In article .com,
wrote:
I understand the concept of tolerances, but I'm not sure what tolerance
would result in "no perceptible play," which is what I'm trying to
achieve.

"No perceptible play" needs to also take into account the
variation in dimensions of the piece to which it will be fitted. Unless
you are able to control the dimensions of the part on all of the
instruments to which your part would be applied, yours would need to be
adjustable to make up for that.

I would consider "no perceptible play" to be in the vicinity of
a light interference fit, and without knowledge of and control of the
dimensions of the piece to which it fits, I don't think that you can get
away without the ability to adjust.

It sort of sounds like an extension of something like a flute
key, to enable a smaller hand to reach it. And I'm pretty sure that
flute keys (even within the same maker) are not that consistent in
thickness.

[ ... ]

I don't have anything more precise and accurate than a ruler to measure
with, but I know that the metal piece that I'm trying to produce will
need to be manufactured with a tolerance for fluctuation from the
desired dimensions of less than a millimeter.

Significantly less -- and perhaps as tight as +/- 0.01mm (which
is close to 0.0005 inch).

You seriously need to improve your measuring instruments. And
if you are fitting something like a flute key, you probably can't use
the typical micrometer to do it, because the surface curves.

Any ideas? Thanks very much again

Not while you are being so close mouthed about the details. You
might want to start processing on a patent first, if you are so worried
about that.

Good Luck,
DoN.

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