XTR Fix Assist alternatives

[[Ma...]]

Howdy, I know this is a silly question but I am curious to know what you do for setting up horizontal probes without a Fix assist.
For context we have a VAST XTR gold head and use 2 horizontally mounted styli per adapter plate parallel to the Y axis pointing in opposite directions. One North the other South. 

I have recently been noticing some variation in my probe geometry on our probe builds when I have to change out a styli, it's got me thinking if I need to invest in a fix assist. 
As of now I have a grinding vice that I align parallel with the Y axis within a micron using the master probe, then loosen the screws on the XTR adapter plate and then bring the probe into the vise and close it, tighten the screws finger tight, remove, torque to spec, and qualify... It's much more graceful than I made it sound and I am careful when doing these steps to ensure the safety and well being of the sensor head and master probe, but doing this every time is becoming a bit time consuming. Getting to the point I was wondering, those that have horizontal probes what's your process for aligning parallel to the Y axis (or X axis )? Do you have an off brand Fix assist system that you use? Do you qualify and re adjust? Or have some of you machined your own systems to do such. Thanks for your time!
-Max
56 and rain in Colorado tonight. 

[[No...]]

For a very long time I did something even simpler than what you did with the vice: We have grinded magnetic chucks on the granite, aligned exactly square to the X/Y axes. I positioned my probes very close to one of its edges and with one eye closed I peeked through the light gap while aligning the styli. This allows for a very accurate alignment if the edge and the stylus are long enough. But you are right, this is quite time consuming.

So today I use a simple self-made device. It consists of a plate holder with a fixing handle (so I can lock the plate in the correct orientation, similar to the probe head) and a vertical V-block which is centered to the plate holder. The part with the plate holder can be slided back and forth. By carefully moving the mounted probe against the V-block, I can center the tip in the V-block and tighten the plate screws through a hole in the holder. The design is fairly simple, any similarities with the famous Fix Assist are purely coincidental 😜

Edited June 6

[[Ri...]]

I use a vise similar to this and Gage Blocks plus angle Gage Blocks.

I can align any angle in XY, ZX, ZY or compound.

[[Ma...]]

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, Do you have any photos of this contraption you have created to share with us? if not no worries. But thank you for your input! 

[[Ma...]]

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, This seems like a valuable tool and I should invest in one as I don't have it yet. If you are just doing a simple probe build like I described, how do you make sure the sensor head is inline with the adaptor plate position? or inline with the master probe XY zero?

[[Ri...]]

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I align all probes on one single axis of the CMM normal movement with an indicator to within .001" per inch. Generally, I use the longest probe shank to align the probe.

I also align the angle block in the same manner. If it is a compound angle, I set the rotation around XY first then whether it is Zy or ZX last.

[[No...]]

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I have no photos at hand, but screenshots of the CAD design. They don't show the fixing handle for the plate, but it shouldn't be too hard to come up with something yourself.

This is of course only suitable for rectangular probes, but we hardly need other angles.

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Edited June 10