Ok, So I was setting Zero with drop bit to surface and tighten. Worked several times and thought great. Problem solved. But had a 2 cut project today (.125 & .0312) and couldn’t get the bits to stay put. Kept raising ever so slight when I tightened the colette. Mainly with the .0312 bit. Couldn’t get my fingers in to hold it down. So…I’m now back to using paper method. But I’m using wax paper instead because it slides smoothly under bit (doesn’t grab as much) and I can feel the tension better. Will change over to touch plate when Easel supports it, or use UGC, set and then back to Easel to cut. Still thinking on that.
Try not to use wax paper. It slides under bit easy, try to see. Give one more click to Z, it slides out again. I was using backing paper from double sided tape. I noticed that.
If you want to do it on Easel, I think best way is Pencil trick. You can draw one thick line on the surface with pencil, attach one side of voltmeter to bit, touch pencil draw with other. Start moving Z down until you get cut nutty.
Thought of using the pencil trick, but when you have a special piece of Koa that is $80 (or more) a board foot, I don’t want to be rubbing lead on it. The slide out easy was the reason I liked the wax paper. I could feel the tension on the paper as I pulled. More down, more tension. Regular paper materials would catch and start to rip. I’m only really concerned when I do second cut and want it the same Z as first. Single cut, I don’t really care at all how accurate the height is. Just my thoughts anyway. BTW, I only use Easel and F-Engrave so my options are kind of limited.
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Sorry I’m sure you know what you’re doing. Just brain storming. Before this Z probe idea showing up, I had 1/8" thick 2" square brass plate, I was attaching my voltmeter probe and attaching other probe to bit doing same as pencil trick. After first touch, I was adding 1/8" value for work zero. I don’t know if it is possible to change Z value on Easel.
You could try a little salt water. Not so much as to raise the grain, but just a light application.
I haven’t tried this, but salt water might conduct enough for a reading.
Thanks Alan. All the more ideas we get the better. You can adjust Z travel in Easel, not hard but still another setting and step to worry about. I’ll have to think more on process that works best for me.
Salt water…not on my wood, but thanks for the suggestion. Keeps us thinking outside the box.
You can engineer your own touch plate. I made mine with a small piece of .065" thick aluminum I got from the hardware store, an AA battery, and an LED.
It’s Robert again. Another hero on earth. I totally forgot this Robert, i remember this old post from somewhere. Good idea. Only problem seems to be inputting work zero on Easel. Do you know how to do that. I’m not Easel user. I was doing same thing with voltmeter, but using one short macro to add plate thickness to Z zero.
Also I like your hardwood floor cleaning brush dust shoe. 
The way I’ve done the Easel zero so far is to raise the spindle .035" after I zero it, then I drop it .100" (since I know it’s .065"). It’s easy enough to do by changing the travel distance, which is normally .1" or .01" to .035".
flies off to save the day elsewhere 
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Thanks! It’s not bad for a first version, but hopefully the second version will be for the 611 that is sitting half-wired off to the side. The bristles came from a $1 brush, so there’s probably a whole $2 invested in it.
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Ok, how about using gold leaf? 
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Yeah, would work but way to fragile I think. I just made a touch plate using .253 plate steel (for stability) and use my om meter. I’ll zero on plate, raise .253 remove plate and hit down .253 twice in Easel. Test it out tomorrow.
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