WORLD'S MOST ACCURATE HEIGHT GAGE #21 short tubalcain 

Thank you for the intel. In the 70’s and 80’s, I worked for Baldor in St. Louis. I was more involved in the manufacturing part, but a good friend and his dad were toolmakers there. They used Jo blocks, but they also used optical flats with polarized light to get very accurate measurements. They would lap carbide die segments with diamond dust for a shrink fit. I believe he told me they could get down to 0.000015”. Fifteen millionths! Incredible! I loved going over to the tool and die dept. to have lunch with my friend. It was cleaner than any hospital.

Thanks for keeping our trade going with these videos.

Thanks Mr Pete. In the 1970's I worked in a lab where we had a set of "Jo" blocks. They had the Ford trademark on them and I was always curious about why that was. Now I know!! Thanks again for great video(s).

I used them in the machine shop at Buick, but thought they were calling them ‘jewel blocks’. Thanks for that info. But if Johansson is pronounced ‘Yohansson’, then they should be called ‘Yo blocks’ LOL.

Thank You Lyle.....The very old but still pristine Gage Blocks in the tool cabinet where I work have a piece of Chamois Leather laying over the top. I was told to NEVER touch the blocks with my bare hands. Use the Chamois to keep the acids from my hand off of the Gage Blocks. TM

My heat expansion calculation has always been for steel .000006 ( count 5 zeros then number 6 in my calculator)x inches x degrees. Its so easy to remember. Great video. I bought a set of square Pratt and whitney blocks with holes and all accessories from an old tool and die maker for 500 dollars. not cheap but I was happy to get it

To accurately stack gage blocks, you need to have the certification specifications to compensate for the individual blocks. Proper 'wringing', temperature-controlled environment will also affect stack heights. Ceramic, carbide and steel blocks have different coefficients of expansion. At one time, scribed lines were one way of accurate hole location, so even the width of the scribe line has to be compensated for in practice, as the scribed line was higher than the true location wanted. Thanks, Mr. Pete.

I've always wanted a set of original Johannsen blocks. Thus far, the best I've been able to find is one single original Jo-block that is marked Johannsen and Ford. It's stamped on the bottom F8V so I assume that means it was used in the production of Ford eight-cylinder motors. Not much of a "score," but a neat piece of history. However, at the same flea market I bought a two-foot Chinese made vernier height gauge for a whopping $15 bucks, in great shape. That's not bad when a bottle Coke is almost $3 bucks at the gas station nowadays!

These short subjects are a great addition to your channel Mr. Pete. I learned why they're called Jo blocks from a machinist many years ago but appreciate the extra details of his story.

Very interesting lesson.

very interesting, especially the extra credit part......I use a height gauge for my layouts, it is so fast....Dial indicator for these old eyes....my granite surface plate was lost when my wife gave my truck away to some scraper when we were separated., it was in the truck..errrrr....so now I use a piece of polished stone from the company across the street that makes sinks.....it is all I need for my fabrication layouts....but I miss the Black Granite real surface plate...

I didn't know thats why they were called Jo blocks! Thx Mr. Pete! Love the practical mixed with the historical information! 😁

