WHAT? NO DIAL INDICATORS??

For the most part in this book, just about everything written somehow involves dial indicators. Principal reason: Considering the subject matter thus far covered, I feel that dial indicators are the most practical tools for close tolerance dimensioning.

However, the subject matter here is the plumbing of vertical columns. No, not simply the kind where a good multi-purpose spirit level will suffice, but the kind where you are dealing with a machined surface requiring a tolerance of half a mil or less over a distance of several feet. Perhaps the vertical column of a radial arm drill press, where strategically placed shims can level the base to the effect that the column stands parallel to the pull of gravity. Or any other precision machined surface with a base that must be shimmed and solidly restrained to establish and maintain the above stated effect.

Reference FIGURE (1). Not a rocket science drawing, but the music wire part is pretty neat. I first witnessed a version of this phenomenon at a nuclear facility near Baton Rouge, LA. Here, the wire is supported by a rigidly anchored piece of angle steel or other such material. The wire isn t directly attached to the steel support; but is attached to an insulator. A strong plastic ty-rap works nicely as the insulator. At the low end of the wire is a heavy weight which is suspended and hanging freely in an open bucket of heavy viscosity oil. The net effect here is...