This is the most accurate tool I have found to measure the material thickness, but if I could find a more exact way to gauge the thickness, I could make the part lighter still.
Drilling the stud holes in the bronze was a very nerve-racking experience. Even slowly pecking at the bronze with a drill press didn't prevent the drill bit from aggressively grabbing the material
I used a helical tap with a lot of cutting oil, and happily, this combination yielded good results.