Thread: Home Made Lathe

Plastic calipers are not suited to metalwork. They EBay listing shows them measuring a roll of sticky tape. That is a good use for them.

The dial test indicator has a pretty ordinary mag base. That one is just a permanent magnet. No off/on.


This is a better mag base. Try and find an indicator with one of these.

Dean

Since your lathe is mostly aluminium you might want to consider making something like this bracket to hold your dial indicator. I find I use this more than the magnetic stand when an indicator is called for. this bolts to the toolpost bolt, I also have one that clamps in the tool holder.

As far as indicators go I think you'd be better off with the type in the picture. This indicator has a 10mm range of movement and is accurate to within 0.02mm, whereas the one you linked to says it only has a range of 0.08mm. However, that doesn't seem right to me, perhaps someone who has the type you linked to can shed some light.

The indicator type pictured are available on ebay for anything North of $4. I bought an $8 one a while back, just to see what it was like. 'You get what you pay for' seems a custom made quote for this cheapy: Once the plunger was pushed in it would never return to the same position on the dial. The problem lay with the return spring not being taught enough. Easily fixed, I simply shortened the spring and now it's used quite regularly.

For $8, I don't think the movement manufacturers would even know what a diamond was. Still, it's ok for what I use it for.

Im sure i can donate a dial indicator, send me a pm and we can work something out.

Originally Posted by sacc51

Since your lathe is mostly aluminium you might want to consider making something like this bracket to hold your dial indicator. I find I use this more than the magnetic stand when an indicator is called for. this bolts to the toolpost bolt, I also have one that clamps in the tool holder.

As far as indicators go I think you'd be better off with the type in the picture. This indicator has a 10mm range of movement and is accurate to within 0.02mm, whereas the one you linked to says it only has a range of 0.08mm. However, that doesn't seem right to me, perhaps someone who has the type you linked to can shed some light.

The indicator type pictured are available on ebay for anything North of $4. I bought an $8 one a while back, just to see what it was like. 'You get what you pay for' seems a custom made quote for this cheapy: Once the plunger was pushed in it would never return to the same position on the dial. The problem lay with the return spring not being taught enough. Easily fixed, I simply shortened the spring and now it's used quite regularly.

For $8, I don't think the movement manufacturers would even know what a diamond was. Still, it's ok for what I use it for.

Lucky i have not bought anything yet, the way u have the dial indicator set up is mint as great idea i like it and it means more money can be spent on the dial as i won't need the arm attachment

as for the dial caliper will the cheaper mechanical one's work just as good? i am thinking the dial cover may be come a casualty in the shed if it falls off the bench

Originally Posted by caskwarrior

Im sure i can donate a dial indicator, send me a pm and we can work something out.

Thanks for the offer CW but i'd prefer not to give out my address, I'm sure i can find a decent one on ebay i do however appreciate the offer mate

Others will probably disagree but you can get a decent one from around $40, Hafco have them from $35 and North up to a couple of hundred.

If you're not a brand snob, the $35 one is OK, that's what I have. Just make sure they have the bracket on the back if you're going to hang it from an attachment like the one I posted. As I said before, you can get them from $4, but, you do get what you pay for.

Generally speaking you can get them cheaper on ebay, Aliexpress and Banggood, but there is postage to consider along with delivery times and of course you can't touch, feel,use or test for quality.

If you're in the market for micrometers, the same applies, quality costs $$$. I have a couple of good ones and a couple of cheapies I only paid around $15 for, and they are ok by me.

Incidentally, dial gauges, micrometers and verniers are precision instruments, you can't leave them lying around on the bench where they may fall or otherwise get damaged (like I do) because it will affect their accuracy. Most come in boxes so it's a good idea to keep them there or make a storage compartment for them somewhere. I have a drawer under the lathe where I keep my measuring instruments, it's lined with carpet and gets oiled regularly to keep the rust away. Everyone has their own method, I just find it handy having them under the lathe where I'm working.

