and make some chips. Good to see you back
Hey ! RB....
Doing my best 😊
Bit short on material and ideas, but will come up with something soon.
Great to hear from you!
Best Wishes.
Neil 👍👍
Well that's a jolly good idea. 👍🏻
Thanks Stephen !
Ideas are like chocolate, got to share 😊😊😊
Awesome I have been wanting to make one but didn't know how to make such an improvement. Thank you !!
Now that my friend is genious! Fantastic idea! Good to see you back!
Regards Tony.
Hi Tony.
Just another mad idea out of my twisted mind 🤣🤣🤣
Good to hear from you !!
Cheers Neil
@@NellsMechanicalManCave I love the way you think and your different approach to problems! 😃
Regards Tony.
@@tonypewton5821 its gotten me in trouble too!
I designed, fabricated and fitted a counterweight system for a 700 tonne per hour bucket elevator.
On its trial run, my boss said, "great idea you brought back from Germany on your last visit there".
Germany??? I said, I came up with this design when I was pi##ed. I was in a takeaway as saw the pizza cutter and thought single wheel, centre counterweight column. Ideal for the elevators. He went nuts with me 🤣🤣🤣
@@NellsMechanicalManCave 🤣🤣🤣 love it!
I think it is absolutely brilliant! 👍
Just to add a thought, you can also shorten the length of your "hammer" arm, to increase accuracy.
The leverage ratio is the hammer arm distance from pivot compared to needle pointer distance from pivot.
Another option would be to glue something really hard onto the head of your anvil bolt. A little flat piece of carbide or HSS. I made a tool height setter for my CNC and used a tiny piece of hardened glass, it is very hard and very flat. It doesnt get chewed up from carbide cutting tools being pushed into it.
Great comment !
Yes, half the hammer length will double the ratio!
That's the word I couldn't find when I was recording. RATIO!!
Go for a real bearing if you make one and use stops on the flag plate instead of the hammer as I did.
I dont draw designs, it's done in my head as i go along. Bigger the ratio, better the results 😊😊😊
Thanks for the creative comments, really confirms my thoughts!
Cheers Neil 👍
brilliant neil love this, thanks Jim , hope to get back in my shop soon.. regards Jim
Hi Jim !
Simple idea from a simple man 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Thanks for commenting,
Cheers Neil 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Hi Neil, not poncey at all, and I am definitely not laughing! Very well thought out design. Nicely done. Cheers, Jon
Hi Jon !
Odd things happen inside my tiny mind. This is just the product of a bit of my mental madness 🤣🤣🤣🤣
good video neill
Nice job
Love it Neil, hope you are doing well.
Best wishes, Dean.
I'm ok thanks Dean.
Just waiting to get into the spinal trauma centre. Hope to be up and doing a boogie soon 🤣🤣🤣
Good work. We shared this video on our homemade tools forum this week 😎
That's very kind of you!
Wish I could help out in some way but I have physical disabilities and no income so my uploads are limited to the materials I have to work with.
You are more than welcome to use my videos to promote Homemade Tools when I upload them. But please understand that I can only spend short periods of time in my workshop due to health issues and I have limited access to materials to work with.
Kind regards,
Neil
Thank you for showing “Otis”. Such a clever design. Has the look of a Victorian instrument. Glad to see you posting again. 👏👏👍😀
Andrew, got to love your train of though.
It's based on an old shop scales, in an old corner shop that I remember in the late 60s 😊
You want a lb of potatoes, you put a pound weight on the opposite side and make the pointer go to 0 !
Got to love simplicity 😊😊😊
Take care, Neil
@@NellsMechanicalManCave Hi Neil. I suspect we are of a similar age and have similar memories. I do remember such scales used at our local shops. Happy days shopping with my mum when I was a lad in the 60’s.
@@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian I was born in 1966 but can still remember everything from the age of 3 😊
Growing up in the valleys, there was a tin shed at the bottom of our street which was a shop run by Ivor.
There was a big old cast iron balance scales on the floor for weighing potatoes and us kids played at keeping the pointer jn the middle. Can even remember the balance scales on the back of the coal lorries.
Happy days😊😊😊
@@NellsMechanicalManCave I’m 1960 vintage and my memories go back to 1963. Life was more visually interesting in the pre digital age. All cogs, levers and wheels. As you say, happy days. 😀
Greetings from Canada. I just found your channel from a search for a better tool height gauge. I like the style of your Ollie Gauge. And your buddy is right about the needle. Or if you can live with the slightly reduced reach of the anvil arm you could also re-drill it about 10mm shorter and shorten that arm. But really for this use the leverage ratio you have at just slightly over 1 is fine. Your design is also using the same idea as some older low cost indicators or indicators that might have been shop made by their users. It's an old style for sure. I was going to do a fixed height one but I rather like the idea of the needle and the more visual setting instead of working by feel. Anyway, you have a new subscriber now. I saw some of the older videos that I need to go and watch now.
Hi Bruce and thanks for the sub, it's always appreciated 😊
The needle was double the length but I had a brain fart and cut it down, that's the disadvantage of design and build on the run.
If you do make one, use a small needle or roller bearing instead of a bush, I think it will be more reliable over time. The other suggestion I would make and will do in the future is put the travel limits for the needle on the flag face not in the block. Like the old gauges on cars.
