Analog read out

[student_Machinist]

Hey guys
Just wondering if any one uses dial indicators on their lathe/mill cross slides as a kind of analog read out?
Pics would be appreciated as i would like to get some ideas be for i try this my self.
thanks in advance
Jonathan

 

[DICKEYBIRD]

Here's what I use on my lathe. 1st a 2" indicator for the carriage:

A 1" on the cross feed:

Another 1" on the tailstock: (This was several years ago; I recently installed a cheap 4" digital caliper on the tailstock)

 

[Royal Viking]

Jonathan, I was wondering the same thing myself after having to use my magnetic mount several times.

Dick, thanks for the examples. How did you cut the v groove for the bed mount on the carriage travel? I have a southbend and I can make most things. It looks like I would have to resort to a hand saw and file to do that.

Roy

 

[d.bick]

Colchester lathe cross slide dial indicator.

I have fitted a dial indicator to my Colchester lathe.
Some of the features to look for are the dial is mounted on a moveable block adjusted by a knurled wheel which moves the dial back and forth by a rack and pinion. The cross slide cannot damage the dial by crushing it because there is a screw between the lathe cross slide carriage and the block which pushes the dial along the rack before the full limit of the dial is reached.

 

[shred]

Jonathan, I was wondering the same thing myself after having to use my magnetic mount several times.

Dick, thanks for the examples. How did you cut the v groove for the bed mount on the carriage travel? I have a southbend and I can make most things. It looks like I would have to resort to a hand saw and file to do that.

Roy

I have a carriage travel indicator made out of a 4" Starrett I picked up at a garage sale. Looks a lot like the first pic from dickeybird except mine has thumbscrews (handy for repositioning if you have a longish bed lathe). I cut the v-groove by tilting the block at 45 degrees and running an end-mill across it.

 

[black85vette]

My solution was a quick and dirty one. Needed something quickly and never went back to make it look nice. Just took a scrap piece of aluminum and a couple of magnets. Milled out a pocket for the magnets and epoxied them in place.

I put it on the rail in front or behind the carriage depending on what I am doing. Don't have to worry about bottoming out the DI and damaging it. The magnet just gets pushed back by the carriage.

For longer work I have a 24" digital scale that I have mounts for. Any more the cheap digital scales are competitive with a DI. Plus they zero at any point with just a button push.

 

[Deanofid]

I only use them on the carriage travel, since that is the only axis that doesn't have
dials. (If the slide has a dial, I use it!)

First attachment is on the Taig, and mounts to the depth stop. Can be moved
where it's needed that way.

Second attachment is on the Atlas, and clamps at any position needed.

 

[student_Machinist]

I only use them on the carriage travel, since that is the only axis that doesn't have
dials. (If the slide has a dial, I use it!)

to be perfectly honest I'm 17 and have had to teach myself how to use all of this stuff. Consequently i haven't been able to get my head around using the dials effectively ??? (any help would be appreciated)

One problem that i have is that I live in a land of metric measurement that for some reason does not have any suppliers that sell dial indicators with travel over 25mm for a reasonable price. So the main question i have is is it worth doing for such a small amount of travel? i suspect this would be more of a problem for the mill as i cant afford a DRO and prefer analog measurement.

btw thanks every one for the rplys and pics.

 

[miker]

Student machinist, have a look here....

http://www.ctctools.biz/servlet/Categories

Where are you located on planet Earth??

here...

http://www.ctctools.biz/servlet/the-457/PRECISION-MEASURING-GAUGE-LONG/Detail

edited to add direct link to Dial Indicators.

 

[Deanofid]

to be perfectly honest I'm 17 and have had to teach myself how to use all of this stuff. Consequently i haven't been able to get my head around using the dials effectively ??? (any help would be appreciated)

This is good to know, and helps us answer questions. You can get a lot of help from people here. Just try to include any info in your questions that you can think of. One of the things that will help is knowing where you live, so others can suggest suppliers applicable to your location and measurement system.

You don't need to put your street address. Just a country and state, if you have states. (A first name would be nice, too. There are already a few people here called "Student"-something.)

It would be nice of you to put an introduction in the "Welcome" section so we can hear a bit about you and your interests, too.

So, what troubles are you having with reading your dials? Also, what is the calibration of the dials, and what measurement?

One problem that i have is that I live in a land of metric measurement that for some reason does not have any suppliers that sell dial indicators with travel over 25mm for a reasonable price. So the main question i have is is it worth doing for such a small amount of travel?

