Turning jiggers

**auscab** · 5th November 2021, 12:28 AM

Im sure some of the well seasoned expert turners here have probably used or seen such things before .

In my recent hunting for info on improving my wood turning I came across some things that I have added to my collection of tools lately.

Thought it may be of interest .

I saw Richard Findley on instagram using vernier calipers for sizing while turning . He rounds the ends of the calipers so they don't catch . I bought a cheap Chinese set of Ebay and altered them on the linisher . They really made a big difference to My accuracy . I just used the spring calipers before this . Now I can dial in to .02 of a mm! Something not really needed but I did find the accuracy good while fitting brass ferruls to my new chisels recently while things were still on the lathe. And being able to wind with a screw up to an exact dimension rather than hold spring calipers up to a ruler is a lot better for general sizing .

IMG_9434.jpg IMG_9430.jpg

I was watching a guy on Youtube (Forgot who it was.) describe setting his tool rest on his grinder by marking the angle on a stick and using that to set the angle for grinding .
I got a piece of wood and did the same but put a wider range of angles along the stick rather than just one angle for one stick. The thickness of the chisel I'm grinding needs to be shown as well as the thicker the steel the more the angle changes for the same angle setting . So I have two lines parallel and off the bottom . One for 6mm and One for 10mm steel . Its a nice fast way of quickly setting different angles .
Ive got the typical protractors for checking the grind once on the chisel as well .
This method must have been around for ever . Any one do the same or have improvements on it ?
A brass one would be nice . I did this with pen on a pine stick . I gave it a quick coat of sealer and the ink bled a bit in places.

IMG_9405.jpg

Below its set at 90 Degree for 6mm steel.
IMG_9644.jpg
Its now 40 degree for 6mm steel
IMG_9645.jpg

**NeilS** · 5th November 2021, 10:57 AM

I also buy cheap plain verniers (non digital) in batches and set them to the different chuck jaw sizes I most frequently use. The sharper inside tips quickly mark out the required diameter for tenons or dovetail recesses.

In the same way that you would use spring calipers to do this, bring up tool rest close to the spinning piece and mark with one leg on the downward rotating side until the circle scribed aligns with the other leg. For recesses start small and move out until the required diameter is reached. For tenons start wide and move in, etc. It's quick and the economy verniers cost less and take up less rack space than spring calipers. They also have more space than spring calipers to write their set diameters in larger sized numbers for ready identification.

Occasionally give the cutting leg a swipe to hone up its tip.

**NeilS** · 6th November 2021, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by auscab

This method must have been around for ever. Any one do the same or have improvements on it?

Can't say if my method is an improvement, but this is what I do for setting the slide length for bowl gouges. I use a block like this...

IMG_2648.jpg

I have a block for each of my bevel angles. This makes setting the slide position for a particular bevel angle very quick.

Before I settled on a slide position I use the following type of distance setting jig (in 3 ply) to get there. As you can see I've written some notes to myself along the way. The reverse sides have even more hieroglyphics on them! I just re-grind the curve with the wheel if I decide to change the slide position.

IMG_2641.jpg

IMG_2643.jpg

The disadvantage of staying with the plywood spacers is that you have to peer from the side to get the correct position in contact with the wheel without any daylight showing top or bottom. If remaining with this method just leave two contact points either end of the wheel curve. I prefer the blocks as they are quicker.

I use a similar curved reference guides to set the platform angle for platform grinding.

**chuck1** · 6th November 2021, 02:49 PM

My verniers have been rounded over for decades, when comes to common sizes I use 5mm thick by 50mm wide flat bar and cut and file to diameter, pin gauges.
So for something I turn regularly I have all the sizes on one bit of steel.
It saves changing vernier size.
As mentioned always round off those sharp points, another us to rounding them off other people in the workshop won't pinch the woodturners verniers.

**hughie** · 9th November 2021, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by NeilS

I also buy cheap plain verniers (non digital) in batches and set them to the different chuck jaw sizes I most frequently use. The sharper inside tips quickly mark out the required diameter for tenons or dovetail recesses.

In the same way that you would use spring calipers to do this, bring up tool rest close to the spinning piece and mark with one leg on the downward rotating side until the circle scribed aligns with the other leg. For recesses start small and move out until the required diameter is reached. For tenons start wide and move in, etc. It's quick and the economy verniers cost less and take up less rack space than spring calipers. They also have more space than spring calipers to write their set diameters in larger sized numbers for ready identification.

Occasionally give the cutting leg a swipe to hone up its tip.

lol my digital verniers are plastic, had them for years

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