# Stroboscopic Tachometer app for iPhones - Great for finding RPM’s of your spindle



## Jennifer Edwards (Oct 21, 2018)

There is a nice free tachometer application available at the iPhone “AppStore” that uses the camera flash on your phone as the strobe.

It is accurate to within .001 percent. To find it just search the AppStore for "tachometer". There are two applications returned from the search, choose the first one it is labeled: "Strobe Tachometer (RPM Meter)"

It is pretty slick, just dial in the RPM you want, push the button, and your camera flash LED will flash at that exact rythm.

Point the strobe at the tool in your mill, or at the chuck in your lathe, and simply adjust the speed of your machine until the object freeses. At that point you have matched that RPM exactly.

I do not have a built in tachometer in either my lathe or mill. This app is s lifesaver for calculating Surface Speeds of your tooling in the case of a mill or material speed in Meters per second on your lathe.

If you use it with the link below you are almost guaranteed the best finish possible for any material.

Meters per second to RPM calculations:
https://www.peter.com.au/metalwork/turning-finish.html

The strobe app is free with some occasional annoying adverts, but for a couple quid you can purchase the full app.

Have fun!
Jenny


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## Rickl (Dec 11, 2018)

Thanks Jenny.

Rick
Sth Australia


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## Jennifer Edwards (Dec 11, 2018)

Rickl said:


> Thanks Jenny.
> 
> Rick
> Sth Australia




You are very welcome Rick


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## Jasonb (Dec 11, 2018)

Ideally put a bit of reflective tape on the chuck etc as you could find the strobe is freezing what you see at 1/3rd or 2/3rds the speed you are aiming for as the 3 jaws can be stopped in various positions.

In the 12 years I've had my mill I've only used a strobe on it once and that was to show it working at a particular speed in another thread, rest of the time it's just feel and sound that works fine for me.


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## Jennifer Edwards (Dec 11, 2018)

Hi Jason,

You are quite correct, it is easy to lock on harmonics of a given speed even with a marked spindle. For example a spindle rotating at 400 rpm would appear to be “frozen” at 200 flashes  per minute.

Since I posted this thread I have built two Arduino driven LCD displays and an application that decodes the signal from Sieg mills and lathes that displays the actual RPM’s for a cost of about £30 as opposed to the £150 Axminster charges. 

You can find the code and build instructions in a thread I posted in the software forum.

Jenny


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## borriss (Apr 18, 2019)

Hi Jennifer,
To avoid disappointment to others this app is only available on i10 phones. Mine is a i5 dinosaur!
Regards Borriss


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## Jennifer Edwards (Apr 18, 2019)

borriss said:


> Hi Jennifer,
> To avoid disappointment to others this app is only available on i10 phones. Mine is a i5 dinosaur!
> Regards Borriss



Thanks for the info,

When I first obtained it I had an IPhone 7, since then they must have upgraded it to run under the new O/S.  I know several of my apps no longer run on my new phone probably because the authors of the programs have not bothered to,

I now own an iPhone X and probably installed the update to the tach app as a matter of routine.

I appreciate your information it will keep others from become frustrated,

Jenny


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## Wizard69 (May 5, 2019)

Thanks for the suggestion, just downloaded the app today.    Yes a little late but that is what happens when you are still working for a living.


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## Motorman1946 (Jun 8, 2019)

Jennifer Edwards said:


> Hi Jason,
> 
> You are quite correct, it is easy to lock on harmonics of a given speed even with a marked spindle. For example a spindle rotating at 400 rpm would appear to be “frozen” at 200 flashes  per minute.
> 
> ...


Hi Jenny,

Point me in the direction of the softwear forum please, I'm lost and confused (very easily done these days!!)

Chris


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## Jennifer Edwards (Jun 8, 2019)

Here you go Chris: 

https://www.homemodelenginemachinis...-for-sieg-lathes-and-mills.30694/#post-319881


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## Motorman1946 (Jun 8, 2019)

Jennifer Edwards said:


> Here you go Chris:
> 
> https://www.homemodelenginemachinis...-for-sieg-lathes-and-mills.30694/#post-319881


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## tjwal (Jun 19, 2019)

borriss said:


> Hi Jennifer,
> To avoid disappointment to others this app is only available on i10 phones. Mine is a i5 dinosaur!
> Regards Borriss



It runs fine on my iPhone 4s.


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## Jennifer Edwards (Jun 20, 2019)

Sorry Borriss,

When I first used it I had an iPhone 7, and since upgraded to a 10. I believe the author(s) followed suit and upgraded their software to run on Apple’s new version of IOS.

I had not noticed the change , thank you for reporting it.

Jenny


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## DanP (Jun 20, 2019)

I'm using a 5S and it works fine.


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## Jennifer Edwards (Jun 20, 2019)

Dan,

Now I am a little confused. I have had a couple people report it did not run on their older phones.

