Thank you. It was a pleasure to meet you. I couldn't believe you recognized me as the "man in black" from my picture with Ken Hurst.
Although I don't use them in my business I have familiarity with the use of Vernier Caliper and micrometer from my youth living in the same house with an Uncle who was a tool and die maker. I wished I lived there longer since the basement was filled with lathes, milling machine, etc for his off job use.
In any case, I have a Stan Baler bore gauge that I use but it is hard to carry at a show. I would think it wise to leave it in the car and go back and get it if I am serious about a gun. I usually carry a mini-tape and fold up magnifying lens with me at show.
I imagine it is impossible to use the tuning fork wall thickness gauge at a show although I imagine a guy might let you take the gun out to your car.
I bought Manson a few months ago from an ad on this BBS. I finally pulled it out a few days ago to try to tackle the elusive skills necessary to use it. Not being a machinist, I devised a builder's solution. I put a piece of 1/4" self adhering weatherstrip tape along the lenght of the "barrel" bar. Seemed it would be a similar solution to the spring I have seen installed near the top. It seemed to work but it is going to take a lot of practice to get the feel. Maybe impossible with my solution but worth a try. I have tried putting it in a vise and thread the barrel down on it and then I put the barrels in the vice and pushed the gauge down into the barrel. The second seemed to work better. Maybe I will get the hang of it in a few weeks and resist the urge to throw it out the window.
I hope so!
The ridiculously expensive Robert's gauge seems like the only thing you can take to a show and it has limited use. Murphy's Law, ya know. The thin part of the barrel is gonna be more than six inches away if you have one!
Milt
