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Form Setup - Indicator Points

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In all the books and frequently on the list, mention is made that the 60 degree point on your depth indicator can be quite fragile and needs to be in good condition in order to remain accurate.  I haven't seen any discussion on the list that would give me an idea of how frequently most of you are replacing your points.  I'm sure some of you bought your first and only point from Noah's Shipbuilding and Industrial Supply - no financial interest.  (Sorry, I couldn't resist that one.)  Others, I'm sure, may go through several a year.

So, how often do most of you replace your points so I can get a feel for how "expendable" 60 degree points are?  (Tim Wilhelm)

The point on the 60 degree is only good if it is perfect. It is hard to keep it that way so I don't use the point tip at all. Set your calipers to .1155. Set the point in the .1155 space with the block flat on the caliper jaws,  zero the depth gauge. This will give you accurate readings of the groove depth.  (Tony Spezio)

I guess old timers know this but the new guys might not.

I very recently received a new set of plane forms from Bellinger and I allowed about 24 hours for them to acclimate to the house temperature before I set them for my next rod.

Well, that was two days ago and today I went to begin cutting cane and checked the forms for any differences  to the taper I had set. Good thing I did, I averaged about 5 thousandths difference across the entire length of the forms. Glad I checked.

BTW, last night I shoved a splinter under the nail of my index finger while rough planing. The piece rode up over  the top of the cutting blade and buried itself ¼” into my finger, under the nail. Major “Ouch”….

Off to resetting the forms and start on another rod. (Ren Monllor)

Well, that's a pretty big chunk of steel to acclimate in 24 hours.  I'd keep checking though, maybe something else is going on.  (Neil Savage)

I've had the tip in my indicator come loose before, too.

Now, the first thing I check before setting my forms (actually, my MHM) is that the indicator point is in nice and tight.  (Chris Obuchowski)

Funny, I had this happen last week. It about drove me nuts before I found what was the matter. I reset the forms about four times before finding the problem. In the years I have been making rods, this is the first time I have run into this.  I will be checking the point from now on.  (Tony Spezio)

Perhaps a job for the Loctite that's removable??  What is that, the red?  (Art Port)

Blue, or the green wicking grade - red will work, as long as you never plan to take it apart!  (Larry Blan)

I'm not sure about Loctite.  Some kinds need quite a bit of heat and/or torque to remove & that's a pretty small screw (4-40).  OTOH, you probably wouldn't want to remove the point anyway unless the indicator failed.  The ones from Harbor Freight are cheap enough to have a couple more for other applications.  (Neil Savage)

As it turned out, upon checking the forms I noticed that the collar on the gauge was loose. I reset and retightened and the forms went back into alignment.

Boy if it’s not one thing it’s another.  (Ren Monllor)

When you use your indicator be sure to pick it up and move it from station to station, and be sure not to slide the indicator from station to station on your forms. Sliding the indicator is often the cause of the point coming loose. Then things can get ugly.  (Jim Bureau)

A drop of nail polish (or varnish, or shellac etc.) on the threads of the point should keep it tight.  (Neil Savage)

Hi out there, I'm Dan Westcott in Carlton, Mn.  I'm trying t o figure out this rod making and am stuck.
 
I bought good steel forms, planes and 2 string binder, a good digital depth gage and caliper. I didn't have the money to get the preferred 60-degree angle point for my depth gage or the standard thing so found a cheap tip at MSC. Bought bamboo from Royer. Tried to get everything I would need to make a bamboo rod. Tried reading all the books I could fine.
 
Went to try and set my steel forms to a taper for a rod. As I go down the form by 5's I get to the point where my tip on the depth gage just goes in between the forms! How do I set them from this point out?
 
When I was a little kid, my dad took me fly fishing in the midway river in Esko, MN.  My first and only cast didn't work out and so he was done teaching and I was done fly fishing. That was some fifty years ago and I am finally ready to try again.
 
I want to be able to make my own rods and enjoy the sport.  What got me going on it was a couple of years ago I saw a news program on a man that made bamboo fly rods. He was from Esko and I think his name was Johnson.  There's a lot of Johnsons around here so if your out there, I sure could use some help.
 
Just looking for any kind of guidance to help me justify the expense to my wife.
 
I plan on buying a cheap rig and give fly fishing a try this year until I can make my own and before I wreak it because of inexperience.
 
Anyway long story short, HELP, I know you guys are out there and always helping others. That's also a part of this craft that I want to learn.
 
Thanks for for any advise for direction you can give. (Dan Westcott)

How about you go to the point in your forms where your point "goes between the bars" and, using your caliper, measure the width of the V-groove at the surface of the forms.

And a picture of your point may also help the helpers! (Peter McKean)

Are you trying to adjust the tip side of the forms for the butt measurements or are you trying to make a huge rod?

Points from Jeff Wagner are less than $10.  (Gordon Koppin)

Posted tapers usually report diameters which the maker should divide by 2 in order to set the forms.  Are you trying to set the diameter? (Grayson Davis)

Very good point! (Gordon Koppin)

I'm guessing that some/many/all of us have "been there; done that."  (Grayson Davis)

You need a gauge that can be read backwards. It should have black and red numbers. You need to read the red. Also make sure your depth gauge is set properly. Harder to explain then it is to do. Unless you are making a huge rod there should not be a problem. Tip side usually start around .25 and drop .5 per station. Butt side somewhere .90. Take a piece of scrap plane it down and check it with a caliper. It should read the same as your depth gauge. Hope this makes sense. I'm sure someone will chime in and explain it better.   (Rick Barbato)