Another Question About The Cabin Tree Hardness Tester

Morning Pat.  Two things I might mention.  I prep the sample bullet same as the LBT instructions, by filing the nose and base flat.  I adjust the dial indicator to zero and just bring the indenter to contact the surface of the sample.  Enough to hold the sample in position, and then turn the adjustment one complete turn to take the reading on the indicator.  I kept having erratic readings because I would lose my place on the markers on the knob.  I took a piece of business card and a small zip tie and placed it just snug on the threaded part of the rod under the brass pointer.  You might have to file off a little of the nub so it clears the rod as you turn the handle. 

Set the indenter, turn the nub on the threaded shaft so it is under the brass pointer, Then turn the handle one complete turn and take the reading.  It made life so much easier once I had a better reference point on the threaded shaft.

Now, this may not follow the instructions to the letter, but when I verified the readings with lab pure samples, I got a correct reading of the samples except as noted earlier.  That is good enough for my needs.