Kanon 181N Stainless Steel Vernier Height Gauge 18 in on Stand Machinist

Kanon 181N Stainless Steel Vernier Height Gauge 18 in on Stand Machinist

The Kanon 181N is an 18-inch stainless steel vernier height gauge mounted on a heavy cast base stand. Height gauges of this type are a standard precision layout tool used on surface plates to measure or transfer heights, scribe layout lines, and check part dimensions with vernier-scale resolution. The 181N features a stainless steel graduated beam, a sliding vernier carriage with a scriber or indicator attachment point, and both coarse and fine locking adjustments for setting and holding the measurement.

Specifications & What's Included

• Brand: Kanon
• Model: 181N
• Material: Stainless steel beam and carriage
• Measuring range: 18 inches (approximately 450 mm)
• Scale type: Vernier
• Base/stand: Heavy green-painted cast base for stability on a surface plate
• Carriage: Sliding vernier assembly with coarse lock knob and fine-adjust/lock mechanism
• Scriber attachment: Present on carriage (visible in photos)
• Graduated beam: Stainless steel, dual-scale (inches visible; metric side present on opposite face)
• Included: Height gauge on stand — no case or additional accessories observed

Applications

Vernier height gauges are a foundational tool in machine shops, tool rooms, quality control labs, and inspection departments. They are used on granite or steel surface plates to measure the height of workpiece features, transfer dimensions from one part to another, and scribe precise layout lines before machining. The Kanon brand is a well-regarded Japanese manufacturer of precision measuring instruments, and the 181N series was a standard shop-floor height gauge used widely in manufacturing and inspection environments from the mid-20th century onward. This type of manual vernier gauge is still actively used in shops that prefer the durability and simplicity of a mechanical scale over electronic digital gauges — and for calibration and backup purposes where a battery-independent instrument is valued.