Recommend me a clock dial indicator

[daleyd]

FWIW, I was taught that the plunger type are called "dial indicators" and the lever type are called "dial test indicators".

You could well be right, it was ~20 years since I did my apprenticeship workshop stuff, though I've always called them all DTI's to be honest ....

Probably like anything, there are any number of names relating to he same item, depending on where you did your training, what part of the country you live etc etc.

 

[skotl]

Errr... what am I looking for, then

 

[daleyd]

"dial indicator" gets decent results on the bay, then take your pick as to how much you want to spend. Go for the plunger type (Like the one you linked to in the first place..), the lever type are useful but the plunger type are more robust and generally are what's used most of the time. A good general purpose one, in my opinion, would be 10mm range with the small dial inside (Each rev on the big dial increments the small dial 1 notch)

As said Baty are not bad for the price for a middle of the road option, but really any would be suitable for starting out. (I tend to treat things like this like buying wine in a restaurant - I avoid the really cheap stuff, can't afford the expensive stuff so end up going a couple of notches up from the cheapest!)

 

[brightspark]

the snake magnetic bases are the best u can turn and lock them in any position. once u have used one u wont go back to the solid rod ones . having said that there quite expensive -unless u get a second ha-nd one or 2 cheap

 

[doubleboost]

the snake magnetic bases are the best u can turn and lock them in any position. once u have used one u wont go back to the solid rod ones . having said that there quite expensive -unless u get a second ha-nd one or 2 cheap

I got a Noga holder "donated" to my you tube
It is simply the best I have ever used (but they are a bit pricey)
I also use it as a camera mount

 

[mike 109444]

A couple of points to mention when you get your nice new DTI Try and get in the habit of pressing the magnet OFF when you go to lift from lathe bed Reason you will pull hard then the magnet will let go and the DTI and base may go flying ! Also have somewhere (wooden box/tray) to place the base and DTI while still together Reason you will start to just plonk it down only to find it topples as you have placed it on a non magnet surface and while the two are together it's top heavy.

 

[ms08]

I bought a good second hand Baty gauge off the bay recently for £10.50 plus postage £16 all up

 

[NickyEng]

As per title, what do I need for a decent clock dial indicator on a lathe?

Is a magnetic base useful?

I'm thinking something like this...

That's fine Scott. Just stick it on top of the tailstock or and slide up the tailstock as close to the headstock as you can after you wind the carriage up as far as it goes toward headstock (for setting up a four jaw)

 

[NickyEng]

That's fine Scott. Just stick it on top of the tailstock and slide up the tailstock as close to the headstock as you can

You can also get a snake clock gauge holder which is much more flexible. You will get one at Rdg tools

 

[roofman]

the snake magnetic bases are the best u can turn and lock them in any position. once u have used one u wont go back to the solid rod ones . having said that there quite expensive -unless u get a second ha-nd one or 2 cheap

yea but dont do what i done and buy a cheap flexi...they creep after setting the lock tab

 

[rikrobson]

I presume you'll be using it for "clocking in" a piece on a 4 jaw, to ensure its accurately positioned.

You will beed a mag base, so it can be mounted any where.

There are obviously metric and imperial versions, depending on your prefered flavour.

Then there are two back types of dials. on is centred on zero and gives deflection either side when the dial is moved round. The other type are from 0 and have a smaller dial to measure the number of rotations e.g. 1 rev of the big needls is 1mm and the smaller will measure in mms

Then we have the plunger ones (dial indicator) where the stylus goes in and out and there are swing ones where the stylus goes back and forth (dial test indicators).

for clocking in and measuring runout any plunger type should do. and i'd get started there.

To be honest now you have a lathe its the start of an obsession where you will be going out and getting all sorts af wierd and wonderful engineering tools, that you didn't know you needed, not to mention an assortment of chucks, cutting tools, inserts, drills reamers, etc., etc.

Don't forget the Vertical slide so you can do some milling. Then you'll want a milling machine. Then will come the dividing head to so gear cutting.

OR

You'll use it for a couple of months and it will then become and awkward storage rack for miscellaneous items, usually a half finished steam engine.

 

[brightspark]

yea but dont do what i done and buy a cheap flexi...they creep after setting the lock tab

mines moor and wright. if your buying a second-hand one make sure the magnets ok as-they -loose manetism and are useless

 

[rikrobson]

just troll ebay. I got an old imperial 0 centre one for £10 the other day. it was listed as Lathe Pressure / Temperature ? Guage Dial Vintage Kearney. & Trecker.

 

[mike os]

dial indicators for most work, dti for clocking internals ... eg off a bored hole, and very accurate work. dti tends to have small range (mine is +- 0.4 iirc), DI can be anything up to about 25mm + iirc

 

[Pete.]

A couple of points to mention when you get your nice new DTI Try and get in the habit of pressing the magnet OFF when you go to lift from lathe bed Reason you will pull hard then the magnet will let go and the DTI and base may go flying ! Also have somewhere (wooden box/tray) to place the base and DTI while still together Reason you will start to just plonk it down only to find it topples as you have placed it on a non magnet surface and while the two are together it's top heavy.

There's another reason to always switch the magnet off. When you mount it to a ferrous base the part you set it on acts as a keeper for the magnet by providing a flux path. If you dis-mount the base and leave it switched 'on' the magnet inside has no keeper and it will lose it's magnetic strength over time.

 

[Burdekin]

I get most of my lathe tools from RDG tools

http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/Moore---Wright-Dial-Indicator-0-0.1--71104.html

http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/Moore---Wright-Dial-Indicator-0-0.5-.html

http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/__MAGNETIC_BASES.html

 

[brightspark]

- i got a brand new metric starret dti gauge of ebay for a fiver delivered i would have been gutted if i had to sell one at that price -

 

[Wallace]

How do you define a good one? All the ebay ones appear to be exactly the same, and I found a supplier who does them for £90 but that seems way too far away from the £20 ebay ones...

I meant good make used, Mitutoyo, Mercer verdict, Shardlow M&W, Starrett etc.


I was correct, I have too many and one for spares!

Might be be persuaded to part with the Jap Crap.....

 

[optima21]

I prefer using dial indicators rather than dial test indicators as I can never remember which way to move the item being checked when using a dial test indicator as they have centre zero reading dials. with the dial indicator the dial is linear so as the reading gets higher you know the plunger is being pressed in (and the item being checked is getting closer)

 

[gav0994]

I got a Noga holder "donated" to my you tube
It is simply the best I have ever used (but they are a bit pricey)
I also use it as a camera mount

I got a Noga one after seeing yours John. I got it of eBay.com (the USA ebay) and all in was about 75 quid including postage and import duty (all taken care of by the eBay international postage scheme). Not as big as yours, but is a nice size on the Boxford and miles ahead of the basic ones.