I'm in the middle of a BHG repair on my '87 turbo and I'm going back with a OEM headgasket. The block is hopefully staying in the car, but I want to check it for flatness. And check the exhaust manifold also, maybe before I take the head in. So what do I need for a "machinist straight edge"? I've got a 2 ft long cast aluminum level that looks to be pretty darn flat. If I lay that on the block corner to corner, and try to fit something (feeler gauge) under it will I prove anything? If I need a better straight edge, what do I need and where do I find it? Google seems to find me 6 in long ones.
Machinist straight edge?
- Thread starter IIIfortheHills
- Start date
IIIfortheHills said:
Ask your local machine shop of you can borrow theirs for a few hours. Your 2 foot long cast level will without a doubt be out of plain by at least .01", throwing your measurements in the toilet.
If you do want to spend the dough for a real machinist scale you can get them relatively cheap at enco.com and choose an import version. If you want the American made version which is all I buy it's going to cost a bit more but you'll have it the rest of your life. I own a 24" and it works wonders sometimes.
Rick
Rick
maybe a small peace of bar stock the kind of steal the use should work. you could have them mill you a peace down wouldnt take long. that should be in .001. a good rule they use might even work.
Geezer, enco.com gives me some kind of digital audio site??
Edit: I found it www.use-enco.com thanks, I'll look here.
Rakkasan, I don't think my level is out by 10 thou, maybe a couple thou though.... now I'm thinking i may take it to the machine shop and have them test it or true it up.
Or I would still be willing to buy one if I could find what I want and the price wasn't too crazy.
Edit: I found it www.use-enco.com thanks, I'll look here.
Rakkasan, I don't think my level is out by 10 thou, maybe a couple thou though.... now I'm thinking i may take it to the machine shop and have them test it or true it up.
Or I would still be willing to buy one if I could find what I want and the price wasn't too crazy.
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Food for thought (maybe junk food).
I thought the fluoresent light bulb thing sounded silly/crazy, but just for fun I took one and layed it against my level/straight edge. No matter how I turn it or slide it (in the middle portion of the bulb) I can't fit a 3 thou feeler gauge between the two at any point. Same result with a piece of copy paper. Seems kind of backwoods/ghetto but they must both be pretty straight. Or maybe it's just garbage in, garbage out, IDK.
I thought the fluoresent light bulb thing sounded silly/crazy, but just for fun I took one and layed it against my level/straight edge. No matter how I turn it or slide it (in the middle portion of the bulb) I can't fit a 3 thou feeler gauge between the two at any point. Same result with a piece of copy paper. Seems kind of backwoods/ghetto but they must both be pretty straight. Or maybe it's just garbage in, garbage out, IDK.
You need a 24 inch machinists straight edge and set of feeler gauges.
http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/measurement-tools-specialty-measurement-straight-edge.html
Make sure the feeler gauges go down to 0.0015". Snap-on.com has a nice set and they don't charge shipping
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...&group_ID=1122&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/measurement-tools-specialty-measurement-straight-edge.html
Make sure the feeler gauges go down to 0.0015". Snap-on.com has a nice set and they don't charge shipping
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...&group_ID=1122&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog