I wanted a depth micrometer but I didn’t want to pay the ripoff prices that so many tool sellers were asking on ebay, so I opted to instead buy a micrometer head and make the base myself. Super easy to do, and super cheap ($22.50 for the micrometer head. $100+ for a micrometer depth gage. WTF!)

Well, when the micrometer head arrived today, I was a little bit surprised! It’s teeny tiny! So cute! I didn’t even know they made micrometer heads so small. The thimble is only 1/2″ diameter. Pictured with a 1-2-3 block, you can see just how tiny it actually is. The micrometer head is a Mitutoyo 148-862.

Currently, the base is made of 6061-T6 aluminum, finished by lapping with 600 grit on the gaging surface, and 400 grit on the non-functional surfaces. I will more than likely re-make the base from stainless steel, the next time I’m at Metal Supermarket to pick some up.