Indicator Wizard - 90 % There

[@DudleyToolwright]

Jim, I like the design and you are right, the other solutions can be really finicky.

[@TangentJim]

Robert - You would look good doing a Tool Review of the I.D. Wizard . It will take 4-5 months before they ready to sell . I will do a Video Tool Demonstration the minute they are finished . Would you consider doing a Tool Review ??? ---- Jim

[@OgiveBC]

Just watched it. Interesting. I have a thought. Will send something along when I get time to demonstrate. Might be a a day or two. Like what I see so far.

[@TangentJim]

Benno - Did you say I have a Twart ??? I though you were a male . My spelling needs an upgrade. I'm dam curious about your thought. -- Jim

[@stevenhavener7327]

Interesting, I am gonna have a chew on it as well....... best regards Steve

[@TangentJim]

Steve - Did I explain it well enough to understand ??? Let me know if I missed something . -- Jim

[@TheAyrCaveShop]

Interesting idea 👍

[@TangentJim]

Dean - It's a kick ass idea . Follow along and you will become a believer . -- Jim

[@warrenjones744]

I dunno Jim. For what I do and the parts I work on I feel your are overthinking it. I agree the 196A kit is a pain in the ass to use on a lathe and I never even bother with it either. I use a deal similar to what you showed with the Mitutoyo set up. A longer starrett 970B Indicator hole attachment on a standard indicator and attached to a dedicated Noga mag stand with no dramas. Just mag it to the carriage or ways and adjust it to where I can see it and indicate the part. The nature of an ID set up it's always centered somewhere. When done I set it aside. It can be moved from machine to machine with ease and if you have different sized tool posts not big deal. However if you have only one lathe or prefer to have a a tool holder for every single thing in the universe (those people exist. to each his own). A indicator set up on QC tool holder might be handy for you. I can see in a production environment where it's required to dial in mutable parts or castings it would some time too. But for the one off repair man such as I, not so much such. Just my thoughts. However I do admire your thinking and initiative. I hope you sell a bunch of them.

[@TangentJim]

Warren - I really appreciate your feedback. A good honest exchange of Ideas makes my Boat Float. In hopes of creating some equilibrium, I will make a statement that I live by. "Everything is relative to what side of the Check you're on" -- I Repeat -- "Everything is relative to what side of the Check you're on" That statement applies to all goods and services. Your comments -- display your circumstances which I understand , respect and appreciate. They reflect today's Circumstances . Be patient with me - I want to run my mouth . On December 5, 2024 , I will be 83 years Old. My Odometer has made a few revolutions. When I was 14 years old - I was operating Machine Tools - Flat Overhead Belt Style. The Dials on the Machinery did not have graduations. We used Calipers to measure with . A Noga Magnetic Base was not in our Vocabulary. Evolution is Inevitable . My point is - Things have changed and evolved. I have made a respectful living - Designing and Machining Parts. Example - When you are paying a man a Tall Hourly Rate , You don't want him to be slow and inefficient. Back to my Motto - "Everything is relative to what side of the Check you're on" I can't control my act - It's in my DNA . have to justify my existence by being efficient . Hence -- I Design and make Tools to get me there faster . I believe in - "Win Win" deals. That's when both parties leave the table happy. Now you can send my mouth a "Speeding Ticket " Thanks for the psychological help -- Jim

[@tates11]

Hi Jim. What feature are you trying to indicate? Is it the O/D or I/D or the face?

[@TangentJim]

Tates11 - I designed it for indicating small I.D.'s . It can also Indicate O.D.'s on the backside of center . Can it indicate the face - Yes . My claim to fame is - you can indicate a small Diameter hole In seconds I repeat - in seconds - you can indicate an I.D. feature -- deep inside a part . The depth it can reach is deeper than anything available . Any other method is complicated and time consuming . Thanks for asking . --- Jim

[@tates11]

​@@TangentJim Thanks for the quick reply. Have you seen the Verdict T8 indicator? It has a pivoting spigot allowing it to swing up and down when held by a chuck in the tailstock with the dial face uppermost. This allows for quickly indicating bores, outside diameters, and faces just by pivoting up and down. A bonus is that it is always directly above the lathe axis, which is ideal for small bores. I'm sure longer styli can be fitted for deep holes.

