Wilson Hardness Tester Calibration

Cypress Creek Knives

Cypress Creek Knives

CCK
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Dec 15, 2010
Messages
626
Cypress Creek Knives said:
Good Evening all,
I picked up a Wilson 4 OUR GN hardness tester today and it needs calibrated. Currently it is reading 7 points low. I have searched high and low and cannot find any instructions on how to calibrate this tester. I have flipped through this manual, but didn't see anything on calibration.

Does anyone know where I can find information on the calibration process?
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Do you have test blocks? You might need a new indenter. Make sure your oil reservoir has oil.

Then you adjust the speed of the dash pot.

A low reading usually means it’s too fast or a damaged indenter.

Hoss
 
DevinT said:
Do you have test blocks? You might need a new indenter. Make sure your oil reservoir has oil.

Then you adjust the speed of the dash pot.

A low reading usually means it’s too fast or a damaged indenter.

Hoss
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I have a test block and a good indenter (I took the indenter off of my other hardness tester).

I'll check the oil level and then adjust the speed from there.
 
I have some old manuals that talk about calibrating Wilson testers I can send you. I reached out on Instagram to you so I can attach the files!
 
I seriously doubt adjusting the speed will be enough for 7 points. Pull the top off and look at the pivots and location of screws compared to your other hardness tester. BTW, what is your other hardness tester - would it happen to be a HR-150 or one of the clones? If so I've posted a pretty decent write on calibrating those in the past. You might work out how to calibrate the wilson based on the HR-150 calibration.
 
Dash pot speed is one of the things to check. I drove mine home and had to adjust the dash pot speed, then the dial/gauge, but got it to read pretty much dead on the calibration blocks and other blades I had professionally heat treated!
 
Taz said:
I have some old manuals that talk about calibrating Wilson testers I can send you. I reached out on Instagram to you so I can attach the files!
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Thanks! I'll check my instagram!
Ken H> said:
I seriously doubt adjusting the speed will be enough for 7 points. Pull the top off and look at the pivots and location of screws compared to your other hardness tester. BTW, what is your other hardness tester - would it happen to be a HR-150 or one of the clones? If so I've posted a pretty decent write on calibrating those in the past. You might work out how to calibrate the wilson based on the HR-150 calibration.
Click to expand...
The other hardness tester is a Wilson 6jr. My assumption is that most hardness testers calibrate the same way, but I could be way off.
 
If it was transported, the guage/dial itself can be off. That's what mine was; I had to correct the gauge itself after I drove the tester home. Mine is an older JR1 I picked up for $325 and was around 2 hrc off after I got a new indenter for it for $20 on the Big River site. I adjusted the dash pot and got closer, but the movement/vibration from driving it home in my car meant the gauge needed tuning. I have some older manuals as zip files if anyone needs them! They are manuals for: Wilson Early Models, Wilson 3R, and Wilson JR/JS models.
 
Its the Index Lever Adjustment on pages 9-11 on the manual you linked and page 17, dial adjustment. Lots of little things to check on those if they have been sitting! Could be old or too thick/thin oil in the dashpot as well.
 
Taz said:
If it was transported, the guage/dial itself can be off. That's what mine was; I had to correct the gauge itself after I drove the tester home. Mine is an older JR1 I picked up for $325 and was around 2 hrc off after I got a new indenter for it for $20 on the Big River site. I adjusted the dash pot and got closer, but the movement/vibration from driving it home in my car meant the gauge needed tuning. I have some older manuals as zip files if anyone needs them! They are manuals for: Wilson Early Models, Wilson 3R, and Wilson JR/JS models.
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What is the site you got the indenter from?
Taz said:
If it was transported, the guage/dial itself can be off. That's what mine was; I had to correct the gauge itself after I drove the tester home. Mine is an older JR1 I picked up for $325 and was around 2 hrc off after I got a new indenter for it for $20 on the Big River site. I adjusted the dash pot and got closer, but the movement/vibration from driving it home in my car meant the gauge needed tuning. I have some older manuals as zip files if anyone needs them! They are manuals for: Wilson Early Models, Wilson 3R, and Wilson JR/JS models.
Click to expand...
 
BigRiver/A, they are on ebay as well.
 
Where is the adjustment for the pot speed? I see a knob on the top/back of the pot, is that it? I turned it several turns but didn't' seem to make a difference in the speed.
 
Finally got around to calibrating my hardness tester. It was way easier than I was expecting. All it took was a new indenter and some adjusting of the dash pot. I should've done this months ago!
 
Taz said:
Its the Index Lever Adjustment on pages 9-11 on the manual you linked and page 17, dial adjustment. Lots of little things to check on those if they have been sitting! Could be old or too thick/thin oil in the dashpot as well.
Click to expand...
Hello taz I’m brand new on here and I came across this chat late in the game.But I recently purchased Wilson Model 3 OUR and my readings are quite low on all my test blocks!I am having trouble figuring out how to open the dash pot on mine as it has no knurled cap and lightly turning with pliers it won’t budge! I’m adjusted the speed and changed the indenter with no change but I didn’t know if you knew how to access the dash pot on this model or if you had any info you could share with re calibrating the dial? Thanks for any info you could provide!
 
HammerMech said:
Hello taz I’m brand new on here and I came across this chat late in the game.But I recently purchased Wilson Model 3 OUR and my readings are quite low on all my test blocks!I am having trouble figuring out how to open the dash pot on mine as it has no knurled cap and lightly turning with pliers it won’t budge! I’m adjusted the speed and changed the indenter with no change but I didn’t know if you knew how to access the dash pot on this model or if you had any info you could share with re calibrating the dial? Thanks for any info you could provide!
Click to expand...
Are you trying to remove the dash pot to check the oil level?
 
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