the reason for 2 sweeps is I don't seem to have the correct anvil
The anvil is not your only means of adjusting. You can loosten the clamp that holds the dial indicator into the tube/handle of the DBG and move it up or down, then re-tighten the clamp. I like to put the zero at the top, then move the dial indicator up or down to get less then 1 revolution of the needle, stopping near the zero. Then do a final zeroing by turning the dial.
I know there is more than 1 way to skin a cat, but I always set the micrometer to the journal and lock it. Then I clamp the DBG in a vise (gently) to hold it with the movable point facing straight up while I use both hands to maneuver the mic over the points of the dbg. I press the fixed end of the mic against the fixed point of the dbg. Then I position the other end of the mic against the movable point of the dbg, and swing the handle end of the mic every direction to find the smallest reading and do the final zeroing of the dbg there. This way, as you sweep the dbg thru the rod bearing, the amount that the needle stops short of zero is your clearance. If the needle goes past zero, you have negative clearance.
Good luck!