[@TangentJim]

@@tates11 - I really appreciate your input . Allow me to thow you a curve ball . I'm talking I.D. Indicating only . I'm not trying to be a smart ass . I'm try to make a point. When you hold a Dial Indicator in a tailstock chuck . You movement range is limited by the physical size of of the indicator . How do you get it the ball tip dead on the center line ?? You are relying on the tailstock alignment .The concentrity of the drill chuck . Is the indicator lever concentric to the shank ?? You can only rotate it -- You can't move it in any other axis . You can only eye ball it - you could be way off . Now using the cross slide movement and a Quick Change setup makes more sense . You have the luxury of moving controllably in 3 directions . If you make a dedicated Quick change setup you avoid a complicated time consuming and questionable setup . In seconds you are ready to Indicate accuratey . Did any of my repsonse make any sense to you ??? -- Jim

[@tates11]

​@@TangentJim Hi Jim, thanks for clarifying the problem you want to solve. I want to address the concerns you have outlined in the previous reply. Regarding the size range. My small indicator used alone in the tailstock keyless chuck, can indicate a 7" diameter face - a 6" diameter bore and a 6" outside diameter. These sizes can be extended by using various types of indicator holder, like the C shape style. Although on my lathe I rarely need to use them. To address the stylus end alignment. The indicator stem, body, dial, and stylus are all factory precisely aligned. They can't be adjusted but all swing in the same plane. By pivoting on the stem or the stylus, the stylus tip will always move at right angles to the part face regardless of the dial face orientation. The arc that the indicator can be swung through will always send the stylus tip through the lathe axis. This permanent alignment is accurate enough to remove any need for movement on the X axis. To concentrate specifically on indicating bores. I prefer the dial to face upwards like your design and then I either indicate on the top of the bore or the bottom, the stylus moves both ways. If the indicator is rotated in any direction in the chuck it will still work on the centerline but just having the dial in a different viewing plane. This is the same for the O/D with the stylus on the top. For the face, the stylus can be rotated upright and for larger faces, the whole body can be upright. The speed to setup is not an issue. To pop the indicator in the chuck and slide the tailstock into position takes seconds. The bonus is that most of the time, the tool can remain set in the toolpost whether indicating the face, bore, or outside diameter. Sorry for the long rant but as you know it is difficult to explain without a scrap of paper and pencil. Hope this makes sense.

[@PeckhamHall]

I'm no tool maker or machinist but have you thought about having it connected to a dedicated tool holder and wouldn't a gauge on a mag base on the face of your chuck do the job, you must hate turning your head upside down, Any way I'm back watching stuff like this I need to make a mold soon and need every little tip going.

[@TangentJim]

Peckham Hall - Having it connected to a dedicated Tool Holder is my exact thought . The Video demonstrates how to set the Tool Holder up so it could be used as a dedicated Tool Holder. I obviously didn't explain it well enough. -- Jim

[@PeckhamHall]

@TangentJim o.k, I assumed it was the saddle, then with the up/down on the drawing I was thinking that's going to be a bit low,lol. I'll be getting a xyz 1500 hopefully soon, a 2 axis CNC milling machine for £1500, that's probably $1350 as I need something to make some molds for my vacuum former I've just bought. It's one of them Prototrak control systems, I don't now if they are common in yanky land, if so any advice about what to look out for when I go and see it, I was things of taking a thin steel plate and a very small diameter mill cutter and try and write a program that does a spiral to cut out a round pocket on a climb cut to test the machine out, any idea how much cut over lap and which cutter would best to use that should work if the machine is good and ridged but will break if it's worn out. I need it for model making moulds so I'll be mainly machining aluminium with small tooling? Jim

[@TangentJim]

Peckham Hall - I learned a valuable lesson from your comments . I obviously didn't communicate well enough to be understood . I now have a new plan that will fix that . Thank You -- Jim

[@PeckhamHall]

@TangentJim It's probably just me mate don't worry about it, I haven't seen a drawing for months, them proto trak CNC controllers are from the USA just read the manual they remind me of a ATM (American Timing Machine inc) old robot system I used once.