Snugs on Magnetic Bases

[editor@glue-it.com]

Some time ago I bought one of the cheap magnetic bases for my dial gauge. The base has worked fine, but the snugs have been rubbish from the beginning, firstly the plastic thumb wheels on the tightening nuts broke. Then the threads that provide the clamping of the snugs started wearing out.



Essentially the snugs were made from a hard steel with no spring and a poor quality fit on the the chrome bars.

Then I found some old snugs at a car boot



these were imperial rather than metric so some machining needed, I machined the chrome bar down to 3/8 inch

and I had to machine a new snug and fit a new mild steel 1/4 inch bar



Now I have a superb magnetic base for the dial gauge, not quite Starrett, but very rewarding



and I've rescued old parts, the original snug looks like it could have been an apprentice piece - wish I had the history of it

[DIYer]

Thanks editor@glue-it.com! We've added your Magnetic Base Snugs to our Miscellaneous category,
as well as to your builder page: editor@glue-it.com's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Magnetic Base Snugs by editor@glue-it.com

tags: dial indicator, mount