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Thread: Cross-slide dial inaccurate ?
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26th May 2020, 10:51 AM #16Most Valued Member
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I know its easier to buy or get someone else to make one, but it shouldn't be a big deal to make your own - you've got a lathe after all!!
Plenty of reasonable options for indexing to mark the divisions depending on what you've already got. Can be as simple as a strip of paper with the correct number of divisions wrapped around the chuck.
Alternatively a 3D printed dial, but then the majority of the work is in the design side, so probably not viable for a one off unless you're able to do it yourself and get someone to actually print it. Unless you can find a suitable dial to use on one of the 3D printing repositories like Thingiverse.
Steve
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26th May 2020, 12:12 PM #17Most Valued Member
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23rd Jan 2021, 05:09 PM #18Senior Member
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Been a while. Friend of mine made a 3D printer cross-slide dial. Within the limits of the printer he made this. It is accurate and has this lovely purple colour.
It measures Radius and accuracy is 0.05mm. One full rotation is 4.00mm and if line up the index marks, it is dead on.
Good enough for me when I just want rough DOC values.
Regards,
Tom
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23rd Jan 2021, 06:26 PM #19Most Valued Member
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Tom that is a good job m8, you would be able to do quite accurate work with that.
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23rd Jan 2021, 08:17 PM #20Senior Member
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Nice piece of 3D printing. Wish I could get my stuff to look that good.
Tony
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23rd Jan 2021, 08:54 PM #21Senior Member
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Tom,
I wonder if your friend, provided its not a business, would be willing to mention the type of 3D printer used and the fill percentage in making the dial, an interesting end product. I'm only interested from a home shop perspective. Thanks, Alan.
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23rd Jan 2021, 11:07 PM #22Senior Member
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This was version 2. There will be a version 3 after some extensive field practice.
Version 1 was proof of concept. Even though I checked, the numbers were printed upside down. The dial takes about 5 and 1/2 hours to print.
We choose purple because it is plenty in supply. There was slight shrinkage and we
had to file the ID a bit. Just some wet and dry until we had a sliding fit helped with
Vaseline. The dial looks better in real life. The digital photos show more details than I can normally see.
I will get the printer details and software.
Version 1, index lines 1.0 mm thick. Version 2 0.5mm thick. The printer is limited to 0.4mm.
I am pleased.
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24th Jan 2021, 02:46 AM #23I break stuff...
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That 0.4mm limit is the minimum thickness of the plastic extrusion. I'm guessing it's running a 0.4mm nozzle, in which case IME even 0.4mm extrusion width is a bit marginal - I find 0.5mm better on a 0.4 nozzle, but my nozzle is probably a touch oversize from nominal.
The gap for the index lines can be as narrow as you like, but the smaller you make it the better tuned your settings will need to be to keep it from fusing the gap closed.
However, if you'd like a bit finer index line on v3, you could try changing the groove profile from what appears to be a square cornered U profile, to a V shaped groove (preferably with a slight radius to the outer diameter of the dial, and a sharp corner at the root of the V). One less sharp corner on each line for the printer to do, should result in a bit shorter print time, and less blobbing in the corners (due to the way acceleration is handled in right angle corners on many 3d printers). Also might make it a bit easier on the eye to pick up the root of the v rather than a square bottomed gap. Just a thought, could print a test segment (say 45 degrees worth of the outer ring?) fairly quickly to see if you like it. Depends on the printer and how dialed in the settings are for the material as to exactly how well it works.
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24th Jan 2021, 09:22 AM #24Most Valued Member
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Would it improve the legibility of the numbers if you took a skim cut on the lathe? Better still, how about white or silver plastic, then fill the numbers with black paint, then skim on the lathe?
Chris
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24th Jan 2021, 10:17 AM #25Senior Member
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28th Jan 2021, 11:48 AM #26Senior Member
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Thanks to all for the pointers and info on getting something 3D printed for the workshop. I'm hope the grandkids will adapt to this technology better than I, so I can persuade them to get some items made for the workshop as well as themselves of course, maybe less TV time. Thanks, Alan.
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28th Jan 2021, 05:57 PM #27Philomath in training
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At the risk of coming in too late, making one from metal is not difficult -
DSCN7486 (Small).JPG
Happy to explain the steps
Michael
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