Thanks mate that is a tidy set up u have, As for dropping the tool i have my tools kind of laying around on the bench in the shed other tools may get placed on the cases but the VC i have is always put back into its case that is one thing i do keep putting back in the case due to its sensitivity and being a precise measuring tool but since i have a clutter of tools i often sort than get all messed up again i am worried of tools like the digital VC sliding off the bench, being vibrated off or something pushing it off by accident you can only drop it once...

i looked and looked it was so hard to find a dial indicator that was actually in AU and not just listed as being local, for under $25, and have the attachment on the back but i managed to find one here it is

Copper Alloy Dial Indicator With Ears Precision Tool Pointer Display Silver XRAU | eBay

it should be here within a week once it arrives i will make all the wheel spacers and get some video of machining and the readings of the run out i think its called?

the dial caliper will have to wait i have only found one in AU in WA that i was willing to purchase but i like a verity and it seems a lot of these tools listed on ebay as being in AU are actually coming in from China directly i have no patients to wait

also trying to locate a shop in AU that sells 4x4mm HSS tools, i looked at H&F there's is in imperial and from what i could work out was 4.6mm square do u think it will ruin my jobs if i hack that down to 4x4mm? i ideally would like plain uncut HSS pieces so i can have fun using the grinder to shape the tools to my requirements as needed

As far as indicators go I think you'd be better off with the type in the picture. This indicator has a 10mm range of movement and is accurate to within 0.02mm, whereas the one you linked to says it only has a range of 0.08mm. However, that doesn't seem right to me, perhaps someone who has the type you linked to can shed some light.

Do you mean 0.8mm? This is normal for these. You are right tho. A dial test indicator is not the best choice in this situation and they are pretty delicate too.

Dean

Originally Posted by gazza2009au

Thanks for the offer CW but i'd prefer not to give out my address, I'm sure i can find a decent one on ebay i do however appreciate the offer mate

When he asked for your address by PM, it a Private Message, therefore only he will see it, no one else. It's probably more secure than Ebay.
Regards,
Kryn

Do you understand that when you sharpen your piece of tool steel by grinder or flap disk there will be almost impossible to maintain the 4 mm height of your tool.

You will need to shim the tool back to your correct centre height.

Seeing that this will almost be certain to occur any size up to 6 mm / .250" should not be a problem to use, you will just need to bring the height down to suit your centre height.

This 4 mm height only has to be at the cutting edge.

You could really use any size piece of tool steel as long as it fits in your tool post.

PC, The tool I'm using is 4x4mm the one at H&F is 4.6x4.6mm (i think) so it should only need the slightest skim with the flap disc

I was at ABC bearings in Sydney today and while i was being served i noticed a couple sets of vernier calipers on the counter i asked to look at the cheaper of the two which was $55 omg i have been buying garbage for to long... between my super cheap auto and the ABC bearings was like night and day, the ABC VC was silky smooth to move it was very precise and felt very comfortable think I'm going back to buy one

the ABC VC was silky smooth to move it was very precise and felt very comfortable think I'm going back to buy one

Check it before you commit. Must be some advantage to buying locally. I have seen some real garbage sold at local shops for ridiculus prices. Repeatability is the most important thing in my opinion. Set to zero and keep opening and closing to see if they repeat zero. Take an accurate diam part like a bearing and check with that. Some turn on automatically. I have a couple like this that I keep locked so they don't keep turning on when I get something else out of the drawer. Some don't turn off automatically and will flatten the battery eventually.

Dean

Old, The bloke at the shop i think owns and runs it him self and he mentioned he uses the VC everyday for customers that's why the one on the bench out of the box was a bit dirty and worn, he measures bolts for customers

instead of the stainless slide right down the numbers it had some type of material the the reader slid along well it looked that way, it felt really nice in the hand and to slide it and the reading was stable

the one i have jumps all over the place but still seems to work i took note i needed to screw in the stopper screw and it behaved a little better with friction

Before buying another one, I suggest you take yours apart, clean it and adjust the gib.

instead of the stainless slide right down the numbers it had some type of material the the reader slid along well it looked that way, it felt really nice in the hand and to slide it and the reading was stable

There are 2 materials calipers should be made from. Stainless and stainless. Smoothness is achieved by accurate machining/finishing of the slide surfaces and proper adjustment.

Dean