How to Make a Simple Height Gauge

Hello everyone. While I was working on a project I realized I could really use a height gauge for my router bits and discs, so I've decided to make one based on commercially available ones using my digital caliper. You can download the Plans for free here.

Video for mobile devices.

I wanted to make one that would have to be easy to assemble and disassemble for convenience, so I decided to make use of a powerful screw pot magnet I had in my shop.

As you can see, it's very simple and easy to assemble, you only need to attach this end to the bottom of the magnet.

Let's see it in action. Place the gauge on the table and set it to zero. Now we position it on top of the router bit. We can see the height at which the router bit is at the moment, and I'm going to raise it to 10 milimetres.

We can do the same to measure the height of a cutting disc.

In order to obtain a deeper measurement, I change the position of the magnet and zero out the caliper. Now we can determine the exact depth of a hole.

We can also use it to measure the distance between the fence and the cutting disc. We set the gauge to zero, rotate the tool and attach it to the disc in order to find out the exact width of the piece we want to cut. Having done that, I can zero it out again to work out the relative position of the fence. We can clamp the tool onto the disc to hold it in place.

The gauge is quite easy to make. First we cut the four pieces that make it up.

We drill and countersink all the necessary holes on the 3D Router.

We then put the structure together with screws.

Making sure the base is flat.

And finally we mount the magnet..