Only drawback with a shorter arm is weight. The shorter the arm the less positive weight on that side. But if a bearing is used there shouldn't be an issue.
Thanks again for the sub !,!
Best regards
Neil...
@@NellsMechanicalManCave I've got lots of little bearing units from old computer hard drives. About 10mm diameter by 10mm long. One of those will be perfect for the bearing. Find a few old hard drives of your own over your way and pull the bearing hubs out of the head arms. Or even modify one of the head arms to be your pointer hub. Super fine and super free moving.
@@brucematthews6417 thanks for the tip Bruce, I'll do that 😁
Cheers Neil
Great looking and functioning tool.
Hi there !
It works and makes life easier. So it's a win for me and anyone who makes the same. Thanks for watching and the comment.
Cheers Neil 😊😊
Well done Neil, I like your design as I lost an eye and it is very difficult to accurately set a gauge with one eye and I normally to check by feel but I do make errors.Your method with the needle seems to be the best for my case,thank you I will get to it asap.
Hi Grey,
As stated,, increase the ratio between the arm and the indicator pointer. Other than that , it works great.
Thanks fir coming by 😊
Cheers Neil!
I love it. Well Done.
It was only an idea floating around inside my head.
If you read some of the comments, you will see that we all decided on a shorter arm that sits on the tool and a longer pointer. Greater ratio so more accurate.
Thanks for coming by,
Cheers Neil
That's rerally nice.
Hi !
Just a simple idea to make life easier. No expensive parts and can be made quickly.
Thanks for coming by
All the best
Neil
Good work and an interesting idea. Cheers.
Thanks Ben.
Simple idea that makes life easier for me 😊😊😊😊😊
@@NellsMechanicalManCave They make life easier for everyone.
That's great, I like it. I might have to make my own one!
Got your name on it mate !
If you didnt donate the materials, I wouldn't of made it.
OTiS ! Ollys Tool Setter.
Thanks mate for the metal !
Oh,,,, and the cider 🥃🥃
@@NellsMechanicalManCave Ollys Tool*i*ng Setter! That's where the "i" comes from! 😁
Like it, like it a lot👍🏼🙂
Out of the box thinking my mate 😊😊
A very good idea, going to build one alike or maybe electronically with a piezo or something similar
David, Its an idea or concept. If you improve on the basic idea, my job is done! Just share the idea with me or others. Electronic sounds great. Cant wait to see what you come up with.
Thanks for the comment
All the very best.
Neil
I think it looks cute :)
And if it helps you, it's a double win.
Thanks Michel, got to keep that back straight 😊😊😊
I know I am a late comer. But, I don't understand exactly why you would need to make the stem of the device a tube. Why do you drill this bar out into a tube. I must be missing something. Thank you for the video. This is a great idea and has good use even if you would like to run just a little low or a little high the indicator could be marked as such. Great idea you have here.
Hi Glenn !
I simply had a brain fart 😁
Because the stainless steel bar was long, l was going to make the tube long .
This is a drawback of not working from a drawing. I like to wing it most of the time and love to think and build spontaneously! Doesn't always go to plan though 🤣🤣
Thanks so much for coming by.
Cheers Neil
Great idea 👍👏👏🙏
Can also be used for many other setups 🤔
Hi David.
It works well but,,,,,
The ratio between the arm and indicator needs to be greater and a real bearing used at the pivot point.
When I get back in the workshop I will make these changes myself.
Thanks for coming by and commenting,
Cheers Neil
Looks great and I love the idea. Why does the tube need to be hollow for its full length? If you've already got the rod couldn't you just bore the same length hole in a longer bar?
You know what?
Didn't thing of that!
This is why I love people like you.
The world needs more people like you who think outside the box.
Brilliant 😊😊😊😊😊
I'll do that on my next visit to the workshop.
Thanks for that.
Neil
🙂
It's always easier to spot these things when you're lookimg over someones shoulder.
Thanks for the videos.
Andy
@@wistrel6371 I think Andy I got a bit of tunnel vision at the time. I design in my head and almost never do a drawing. Initially the flag and the hammer were separate on the stainless steel rod but alignment was a fiddle. That's when I added the tube and cut the bar to suit. As soon as I read you comment I realised I had a dippy moment. Thanks for waking me up on that one. Haven't stopped smiling ☺
Cheers Neil
Very nice…I’ve seen similar devices, but using a dti to zero the position..
Hi John,
It's just so simple to use. I'm limited with tool holders and this is so quick. I can change and then set a tool in a holder in seconds. Probably one of my best time saving ideas yet.
Thanks for coming by..
Neil 😊😊
Any chance you have any drawings for this tool. I am a total newbie to anything to do with machining. All the help with learning from other ideas/drawing would help a lot.. Cheers. from Aust.
Hi there !
Sorry my friend but I don't work from drawings. I design everything in my head as I make each individual part.
That's why sometimes things dont quite work.
Think of this as a balance scale or a seesaw. There is more weight on the side that touches the cutting tool so it stays in contact because of gravity.
The pointer is directly above the pivot hole and needs to be a minimum of 4 times longer that the distance from the pivot hole to the point where the cutting tool touches.
This gives you a ratio of 4:1.
That's it really. Make a small seesaw on the table and move the pivot point back and fore. You will see how it can effect the amount of travel.
Cheers Neil