alignment table/build surface tolerances

[Curt Goodrich]

Oops. I meant to write- I'm not sure I understand that first sentence. What tradition doesn't emphasize practice?

[steve garro]

What tradition doesn't emphasize practice?

Learning how to ***K by reading porn?
:)
- Garro.

[Andrew R Stewart]

Steve- Isn't that like trying to learn how to build a frame by watching videos... :) Andy.

[Eric Estlund]

We are well into thread drift now, so I'll chime in.

Tools are only as helpful as their operator's process and implementation allows. This is true for the tooling at ubi,Doug's, or my shop as it is for your granite/iron/steel table. You have been introduced to a method to produce a bike. The next step is to mentally build a bike and map out the process and operations (not the tool stations). One you have a visual path, assess a realistic physical process.

If you need to slot stays, the bike doesn't care if you do this with a mill or a hack saw, so long as ir gets done. Be careful with conflating the operation (slotting) with the tool (mill). Same with workholding (jig, vise, gravity), etc. What needs to happen doesn't change much, and the "best" how will evolve with you.

To bring this back to the plate- you need to get comfortable with what/ why you are measuring, and what if anything youwill do with that info. Once you have answers for how the measurements are relaventfor you, the specifics of the tool will be more obvious.

I hope that helps- one can make crap bikes with a space age shop, or fantastic bikes with little more than a file. Don't buy more than the file untill you know what it will do fir you.

Xo-from a shop that is still virtually all hand tools (and a heavy piece of flatish steel).

Ps- practice, practice, practice.

[NickyD]

nice!