Dial indicator

[Hank Walczak]

After reading the article in this month's American Woodworker on tuning your tools with a dial indicator, I ordered it and just received my indicator kit today from The Little Machine Shop (www.littlemachineshop.com). It cost $18 plus shipping. I was impressed with the speed of delivery from the company. As a cub, I worked in a tool and die machine shop and this kit compares favorably with measuring equipment costing significantly more. The magnetic base works well and the array of tips included covers almost any imagineable use. You could spend a lot more and get a whole lot less. Will be going out to the shop this evening to give the tools a check and alignment. (Don't think this qualifies as a Gloat but who am I to judge!)

[Mark J Bachler]

I was just looking for a new dial indicator. thanks for the link.




Poop back ordered.

[Frank Pellow]

I read the article last night and was quite intreged by the device. Thanks for sharing your opinion of it. Now, I think that I will purchase it.

[Boyd Gathwright]

Hank, a gloat is a gloat; you need the basics before you can move on.

…. Nice choice, I have something similar ;).


Boyd
.

After reading the article in this month's American Woodworker on tuning your tools with a dial indicator, I ordered it and just received my indicator kit today from The Little Machine Shop (www.littlemachineshop.com (http://www.littlemachineshop.com/)). It cost $18 plus shipping. I was impressed with the speed of delivery from the company. As a cub, I worked in a tool and die machine shop and this kit compares favorably with measuring equipment costing significantly more. The magnetic base works well and the array of tips included covers almost any imagineable use. You could spend a lot more and get a whole lot less. Will be going out to the shop this evening to give the tools a check and alignment. (Don't think this qualifies as a Gloat but who am I to judge!)

[Jack Hogoboom]

You guys beat me to the punch....I ordered mine, but it's backordered until January. Oh well.... :(

Jack

[Dave Richards]

Hank,

I'm curious about the dial indicator you bought. Did it come with any documentation? I wonder about how good the linearity and repeatability is with these inexpensive dial indicators. For the way we as woodworkers would generally use a dial indicator, linearity and repeatability are more important than accuracy.

Coming from a family of metrologists (not meteorologists) I hear about this stuff all the time so I can't help but wonder.

[Hank Walczak]

Dave - The set doesn't come with any documentation. Since this company deals predominently with the metal working world, I would fully expect them to assume you would know how to use it, etc. Want a calibration certificate? Plan on spending a whole lot more. The difference between inexpensive and expensive is in the dial construction (gearing, shaft travel, etc.) If you want to measure in half a ten thousandths your going to PAY $$$. It's adequate for my/its intended purpose. An indicator is just a permutation of a dial caliper. And no matter how good the instrument is, the results are dependant on the user. I've seen guys who can't use a rule well. If we were were dealing with a calibration "system" your comments would be more appropriate. I wouldn't use those terms in describing a glorified ruler.

[Dave Richards]

Well, excuse me, Hank. I'm sorry that you felt my post was inappropriate.

I only asked a simple question and wasn't making any comment about your choice of tools. I wasn't asking for the ability to measure half-ten thousandths. I was asking about repeatability. If I'm going to check parallelism of the TS blade to the miter gauge slot, the indicator must have good repeatability or it is useless.

Guess my input wasn't wanted on this thread.

Sorry. :(

[Hank Walczak]

Dave - An apparent miscommunication. your use of linearity and repeatability, as I understand it, would apply to a measurement system or process and not a discreet tool. We both might have been better served if you had defined those terms as you wanted to apply them in this case. A process using an indicator to check parallelism of the TS blade to the miter gauge slot would/should have those properties. A measuring instrument would have just the property of accuracy, wouldn't it? Accuracy as it pertains to an indicator would be the same if it were a caliper or a ruler. It's engineered construction would define it's ability to measure to a specific tolerance. Agree? Your comments were welcome and accepted.

[Robert Wimmer]

:confused:Hank, I also have a new dial indicator and , in using it to check for runout of my sawblade found the runout to be considerably more than I thought it should be. Any idea what an acceptable runout for a sawblade would be?

[Hank Walczak]

Robert - Good question. I'm operating on the premise by runout you mean the lateral movement of the blade on the shaft and not the parallelism of the blade to the miter slot. On reviews of table saws I've read, I seem to remember numbers they reported were something like .0005 to .012 inches. The "slop" in the shaft I don't think is anyway adjustable. I know in one of the mags they sent one saw back because it was excessive. What that number was, I don't remember. I would think for "general woodworking" something on the order of .005 or so would be OK, IMHO. If it was much more, I'd be talking with the manufacturer to find out what max number was and what to do if it was exceeded.

[Greg Griswold]

The units ariving in January are sold out also. They "think" they will be getting more in February, but don't know how many. Due to that, they will not take firm orders. If you would like to be notified when and if the February order arrives, you can place an order at that time.

Greg

[Jim Dunn]

I spent the first 15yrs of gainful employment in the machinist trade, from apprentice to tool room machinist. The small price for that indicator with a magnet base and all of those attachments makes me dubious as to the indicators reliability. IN MY DAY, quality indicators i.e. Starrett, Mytitoyo and Interrapid had price tags of at least $50.00. No base, or point attachments.

I would have to question the reliability of this indicator as being "to good to be true". Just my 2cnts.

But if its only going to be used to check // mitre slot to the blade then it will probably surfice.

[Hank Walczak]

Jim - I was a little skeptical too. But for $18 I was willing to take a chance. I also remember when a dial caliper cost well over $50. I also remember when VCRs cost over a thousand too. It ain't that way now. I suspect with advanced machining and low labor costs all things are possible!:D Seriously, I've set up on my 1-2-3 blocks and tried it out a dozen or so times and got exactly the same reading. Guess that's going to be good enough for me.

[Lou Morrissette]

Having spent 40 years in the mechanical inspection and related fields (including metrology), let me offer my .o2. I've used dial indicators that were graduated in .000050 under controlled situations and those similar to the ones this thread is talking about. I have succesfuly calibrated $10. indicators and if used properly, have had pretty good luck with them. One small shop that I worked in often bought bargain indicators for use in roughing operations, and were still in use in the system several years later. The key is the proper care and use of the tool. Granted, the Starretts, Mitutoyos and Interapids will last a lifetime, but you get what you pay for. For the pupose of setting up and maintaining woodworking machines for the average woodworker, these inexpensive kits should be fine. Were it not for the collection of Starretts,etc, I've accumalated thru the years, I would take advantage of this $18 deal myself.

Lou

[Jim Dunn]

40 beats 15 any time I've bet.

Jim (Never argue with the inspector he'll kick out your product every time)

[Lou Morrissette]

40 beats 15 any time I've bet.

Jim (Never argue with the inspector he'll kick out your product every time)
Naw. Only every time you try to slip by a bad one.;)
BTW, Jim, have you priced an Interapid lately? You'll be lucky to find one under $125.:eek:

Lou