How to rescue (this) Height Gauge

Hi there,

I found this height gauge on craisglist and I picked it up for 20 dollars. When I got to it, it was a lot larger than I thought it would be, its maybe about 4 ft high.

At first, the guy said he didn't think it had a scale on it, but later sent me a picture saying it did actually have a scale, it was just barely visible from afar.

I am not sure, but the style of the numbers and dividing looks like of like Starrett to me.
I could not find any brand markings, but very little is visible along the length of it.
I do see some writing where it may say "No.xx something something" but I can't make out anything else.


My question is what should I do to start the rescue of this height gauge? Of course the part that slides up and down the scale is stuck. Should I just spray it full of penetration oil every day after work till it eventually becomes loose?
After I get the entire thing apart, I will probably make some long wooden troughs lined with a garbage bag or something so I can submerge the long parts in Evaporust, which has worked awesome for me in the past.


Do you guys think this is worth having a go at? I don't really know what I am in for, have not had anything in this kind of condition before.
Here are some pictures.


Here's an overall picture.




Here is a closeup of the scale, Kind of looks like Starrett to me maybe?




Here is a super close up, it is very hard to make it out, but where I have it circled, I can sort of see some text that says "No.xxx" Maybe someone can help me figure out what number Starrett it is, if it is indeed a Starrett tool.


Another close up of the scale, and a look at the non-moving moving parts.







Would you guys have a go? Or is it way way way way past anything retrievable?


Thank you for reading!

Is it at your place? Can you get it easily? If shipped and not properly packaged $$$ it will probably be ruined.

At home in good condition put in a container of white vinegar, after a day or two tap the sliding part gently to see if it moves, If so scrub the scale on both sides with a tooth brush and ease the slider to a non rusted place. After the rust is removed immerse in scalding hot water, take out and disassemble, then another hot water bath. At this point you can paint and wipe, sand off paint on the scale, or oil up and use.

I was given a .32 revolver that had been stored in a cabinet with pool chlorine. It was corroded and locked up tight. I soaked it in white vinegar, heated and then just at room temp for a week, then the hot water, then oiled. It is ugly but works, part shiny nickel part dark gray.

Paul

I've never tried vinegar, but evaporust would clean that up easily. Disassemble it first, and find a long container where the whole thing can be submerged with nothing above the water line.

I use phosphoric acid cut in half with water. It is common here as it is used by truckers to remove salt stains on aluminum wheels and bodies. It really only attacks corrosion and leaves the parent metal alone [unless you leave it in for a month or so. At 15 bucks a gallon, cheap enough too.

That tool will never look like new again. But the above methods will remove the rust, and you may well wind up with a usable height gage.

In addition to the rust removal methods mentioned above, another idea is electrolytic derusting. The good thing about EDR is it will often free frozen assemblies as it works. This is a case where low amps for a long time would work better.

Lately I have favored citric acid over vinegar. They are similar working but the citric acid doesn't stink like vinegar.

Once you get everything loose, take it apart and apply each piece to a 3M deburring wheel. That will restore the shine as much as it can be.

Before you finish, hand scrape the bottom of the base to a nice smooth silky slide on a surface plate.

Everything looks Starrett to me except for the base.

metalmagpie

To me it looks like the base has been chopped off and it is too short to keep the gauge stable.
Vinegar and citric acid, if not checked carefully, will keep corroding into the metal. Evaporust and molasses, instead, would eat up only the rust and stop at the boundary with unrusted metal.

Paolo

Paolo_MD said:

To me it looks like the base has been chopped off and it is too short to keep the gauge stable.
Vinegar and citric acid, if not checked carefully, will keep corroding into the metal. Evaporust and molasses, instead, would eat up only the rust and stop at the boundary with unrusted metal.

Paolo

Click to expand...

I'm with Paolo on this one. Find a length of plastic sewer pipe to use as a container deep enough to provide 100% PLUS cover, ZERO exposure to air. Cap one end.

Dilute common Molassas with water.

ISTR you need only ten percent Molassas, so that's cheaper by far than Evaporust, slow, but also gentle.

FWIW-not-much, I picked up a 39 Inch (metric comparable, but inch graduated) Scherr-Tumico one about the same size and shape several years ago for small money, BUT.. allover like brand-new, still satin-frosted chrome or stainless.

"In other words..."

Even given I have the pastic DWV pipe arredy here and paid for?

I'm not sure this one is even worth the cost of the Molassas,

#1 scrap is to be under 3' in any direction.

Get out the torch.

I would do the sewer pipe and Evaporust but that's just because I have more money than time (or sense). Molasses would be second choice. If you're the creative type then making an electrolytic rust removal rig out of a sewer pipe, rebar and DC power supply would work great. Cheaper than Evaporust and just about as quick.

