I've been checking out granite surface plates & factoring cost, weight, size etc. for my newby requirements.. I'm gravitating towards a 12x12" because most of my foreseeable parts should be accommodated on this footprint.
But another shopping consideration will be the surface gage apparatus to hold my DTI. Most of the ones I see are either set up for scribers, or are those big long dial/digital assemblies, or the ones with a dial on a fixed pillar where you slid the parts underneath. I figure I want to use my granite real estate wisely & position my gage around the part from different orientations based on shape etc. so it needs to be smallish footprint. Something like attached pic? If so, any brand names / model recs?
Am I barking up the wrong tree? I guess using my mini mag base DTI holder in arm-locked position is considered dodgy & not as reliable as a post/clamp arm style? Is there something special about the base like ground flat or maybe relief cut so it slides & positions better?
But another shopping consideration will be the surface gage apparatus to hold my DTI. Most of the ones I see are either set up for scribers, or are those big long dial/digital assemblies, or the ones with a dial on a fixed pillar where you slid the parts underneath. I figure I want to use my granite real estate wisely & position my gage around the part from different orientations based on shape etc. so it needs to be smallish footprint. Something like attached pic? If so, any brand names / model recs?
Am I barking up the wrong tree? I guess using my mini mag base DTI holder in arm-locked position is considered dodgy & not as reliable as a post/clamp arm style? Is there something special about the base like ground flat or maybe relief cut so it slides & positions better?