accurate kerning for single-letter text fields

please help

[benlieb]

I have made a dynamic text animation that takes a string and breaks it up into letters, each one is animated.

I can't find an accurate way to have the spaces (kerning) be equal between all letters. How have others solved this problem?

I have tried textfield._width as well as .getTextExtent with little luck.

Any advice (besides use monyspaced type) very appreciated.