Our shop machines (milled) mostly two critical dimensional parts, many very large. We did little volumetric machining. For this reason we had a lot of flat bed mills twin column, twin bridge casted column and large C framed machines. Although we were a relatively small manufacturer, we were at one time the world's second largest consumer of mic-6 material. This material is stable, highly polished, flat and thickness dimensionally very accurate. Most of our parts were machined from double stacked 3/4" material. Hole size, hole center to hole center and edge to hole center were our most critical dimensions. Profiles were less critical. Many dimensions were held to "tenths". To maintain machine accuracy we inspected parts on a large CMM, but when machine inspection was required we relied mostly on our Mitutoyo 60" step gauge. This gauge was a cast frame that held stacked .005000?? Jo blocks of alternating short and tall height. This gave us 1" incremental steps to indicate and inspect any linear axis accuracy. We also had a solid ground step gauge for shorter distances on 1" increments. Indicating the gauge parallel to axis travel allowed us to indicate linear error on one inch increments. We would compensate to .0001" or less which was as close as we could reliably indicate and our machine tools could maintain. Occasionally I contracted laser inspection, but we never invested in owning that technology. We could only interpolate error between the 1" steps and subsequently inspect machined parts on the CMM to confirm linear pitch error compensation accuracy. Machined parts accuracy naturally introduced other accuracy dynamics, but this system worked well for us. We had little provision for confirming squareness between axis. We had a AA granite square, but it was less than 15" and only used to measure Z and W axis relationships to X and Y axis. X and Y axis error was not mechanically compensateable by machine design, so if a part required greater accuracy than the machine design, operators had to rely on programmed taper moves or hole center offsets. All of these technologies address the demands of the user. I purchased a .000050" indicator to inspect and set up a gear grinder. The total travel is only .004". It has been seldom used. Most of our machines couldn't hold that accuracy so using it was superfluous. The majority of my indicators are .0001 and .0005 for that reason. That Mitutoyo step gauge was the most practical use of Jo blocks in my career experience. Once assembled and inspected that gauge was never disassembled and always kept in the controlled environment of our inspection lab. The QA boys didn't like us lowly maintenance techs taking their gauge to the shop floor, but only Maintenance was trained in parameter compensation procedures and documentation maintenance. We had 120" travel capacity on our largest mill and other mills also exceeded the capacity of our gauge. Moving the gauge for machine inspection and compensation to service an entire axis travel added a great deal of effort and introduced much opportunity for error. But you work with the best tools that you own and use the best practices possible. In the age of SPC dominance, we came close to investing in better technology. Laser infrarometer with linear and squareness capacity, electronic levels, ball bar and other toys were on my wishlist. Cost, adequate training and practice to stay sharp, specialized machine setup requirements, and production allowing downtime for inspection and correction meant we never invested in this technology. SPC made sense for us in the large lot size machining days, but after one piece flow became predominant, SPC statistics became obsolete. But .. I would have loved to own and have played with those toys.

Mr. Pete! Fantastic!

Thanks Mr. Pete!

Thank you Lyle!

Interesting Mr Pete. Thanks

Thanks for the video.

Thanks Mr. Pete for another great video.

Great history lesson. I liked it

Absolutely interesting.Thank you.

Great commentary

Thank you for sharing. Enjoyed.👍👀

The shorts are great thanks for doing them.

Thanks for the video Lyle👍

Another great video an informative as usual thank you.

Thank You so much for all your vidoes. My late father was a tool an die maker from the Chicago land area and my late Grandfather was a spring maker from Chicago. I have all of there tools and have Dad's mill, lathe and surface grinder. You remind me alot of dad. Dad taught me enough to be dangerous but I'm trying to learn more. Wish I was still in Illinois at times and could visit your shop.

Very nice. Thank you.

Thanks for the great video

Very nice gage, nice setup. Thanks for for sharing the history.

Excellent video Mr Pete! Great as usual!

Awesome tools Mr. Pete thanks for sharing

Great information Mr. Pete .

wonderful Mr Pete......Paul

Hey Mr Pete thanks for another great video

Very cool Mr. Pete. I've never seen a setup like that. Now I'll know what I'm looking at if I happen to come across one. Thanks for sharing.

Loved it!

Great Video mr Pete and I have used a Height gage and scribe before and the couple small machine shops that I know of They still use them on a daily basis ! My father when he worked at one the Goverment Navy yards he took a class on how to use a height gage and gage blocks and scribe !

Right On! 👍 Great Video Mr. Peterson!! I love hearing the history and watching the demonstration! Thanks for all of your videos. I’ve been watching since nearly your start on RU-vid.

Great informative video. I try never to have to measure, blocks just make it so much easier and precise.

Thanks Mr. Pete that was an interesting bite sized bit of information, I enjoyed it. Thanks also for the "extra credit" without which I would never have earned a high school diploma.

Thank you Mr Pete

Very helpful. Thanks!

those tools are absolutely beautiful. I own a B&S Height gage (No 585) that was missing the scribber clamp. I found one on eBay for another gage; it was just a few thousandths too tight to fit. Well diligent file work solved that and now it works quite well

Very nice Mr. Pete, thank you

Always in for the extra credit Lyle. Keep up the good work! Joe.

Love your short series videos. I had 3 Uncles that worked at Wescloxs for their entire lives. one was a machinist and one was a too and diemaker. thank you for sharing your knowledge.

I liked this. Nice job. Many thanks.

These short subject videos are great thanks.

The name Johansson actually means Johan's son, and if it was a daughter, it would be Johansdotter. That last name probably isn't Swiss, as he may have been an immigrant. Johan is the same name in English as John. This last name practice isn't commonly used today as you'll find something like Jim Johansdotter in Europe, and maybe here in the States.

Several years ago I was fortunate enough to buy a set of Pratt & Whitney Inspection grade Gauge blocks that came in what looks like a Bakelite box. I consider myself as the temporary keeper of them as I am certain they will find a good home once I am gone.

