I would like to pass on this little tip which I have found most useful, for those Trolls who are maybe Hobbyists cutters, or who are like myself new to cutting and are or may be complete novices, and who would have serious reservations about spending a fortune on state-of-the-art microscopes, but would still however benefit greatly by knowing how deep they're cutting. The justification for serious expenditure by these Hobbyist cutters would however make economic sense when considered against, a best case scenario of a damaged expensive Stylus, or a worst case scenario, of damaged torque tube/cutterhead/lathe, because of attempted over-depth cutting caused by not having a reliable way to measure the groove width and hence depth. On more than one occasion, I have read of folk having difficulty measuring grooves, and this is how I've managed to do this important function at not too great a cost. The bay is awash with not too pricey Second Hand Microscopes and that is where I got mine, a few hours with an hacksaw, file, and electric drill and it soon fits like a charm, where it's needed, on your lathe. Nearly as expensive as the 'scope itself at a cost of £25 was the purchase of an "Eyepiece Measuring Graticule/Reticule" (Yes I know, the Terminology is sometimes baffling, to some it's a Measuring Graticule to others it's a Measuring Reticle, and to yet others it's a Measuring Graticule/Reticle, and I'm pretty sure, an experienced microscopist will tell you it's none of these, but is actually called a wizzbangeyeglasslookybigthingmeasureyometer) Like lots of other aspects of this fascinating art of cutting gramophone recordings, be it feedback levels, cutting levels, VU Metering Levels or whatever, a Baseline or Reference level needs to be established, and this is where I think most people struggle unneccessarily. Since we in the West seem to be hell-bent on closing down all our decades and sometimes centuries old, indigenous engineering workshops and sub-contracting engineering and manufacturing to low-cost countries in Asia and the Far east, depending on which side of the Ocean/Channel you're from the bay is also similarly awash with these :- or these:- Now I've owned a micrometer since I was nothing but a young lad, and an engineering apprentice, back in the early 1960s and so I personally did not have to buy another, but I've this very hour looked on the bay, and there's loads to be purchased for not much more than an Expresso from your favourite Coffee Vendor. And this is the simple or clever bit, depending on your viewpoint, once you've taken delivery of your shiny new/old micrometer you start measuring stuff like it's going out of fashion, items I have measured includes needles, pins enameled copper wire, fuse wire, anything and everything small and readily to hand. Once measured acurately with your new inexpensive micrometer at say .010" 10/1000th inches or, mm if you're from that part of the world that doesn't use these civilised imperial measures (Only joking!!) then you simply check how many divisions on the Graticule/Reticule this item is, when viewed through your Microscope and Voila you've got your baseline of how many Thousanth/Division or otherwise when it comes to measuring your cut grooves. Thank You For Looking
Soulbear