If you are handy you can make a vertical bench WTG for around 100.00. Having owned a Manson gauge for a year or so I decided a bench gauge made better sense to me. After making several prototypes I settled on the one pictured below. The base is aluminum 1.25 thick x 6 x 6, it is heavy enough to stabilize the tool so the weight of the barrels will not tip it over. The post that the dial is mounted on is 3/4”, it is rigid enough and won't deflect easily. The post for the probe is 5/8” drill rod and will clear 12ga and 16ga barrels, there is a brass nub for the dial indicator to rest against, it also has a hole drilled for a 1/2” rod for 28 and 20ga barrels. An important feature is the collar and brass bushing on the probe, it allows easy adjustment for depth of the probe, the brass bushing with the taper centers the barrels on the probe and allows rotating the barrels, originally I planned on installing a Gaddy spring but it really is not necessary. I have also discovered a digital gauge is easier to read than one with a dial. I sold my Manson gauge to Greg, but did experiment using a digital gauge with it, a real improvement. Pete the white block also helps stiffen the probe and as a stop when measuring shorter depths.

Jim A









Last edited by james-l; 01/30/11 03:26 PM.
I learn something every day, and a lot of times it's that what I learned the day before was wrong