Please comment on what one can do without a surface plate or what alternatives exist for quasi-flat household items - panes of glass, marble or granite cutting boards and the like.

Great bit of well explained history Lyle. We views as hobbyist could only dream to have the collection you shared with us. thx for the History lesson and great shorty,,Bear.

That is a beautiful tool Lyle, we love it a pre-B&S thank you for sharing it, and for the history lesson read about them on Wikipedia a while back, love these stories all the time. Lance & Patrick.

Thank you.

Love the precision. When I was a toolmaker we had to grind anything under .003" tolerance. By the time I left the industry we were finishing bearing diameters by lathe turning a 20 micron tolerance on diameter on over 1,000 bearing shafts per day while maintaining .08Um PMR surface finish and 1.66 Cp/Cpk capability.

I've used these before but didn't know the history. Thanks Mr. Pete. Art from Ohio

Did not know why we call gauge blocks Jo blocks. Thank you for the history lesson. Is there any relationship between Carl and the fabled Johansson drill presses?

One mistake that will negate all the accuracy of the gauge block scriber is that people do not take into account the thickness of the scribe line. It is between .001 and ~.004. Your setup will place the EDGE of the line at 2.375 but the center of the line will be 1.376-2.377. Later when you try to use the center of the lines you will be out .001-.002 even if you perfectly locate on the line center. I always take care to scribe consistently .002 and reduce my height by half that line width , normally -.001 so I would have set it for 2.374 to get 2.375 in the center of the line.

Thank you Mr Pete love your videos. By the way, the sprung quick adjust for the screw on the clamping device wouldn't that classify as a set of half-nuts?

I have a slightly bigger CEJ accessory set (but not the big complete set) but of UK manufacture, all in perfect condition in protective grease. Nice to have.

I also love height gauges Mr Pete. I have rather an unusual one. It is an old British make called the Ape Microball. It uses a column of ball bearings for the coarse adjustment. It is very accurate. Great video as always!

Спасибо. Очень интересно. Без этого невозможно было бы полететь на Луну❗👍

Given that the utility of layout lines is largely dependent on the keenness of the operator's eyes, I cannot think of a reason to ever need that level of accuracy in layout work. Is their an alternate use that could take advantage of the increased accuracy such as inspection?

MrPete222: I seldom write comments on youtube videos, but I just wanted to tell you "Thank You" for everything you have taught me through your videos.

I had several Wesclox pocket watches back in the day. I liked them.

Is a Cadillac gauge as accurate an alternative to setting your height gage as stacking Jo blocks? Can a home shop justify the cost of a Cadillac gauge? Are we already stepping into granite surface plate accuracy that is priced out of the home shop budget? Right now I am settling for a Mitutoyo electronic height gauge very few gauge blocks and a shop grade granite inspection plate of dubious origin. The tool and die maker used my inspection plate as his his personal plate and testified that it was accurate. I don't own any machinery that can machine any closer, so I am currently satisfied.

I live about one hour away from Eskilstuna Sweden, lots of great tools on flea markets around here.

CEJ actually stands for Carl Edward Johansson, hence the E in the logo. I believe that he moved back to Sweden in 1936 at the respectable age of 72, and later passed away in 1943. I also believe that Ford only bought the American part of the company, since they made tools here in Sweden much later (In Eskilstuna) Today it's difficult even here in Sweden to research the company, but since 2002 it is incorporated into Hexagon meteorology Nordic AB. PS I found your channel when I started restoring and modernizing my own Southbend 9 clone, Best regards from Sweden !

Mr.Pete Thanks for your always informative videos! You should make another video showing how those other Jo Block attachments are used, such as creating an ID checking gage for verifying inside diameters of parts, with the sets included special radii Jo blocks stacked on either end, in combination with regular Jo blocks to produce an exact correct size "Go gage" to be checked for inspection. You can also set a Bore dial indicator with stack of Jo blocks for inspection or as an operator tool. Also, you can scribe lower than 1 3/8 dimension by just using desired size Jo block(s) using just the scriber "wrung" on top of your Jo Block(s).

Nice set. I would love to have real Jo blocks.

