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Thread: CQ 6230A dial

  1. #1
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    Default CQ 6230A dial

    Hello Graham
    I would like to find a more user friendly cross slide graduation dial, the dial that is on a CQ6230a is not a user friendly type.

    Regards
    Phil

  2. #2
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    Hi Mechdraw,

    Most of us don't have a CQ 6230A lathe so it would help just a little a bit if you can describe the features or lack of, for this dial and why the cross feed dial is not user friendly.

    What about the cross feed dial causes problems for you?

    Unfortunately lathe dials are not like car acessories and you can't just buy an upgraded part as the maker, if still in business is making lathes several generations in advance of what you own now.

    Honestly, folks are pressed even rounding up a manual for the these lathes. If any thing is to be done I suspect you may have to make something yourself.

    You might be lucky and encounter a member here who has made a new dial and is able to offer advice.

    Grahame

  3. #3
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    Default CQ 6230A dial

    Hello Graham,
    Thank you for the reply.
    The CQ6230a cross slide dial is in graduations of .04mm, secondary graduation, the main graduations, "0" to "1" works out to 0.80mm???
    When you have been used to dials in .001" or .02/.01 most of your working life .04 is strange to say the least.
    By making a larger diametre dial should allow more graduations, am I right in assuming this?

    I hope there are others with a similar issue and together we can work it out.

    Regards
    Phil

  4. #4
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    Hi Phil,
    Being the Xmas season I assume many of the folk who could answer your question are away from their keyboards.

    Those who might be best able to answer your inquiry could be away for a while yet.

    Unfortunately for you, that leaves just me and I don't know all that much.
    I run a later series lathe - the Metalmaster 12 x 36 about 2007 vintage. My cross slide MM increments (100 of them) are .02 each which I think, makes my cross slide screw pitched at 2mm. There are imperial increments but I do not use them so they shall be left off a new dial if one is ever made.

    I too would like to make a new dial,but just with mm increments but make it from aluminium which would be better to machine and scribe as a well as offer the better corrosion protection. I can recall having difficulty with reading the first Hercus lathe dials I used at school as a teacher. The readings where illegible.

    While we are waiting for someone who has done it, here is a link to Tubal Cain/Mr Pete 222 and what he has to say on the matter.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF55...ature=youtu.be

    and

    Some discussion from our own blokes in 2017

    https://metalworkforums.com/f65/t200...s-metric-lathe


    Grahame

  5. #5
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    Default CQ 6230A dial

    Thanks Graham
    A very informative reply.
    Cheers
    Phil

  6. #6
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    G'day Phil
    I think it is too much Christmas lunch as I'm a bit slow here but this is a dial I made up for my lathe many years back. Later models came fitted with this dial but mine did not, so I made one up.

    dial1.jpg
    The process is easy - just make up the new dial and using a dividing head, scribe the required divisions on it. (Note the bit of flat in the scribing jig - there are 3 of them and they act as stops to limit the length of the scribed lines). To try and get the numbers straight I also made up a jig to help stamp them on.
    dial2.jpg dial3.jpg

    I guess the key thing is the leadscrew pitch. As long as you chose your divisions so they divide neatly there should be no problems. In the example above, the carriage travels 1" for a complete turn, so the divisions were 5 thou multiples to get nice (readable) spacing.

    Michael

  7. #7
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    Nice work there MichaelG, very impressive

  8. #8
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    Phil,
    I suspect what you have is an Imperial lead screw and a Metric dial which leaves an odd number at the end of a rotation. A lot of Asian sourced lathes years ago were made for the American market, hence Imperial measurement. As already mentioned making a new dial would be 1 option or possibly a digital readout. Good luck with it. Alan.

  9. #9
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    Default CQ 6230A dial

    Thanks Alan,
    I think You're right it does finish with an odd number at the end. I will look at a new dial first.

    Phil

  10. #10
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    For better utility and speed, I'd shove a DRO on it, way, way, before mucking around with dials. Under $500 should get you there.

  11. #11
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    Default CQ 6230A dial

    Quote Originally Posted by Hunch View Post
    For better utility and speed, I'd shove a DRO on it, way, way, before mucking around with dials. Under $500 should get you there.
    Hi Hunch, I've started searching for a DRO, you maybe right, it would be the easier way to go.

    Regards
    Phil

  12. #12
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    Hi Phil, Guys,

    It won't be the first time that I've used a cheap electronic calliper as a poor mans DRO !
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by mechdraw View Post
    Hi Hunch, I've started searching for a DRO, you maybe right, it would be the easier way to go.

    Regards
    Phil
    If you do go that way, I'd suggest spoiling yourself with a grinding, 1um scale on X too for a few extra shekels.

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