Maybe they do not keep them updated?

Jenny


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## DanP (Jun 20, 2019)

Jenny

I don't know about why it works but I just down loaded the app when you first put it up and it worked.  I plug my phone into my computer once a week or so and if there is an update I let it do it.  After reading this earlier today, thinking maybe the program has changed I went and tried it on my mill, it works fine.


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## Jennifer Edwards (Jun 20, 2019)

Thanks again Dan,

That must be the difference, up to date operating system. I always keep my technology up to date with software patches automatically. it could bethat the folks who are experiencing issues running it are on earlier versions of the O/S. 

I would like to know what version of IOS that Borriss is using. right now my iPhone is operating on IOS 12.3.1


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## DanP (Jun 20, 2019)

I am also on 12.3.1  How do you E-mail me directly?  I don't mind, it's just that the only way I know how to answer you is on this thread.


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## Jennifer Edwards (Jun 20, 2019)

Dan,

My email is: [email protected]
Feel free to. Intact me any time.

Jenny


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## borriss (Aug 31, 2019)

Hi Jenny. 
My phone runs on 10.3.3. I have not updated it either. Maybe that is the problem! Some interesting comments from the others though. Also I was told it was a 5S but it could be a 5C! How can you tell? You may have gathered I am not a phone geek!! Cheers Borriss.
PS Still good info from you.


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## Jennifer Edwards (Aug 31, 2019)

Hi  Borriss, 

I just checked, it’s still working for me. I am up to version 12.4.1 of the software.

Here is s link to Apple support that shows how to determine your model number:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201296

Jenny


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## goldstar31 (Aug 31, 2019)

Jennifer, may I hijack your excellent post please?

For those who are partially sighted there an I phone app called 'Seeing AI' which can read print etc and talk back. It needs to be a fairly new I-phone- I'm not literate that way  but as it has helped me, it may do the same for the similarly afflicted.

Thanks, Apologies and Best Wishes

Norman


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## Jennifer Edwards (Aug 31, 2019)

Hi Norman,

Yes! Please feel free to do anything you want with it. When I post something on the net I expect it to be shared with as many as possible.

My partner is a victim of Macular Degeneration, so I can empathise,

Jenny


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## goldstar31 (Aug 31, 2019)

Jennifer Edwards said:


> Hi Norman,
> 
> 
> My partner is a victim of Macular Degeneration, so I can empathise,
> ...



I've just had a frightener. Thursday, I had an eyeball injection and it was only through the early hours of today that the dreaded 'Black spot[ finally disappeared. Apparently, it is only caused by a tiny air bubble getting in with the hypodermic needle which  causes it  BUT

Let me know her opinion, please. My help came from a good friend in the Women's 'Destitute'


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## Jennifer Edwards (Aug 31, 2019)

Wow what a coincidence! My partner had an injection a week ago Saturday and had the same duds effect. 

Here it is eight  days later and it is still there, albeit now only a tiny dot.


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## goldstar31 (Aug 31, 2019)

So I'm lucky!
If it is any consolation, my rotten eyesight has improved. Conceivably, I might be at the stage where the frequency of jabs is reduced- and maybe there will be a point when  I will only go when I decide- so they say.
Of course the ongoing problem is that I have to have COPD 'exercises' twice a week- and I fear that 'ongoing' means forever.

In a way, it is a good thing because I am cognisant of other peoples difficulties- and  I am able to help Ovarian cancer which took my wife exactly 4 years ago and prostate cancer which has either taken a lot of my mates or they are been treated. Of course, there are other needy charities

'We' could do with a lot more helpers with donations. 

So Jenny, it must not be easy for you and your partner either. I sincerely understand and hope things improve for her, too

Norman


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## borriss (Aug 31, 2019)

Hi Jenny again,
I have been to my son's for Father's Day and his whizz kids have successfully downloaded the stroboscopic app on to my phone, woo hoo! So this septagenarian has been brought up yet again in to the 21st century. 
Thank you again for the heads up about the app. 
Cheers Borriss
PS: I was born in Donny and used to go for holidays in Bridlington!


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## borriss (Aug 31, 2019)

Hi Jenny,
Thank you for the I phone info. My phone is definitely an I phone 5C. 
Thank you again,
 Borriss


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## Ivan Winters (Sep 16, 2019)

Jenny

I read this topic with interest until I realised you were talking about iOS apps. My phone is one of those horrible evil Huawei P20 Lite (the nickname for it at work is the 'Chinese Secret Agent phone' !). It runs on Android. I looked in the Android Play Store and after several false starts found an app called 'Strobe Light' by 'Chic Apps'. It uses the phone flash light and can be set at any speed up to 30Hz which is of course 1800 rpm.

HTH

Ivan from Bradford, West Yorks


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## Jennifer Edwards (Sep 16, 2019)

Thank you for letting Android users know about it. I appreciate your input.


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