I have several sets of gage blocks I've bought over the years both rectangular and square. Also have a accessory set for both types, too. My best find was a new complete 81 piece Webber rectangular set I picked up from a pawn shop locally for under $100. Never been used! Even had certifications of each block done by Webber and was a separate charge form the price of the gage blocks. I always thought that "Fonda" gage blocks was part of Ford and Johannesen. As always thanks for sharing. Ken

Great Video Mr Pete. I have one of these sets I always wondered what it was used for. Mine was from 1942 as well Set 44 Serial number 5980. I picked it up at an auction last year. Ive had it for sale for about a year now. Actually a guy just made me an offer on it today. Maybe he watched this video as well. Im thinking on keeping it now. I really enjoy these videos keep up the good work.

If you like tractors see if you can find Patrick keitley,s docu on the wee grey fergie it was on BBC TV in britain

I use a hight stand at the height of 55.81 millimeter placed on the tool post holder of the lathe to set tool heights. Really convenient.

More tools to buy 😊

Would it be called a type of half nut or screw release? AL B.

When I started work in 1972 I used Moore and Wright Slip Gauges, aka Joey blocks, no one knew or could tell me why we called them Joey blocks, 50 years later I've found out, thanks Mr Pete, ATB from England

Mrpete may I ask a favor of you? I see a lot of vids on blocks and their uses however I have yet to find how people are suppose to take care of their blocks. After using them do you wipe them down with an oily rag and then store them or use like a gun oil on them? I have seen where people wipe them across a paper on a flat surface to clean them before use but no one talks about after using them and storing them. I only have a cheap set but I'm sure they are more accurate than I am capable of working however cheap or not I would like to maintain them.

The history lesson is as interesting as the tool itself.

I cherish the history lessons particularly.

Someplace at work hidden away with my secret treasures is a set of Ford Marked Jo blocks and a Ford Marked accessory set. I think it had the height gauge and parts to make a caliper-type thing but I haven't looked at it in a decade or so, I could be mistaken?

I have a cheapie SARS height gauge. As mostly a woodworker I am happy if I get things to within 1/8 th which is sort of sad, but honest.

Thanks for the share of knowledge Mr. Pete. ??? Can you look into this: a drop of water measures one centimeter in diameter on a surface plate? I read this in a book not too long ago and it was supposed to have been originated in ancient Egypt as a repeatable unit of measure....probably at sea level and distilled water etc. but please see if it's even close to being accurate. Thanks!!!

no mention of the granite plate! Still love your short subject videos. I have been following you for years.

Eskilstuna Sweden is just over an hour south of me.

Do you know what the tolerance is on the height gauge base and the “stacker” units? Your final accuracy would only be as good as the base and the bottom piece of the stacker gadgets. I guess those elements could have been lapped to the same tolerances as typical J-blocks themselves and then assembled into the base or stackers, but it seems like it could be tricky to maintain tolerances. (On the other hand, probably still easier to make more precisely than a conventional height gauge.)

Swedish (metric)Johansson started making inch blocks with a size of 25.4 mm since 1912. And both British and American Standards Association adopted his definition in 1930 and 1933.

👍old school rules

Where is your link to buy them?

would the gauge block clamp with quick adust have a half nut?, im sorry as i read further down the comments i see that someone else already said half nut.

i have a large set of Weber gauge blocks in a beautiful original case. they say Weber Cleveland. i have a small set also same markings BUT mine are not complete, i need about 7 of them, have the whole other small set and nice box to swap, as well as some ICC thrown in to make almost complete set. Could you make a 1.375 drop pointer block? i never knew why my Brown and Sharpe gauge similar to yours will not go to zero, i think the scribe is wrong to the unit. ALSO. a million thanks i learn every time i click on your channel.

In case anyone wonders, this is not the same Johansson as the adjustable spanner Johansson (that'd be Johan Petter Johansson)

I wonder if this is the same Johansson that built small knee milling machines? Johansson was bought out by Atlas/Clausing and became their models 8520 & 8530.

These should not be touched by fingers but cloth should be used. Respect, just saying

Lol You dont need a Book to set up a gage block dimension IF you know how to ADD !! I have used both Do All Gages as well as Pratt and Whitney Laboratory Inspection Square blocks for Inspections as well as Critical Height Layouts .I Have square gage blocks up to 12 Inches in length .Gage blocks are made in carbide , as well as Ceramic Material as well . mr pete this old fellow like myself is correct , and Fun to watch HaHa .... he is old school , as I am Enjoy !

By fastidious offset stacking you _could_ scribe lower than 1.375. ______________ _________\______________\______ | |______________|< Set the scriber to the bottom of this block |_______________|

Was Carl the guy that sent his Daughter around as a sells man to see his blocks?

Wow I'll bet my dad # machinist used those and probably my brother # welder used it from Tim to time!

How do I find one of these?