RCPDesigns said:

I would do the sewer pipe and Evaporust but that's just because I have more money than time (or sense). Molasses would be second choice. If you're the creative type then making an electrolytic rust removal rig out of a sewer pipe, rebar and DC power supply would work great. Cheaper than Evaporust and just about as quick.

Click to expand...

"All of the above", here. Plus those plastic tubs Big Box sell for hand-mixing concrete in small batches, and a recycled heavy-wall 55-gal poly drum carwash detergent was once delivered in.

When not in a hurry, the "distilled asses of moles" serve cheaply and at low effort. I'm kinda stingey about the expensive evapo-Rust.

The reverse-electrolysis, I tend to fiddle-fart around arranging a sort of "birdcage" of recycled Macbeth carbon arc lamp rods to minimize anode shadow. And then. .also hand-rotate the part.

Does a nicer job that way than a single electrode, so I class it worth it.

Paolo_MD said:

To me it looks like the base has been chopped off and it is too short to keep the gauge stable.
Vinegar and citric acid, if not checked carefully, will keep corroding into the metal. Evaporust and molasses, instead, would eat up only the rust and stop at the boundary with unrusted metal.

Paolo

Click to expand...

I think Paolo is not totally off base here about that base.

But that foot looks more shop-made than chopped. All my height gages have bases that are shaped with round overs and reliefs, lapped bottoms with the center relieved. That looks like a piece of CR slapped on.

Try to take the foot off, make a trough or use a pipe with Evaporust, You can even soak rags or paper towels and wrap them around and seal it with plastic wrap. Once you have the rust off, clean it as well as you can, use scotch-brite to get it as smooth as you can, then try to loosen the head with penetrating oils. Don't move the head before all that, the trust is abrasive.

As other's said, you can go cheaper with other chemicals, or electrolysis. I like Evaporust, it works extremely well on cast iron, ok on steel. As long as you get it running it will be a useable height gage. Make a new base for it .

It also seems to be missing the vernier scale, The B&S, and Starret height gages I have, have the Vernier scale attached with small screws. II do not see the scale etched in the head. Maybe it is just too far gone. You can make a new one on a small plate and attach it to the slide. https://www.instructables.com/DIY-Vernier-scale/


dee
;-D

Given it's size, I think it's worth a shot at saving.

I think the above chemical rust removal methods are on the right track. Glass bead media blasting followed by polishing with a wire wheel works well too. To make the stampings more readable after the rust is resolved, I would use some fine grit sand paper under a block and briefly run it over the surface perpendicular to the lines. This will brighten the raised surface and give some texture-contrast to the stampings, but don't try to remove the pits as it will remove too much material.

thermite said:

"All of the above", here. Plus those plastic tubs Big Box sell for hand-mixing concrete in small batches, and a recycled heavy-wall 55-gal poly drum carwash detergent was once delivered in.

When not in a hurry, the "distilled asses of moles" serve cheaply and at low effort. I'm kinda stingey about the expensive evapo-Rust.

The reverse-electrolysis, I tend to fiddle-fart around arranging a sort of "birdcage" of recycled Macbeth carbon arc lamp rods to minimize anode shadow. And then. .also hand-rotate the part.

Does a nicer job that way than a single electrode, so I class it worth it.

Click to expand...

I know a guy that likes to work on classic cars. He has a kiddie pool in his shop that he filled with molasses and water. He uses it to clean rusted parts. Works great......he goes for the unrestored.....un remanufactured sort of cars. Cleans the rust off then leaves parts as original....its a decent look

toolsteel said:

I know a guy that likes to work on classic cars. He has a kiddie pool in his shop that he filled with molasses and water. He uses it to clean rusted parts. Works great......he goes for the unrestored.....un remanufactured sort of cars. Cleans the rust off then leaves parts as original....its a decent look

Click to expand...

There's another trick.

Fab up a wooden frame to a large but odd size and shape. Trapezoidal, triangular, Ell-shaped - whatever. Fair close to the shape of the part so the working fluid is not wasted off in the other side of a pool.

Gets deep, you'll need damned good external bracing. Hydraulics thing. The low force per-unit area, but very LARGE area that has that force applied to it.

Drape a common Viz-Queen 4-mil plastic sheet in for liquid retention.
Add a cheap Olefin woven tarp to protect the thin plastic.

And theres a closer-fitting tank of arbitrary shape and depth as-needed.

Knock it down when that odd part is done. Build a new shape for the next.

So-called "Primitive" man boiled dinner for the group in a similar manner.

Scoop out a cavity in Mother Earth, line with an animal skin for water barrier. Carry water. Start "frying" stones at an adjacent fire.

Pair of sticks, carry hot stone to water.
Repeat until boiling.
Add the meat, herbs, and veg.

Cups, bowls, pots, pans, kettles?

They can wait.

One can do spoog tanks in the Earth same as one can CAST in the Earth.

Handy stuff, dirt can be. Person can even walk on it, cast a cannon, or raise edibles.

Go figure folks also fight over it?