Dial indicators over 25mm, or 1" travel start to go up in price more than they seem to be worth. That's just the way it is.
A 25mm dial indicator (DI) can be quite useful. Think about how often you may need to make shafting over 25mm in length that need accuracy better than 1mm, and you'll probably find that it isn't too often. If you need to make very close measurements along a diameter that is substantially longer than that, you can always move the DI down the lathe bed in increments of 25mm to get a longer measurement.
That's how I do it on my Atlas if I need more than an inch, which isn't too often.

For instance, if you need to measure 75mm along the length of a piece, and using a rule or caliper isn't accurate enough, move the carriage 25mm, lock the carriage, move the DI down the bed and zero it, and do the same again until you have your full length. If you're worried about getting mixed up on your setups, write down the increments and add them up.

You can also use a 150mm electronic caliper to give you an increased range. Look at some of the other pictures here for how to do one of those.

Dean

 

[DICKEYBIRD]

How did you cut the v groove for the bed mount on the carriage travel? I have a southbend and I can make most things. It looks like I would have to resort to a hand saw and file to do that.

I cut the groove with an endmill & the part clamped on the mill on a tilting table.

Someone mentioned knurled knobs to adjust the position. I tried that initially but it slipped a few times so I replaced it with a SHCS tightened by a T-handle allen wrench. She don't move no mo'. ;D

Also about the "If the slide has a dial, I use it!" thing I wish I was that good. Dummy me had a lot of trouble trying to figger out what to do with the backlash when making adjustments and kept screwing up parts. That's when I put the clocks on all axes, with the plungers bearing right against the carriage & cross slide. End of problem and I don't have to think so hard.

 

[student_Machinist]

Where are you located on planet Earth??

New Zealand

 

[shred]

Someone mentioned knurled knobs to adjust the position. I tried that initially but it slipped a few times so I replaced it with a SHCS tightened by a T-handle allen wrench. She don't move no mo'. ;D

Slipping is a feature ;D If I run the carriage into the indicator it'll slide along the bed before doing any damage. My thumbscrews are six 1/4" ball end-mill scallops around the edge of some 3/4" stock, so I can reef down on them pretty good too. I'm not sure a regular knurl would be fun to tighten enough to keep it from moving.

 

[miker]

Direct link to CTC Dial indicators.

http://www.ctctools.biz/servlet/the-457/PRECISION-MEASURING-GAUGE-LONG/Detail

 

[Deanofid]

Also about the "If the slide has a dial, I use it!" thing I wish I was that good. Dummy me had a lot of trouble trying to figger out what to do with the backlash when making adjustments and kept screwing up parts.

Oh, it's not anything to do with being good, Dick, (and you're no dummy!). I sure didn't mean for
it to sound like a brag, if that's how it came off.
Just a matter of knowing your machine has back lash, and dealing with it. It's been done for over a
century, and if the old heads could do it, so can we.

If you back out your slide, take the dial past the backlash inherent to, or that's worn into, the machine.
Then, when you return to your original setting, the slide will be back where you expect it should be.
You can readily feel the backlash in most machine dials, and every machine that has regular lead screws has it, whether brand new, or a model from decades back.

Dean

 

[student_Machinist]

So, what troubles are you having with reading your dials? Also, what is the calibration of the dials, and what measurement?

the main problem i have is that the dial on the cross slide increases in slightly unusual increments (0.04mm or something) so i have a bit of trouble keeping track of how far i have gone (btw I'm a bit dyslexic which doesn't help much)

 

[Mainer]

I've got a 1" travel indicator on the carriage and find that 1" travel is adequate for nearly everything I do.

 

[steamnut2010]

Good day mate.

 

[Deanofid]

the main problem i have is that the dial on the cross slide increases in slightly unusual increments (0.04mm or something) so i have a bit of trouble keeping track of how far i have gone (btw I'm a bit dyslexic which doesn't help much)

I'm pretty curious. What kind of lathe have you got there? And, "0.04mm or something"?
What are the increments, exactly?

Maybe give us a picture of the dial, that shows the "or something" part. Hopefully, someone can help.

Dean

 

[student_Machinist]

I'm pretty curious. What kind of lathe have you got there? And, "0.04mm or something"?
What are the increments, exactly?

Maybe give us a picture of the dial, that shows the "or something" part. Hopefully, someone can help.

Dean

My lathe

this is the caliper i used for my tailstock

my mill

Sorry if these pics dont turn out right
btw please excuse the mess ;D