How to Read Dial Indicators - Quick Machining Tip #24

This is a response to a viewer question about how to read dial indicators. Let me know if there are any topics you'd like to see me cover in the comments.
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[@sKid-ts7hr]

I was scared of the machine shops here in my country to give them my engine to rebuild so i bought the dial bore gauge and still scared to read it wrong but this video helped me with the micromter video appreciate ur time . U deserve more

[@bwcordes]

Another terrific video. I’m impressed that you knew how to pronounce Nelson’s name. Most guys would miss that

[@StuartdeHaro]

I really pride myself on my intuitive ability to pronounce names. It's an important skill to have.

[@bwcordes]

@@StuartdeHaro You are to pronouncing names, what George Costanza is to spelling them.

[@feraligatrs]

Thanks for explaining this so clearly Stuart!

[@nelsonwhite6980]

Hello Stuart, Thank you so much for the video, you really cleared up all it the confusion. In my day Stuart, there was nothing greater than .001 resolution, except maybe for scientists, but there weren’t none around our area!! And looks like about 252 others were somewhat confused also, so far!! And if you recollect, I told you some people are now talking Micron’s, Millionths; I suspect you’ll have to clear that up soon in your spare time!! Hey, what about sub microns?? But, Thank you Stuart, for all your insight and help!! Sincerely, Nelson Whahitee

[@SouthernEnduroRdr]

Great vid for information purposes! But next in your series on indicating, how about maintenance. Like lubricants etc. I have some old indicators that are kind of sticky. They sat in my tool drawer for about 20 years without use. Now I have my shop setup again and finding old tooling that needs some love.

[@felixf5211]

As a sheer coincidence, I received a brand spankin' new Mitutoyo 513-403 DTI this week. Have it in a 4.8lb post-Tesa B&S surface gage. Made in England. I think it's all owned by Hexagon now. The thing is almost remarkably rigid. Such a pleasure to use.

[@StuartdeHaro]

That sounds incredibly beefy! What are the dimensions on that sucker?

[@felixf5211]

@@StuartdeHaro 100x105mm, though it feels bigger. I like surface gages and have a few. A Starrett 257C/D is a hair over 3lbs. An older version is a bit heavier. Looks great, feels even better, but not as rigid as an older B&S 622 (pre-1964). Weighs about the same as the big Starrett, but has more surface area touching the plate resulting in a higher moment of inertia. Saw this B&S 622 on ebay. Didn't look anything like an older 622...and made in England. It was relatively inexpensive, too. Couldn't believe the weight when I got it. It's beautifully built all around.

[@Jims-Workshop]

Very good informative video. Three of these👍👍👍

[@StuartdeHaro]

Right back atcha buddy 👍 👍 👍

[@LetsRogerThat]

Love the name pronunciation. Very useful video Stuart. Tks. Gilles

[@StuartdeHaro]

Hi Gilles! How's it going?

[@LetsRogerThat]

@@StuartdeHaro Doing great. Just about ready to start making those parting tools. Will shoot you an email to get your address.

[@johnc5395]

Stuart, thank you for taking your time to make your videos. I am curious about my first dial indicator, it is 0.001"/division, 1.000" total travel and 0.100"/turn. I have the 0/0 at the 12 o clock position and the 50/50 at the 6 o'clock position in line with pull and plunger. At rest or no deflection the pointer is located counter-clockwise to the left at 90/10 (-36 degrees), at a similar position to the dials shown in your videos. I know I can set the zero to where the pointer is or just read from the 90/10. Not a problem. I just wonder why a manufacturer would go through such great pains to make such a marvelous device only to set it back counter-clockwise (or clockwise) by any amount. I don't know if I should be appreciative of the look of that or not.

[@StuartdeHaro]

It has a little room for over-travel in either direction so you can actually put a bit of load on it to get to 0, then still get your full inch of travel without burying the indicator.

[@davidmuller1958]

wow. thank you.

[@trollforge]

So Stew-art... Part of the patreon package is getting you name pronounced correctly? ;)

[@StuartdeHaro]

Since you asked, at the $10 level I purposely say your name in the most ridiculously wrong way I can think of, although I threw Nelson a freebie because it amused me.

[@nelsonwhite6980]

Hello Stuart, ole Buddy!! How have you been, and how's your new shop going?? I am considering, changing my name now, thanks to you!! Not really, it's actually kinda catchy, and others, seem to like it too!! You did a really good job!! P. S. Do you think we should get a patten Attorney?? We don't want to be plagiarized, after all, over a classic name? Nelson Wha-hitee

[@oh8wingman]

I'm surprised you didn't include a digital indicator. I have two of them in additional to several analogue and test gauges and they work very well. They are very useful for going between metric and imperial measurements.

[@StuartdeHaro]

His question was about the graduations on the dial so I stuck with those.

[@captcarlos]

At work I find overhead cranes really helpful... Pity the home shop does not have one! So the rotary or dividing head tend to stay on the bed until I need the travel!

[@StuartdeHaro]

Making one is on my to-do list. Space is an issue though.

[@captcarlos]

You think you've got a space problem! Large people can only look into my shop from the doors!! Hahaaa.. I'm considering a ceiling mounted track system.

[@g.tucker8682]

I got the smallest chain hoist I could find on a popular auction site, and hung it to the right of the milling machine head. I can slide the rotary table or dividing head to the right end of the table, pick it up with the hoist, traverse the table back to the left, and set the heavy thing down on a small rolling table (a.k.a. dirtbike work stand). Zero effort. The chains are normally tucked up out of the way in the rafters, but it's always ready to go.

[@alan-sk7ky]

Stu, did you not have a Sine ball lever indicator on hand to explain the 'pear' shaped tip?

[@Scott-YouTubeAddict]

Nelson White 😂

[@EverettsWorkshop]

I don't judge procrastination for tearing down a crazy setup and retramming a mill head. One has to know the pain to appreciate the aversion to it, lol 😁

[@StuartdeHaro]

I'm glad I'm not the only one.

[@N7BLW]

Most of the problems I have with dial indicators have to do with how to mount them. Many have a lug on the back with a hole that doesn't fit anything I have in the tool box. A few are threaded for something. Can you address this issue, please?

[@StuartdeHaro]

Absolutely! Let me see what I can whip up.

[@nathanielryan8865]

0:53 so the little gauge the tells you each rotation the numbers of it’s on 2 that means it traveled 2 times correct cause I had someone at work teaching me this that I’m wrong am I

[@StuartdeHaro]

Yes, the small dial shows the number of rotations. You have to pay attention to where it is when you start moving though because in practice, you're going to put the indicator against your part and it will have some load on it, so that dial won't be starting on zero most of the time.

[@lizzy6805]

Hello Stuart, I have problem reading dial indicators, this dials indicators do not start in Zero, is there a way or tip how to read it faster. Thank you!

[@StuartdeHaro]

Can you send me a picture of it? The email is my channel name with no spaces @gmail.com

[@sirenwes7538]

What does it mean when it’s negative? Or positive? You didn’t give me an example with with first one.

[@StuartdeHaro]

Positive and negative on an indicator just show the direction of travel. Positive is touching more, negative is touching less.

[@sirenwes7538]

@@StuartdeHaro thank you for responding as you did! I got 85% on my test, 10% deduction for being late and I got one question wrong. The one question I got wrong was reading the Dial that was shown in the example. This message isn’t an hateful message, I just found it really funny. And again, thank you.