Pin gauges

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Rbraniganpipes
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Pin gauges

Post by Rbraniganpipes »

I am in the market for a good set of pin gauges, and was hoping that you guys may have some suggestions as to what you have used and had success with, and what to look for in a good quality set.
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sandahlpipe
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Re: Pin gauges

Post by sandahlpipe »

Got mine off eBay. Nothing special. Make sure they're long enough to chuck on your lathe and get the tool between the jaws and the piece is all I worried about.
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Re: Pin gauges

Post by LatakiaLover »

UFOs must be real. There's no other explanation for cats.
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Re: Pin gauges

Post by scotties22 »

I think I got mine from either enco or msc. I can't remember. I want to say I paid about $45 for the set that goes to .250" and about $60 for the set from .251" - .500"
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kamkiel
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Re: Pin gauges

Post by kamkiel »

scotties22 wrote:I think I got mine from either enco or msc. I can't remember. I want to say I paid about $45 for the set that goes to .250" and about $60 for the set from .251" - .500"
How many come in a set?
caskwith
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Re: Pin gauges

Post by caskwith »

If you own a metal lathe, which I assume you must to be wanting a ping gauge set then make your own. Most sizes can be standardised, for instance I use 1 size of tenon on 99% of my pipes, so when I have need for a ping gauge (rarely) I can make my own to suit that purpose and then just keep it on hand for the future.
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W.Pastuch
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Re: Pin gauges

Post by W.Pastuch »

Ping gauges hehe :lol: <insert appropriate IT joke> ;)

Pin gauges are ridiculously expensive in Europe, so I just turn my own whenever I need to. Mild steel is plenty strong for pipemaking use, no need to have them hardened and ground like the professional sets are. For larger diameters aluminum will work just fine and is easier and faster to turn.
caskwith
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Re: Pin gauges

Post by caskwith »

W.Pastuch wrote:Ping gauges hehe :lol: <insert appropriate IT joke> ;)

Pin gauges are ridiculously expensive in Europe, so I just turn my own whenever I need to. Mild steel is plenty strong for pipemaking use, no need to have them hardened and ground like the professional sets are. For larger diameters aluminum will work just fine and is easier and faster to turn.
Yes they are very expensive here in the UK too. If you could buy individual gauges for a good price I would just buy the sizes I use but they only seem to be in sets.
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Tyler
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Re: Pin gauges

Post by Tyler »

I recommend the cheapest set you can find on eBay. We aren't using them for their intended purpose, and we absolutely don't need the accuracy of the high dollar sets.

As for the set -v- individual gages, to me the whole point is the set. Every hole we drill can fluctuate in diameter a little. How dry is the briar? How dry is the atmosphere? How long after I drill do I pin it up? The beauty of a set is none of that matters. You can go up or down by a thou., and get a perfect fit no mater what. Granted, we'll never use every gage, it I bet I've used 80+ of mine. (Not all for mortises - my drilling isn't that erratic, but once you use them you'll find LOTS of uses for them.)
scotties22
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Re: Pin gauges

Post by scotties22 »

kamkiel wrote:
scotties22 wrote:I think I got mine from either enco or msc. I can't remember. I want to say I paid about $45 for the set that goes to .250" and about $60 for the set from .251" - .500"
How many come in a set?

My sets go up by thousandths, so quite a few. I have gone through a half dozen pins looking for one that is just the size I need.
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scotties22
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Re: Pin gauges

Post by scotties22 »

Tyler wrote:I recommend the cheapest set you can find on eBay. We aren't using them for their intended purpose, and we absolutely don't need the accuracy of the high dollar sets.

As for the set -v- individual gages, to me the whole point is the set. Every hole we drill can fluctuate in diameter a little. How dry is the briar? How dry is the atmosphere? How long after I drill do I pin it up? The beauty of a set is none of that matters. You can go up or down by a thou., and get a perfect fit no mater what. Granted, we'll never use every gage, it I bet I've used 80+ of mine. (Not all for mortises - my drilling isn't that erratic, but once you use them you'll find LOTS of uses for them.)
Exactly. I use mine just about every day for something. I keep meaning to get the next size up set and just never get around it. I got mine on sale, by the way, and they were cheaper new than the ones that were on ebay at the time.
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Rbraniganpipes
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Re: Pin gauges

Post by Rbraniganpipes »

Thanks for all of the advice everyone. I greatly appreciate it. I am looking to purchase a set because I ran into an issue where using my forester bit to true up the shank of my pipe didn't do such an accurate job, and my stem fit has a gap. I used one of the chuck tightening pins i had, which conveniently fit my mortise hole, and spun my pipe on that, while using my parting tool on my wood lathe to try and true up the shank face. It seemed to work well, but I'm sure pin gauges would help. Im also currently in the market for a metal lathe, so having that replace my current methods will hopefully help prevent this issue from occurring in the future.

Im gladly accepting suggestions for metal lathe sizes and models to consider if you all have any suggestions.
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sandahlpipe
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Re: Pin gauges

Post by sandahlpipe »

I got a PM 12x36 after using my 7x14 Chinese lathe for 3 years. I couldn't be happier with my lathe. I would have bought an old American used lathe if they had been more readily available when I bought and if I had been more comfortable with fixing machines at the time.

I managed to destroy the cams in my chuck by not knowing what the heck I was doing when I tried to remove the chuck the first time. I sent PM an email to ask what the cost of the parts I broke would be and they sent them right out-no charge. So I would definitely say the downside of the Foreign lathe is overcome by a good American support.

I did, however, have to wait a while before the unit shipped to me from the time I ordered it.
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Charl
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Re: Pin gauges

Post by Charl »

Here in SA people don't even know what they are. For that reason, I never throw old bits away. I turn them around and use the back side as pin. If it does happen that I don't get a decent fit with the old bits, I just turn one on the lathe.
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