Making a threading dial

[Highpower]

(09-02-2012, 05:35 AM)Hopefuldave Wrote: Often the dial's attached to the gear's shaft with a friction fit, so for long, fine, odd-or-half-tpi threads you can rotate it to bring a number up approaching the index mark before you start threading - this can save a lot of time!

Dave H. (the other one)

Dave brings up a good point here. At one time I started having a problem with not being able to engage the half-nuts on my lathe when the dial marks came around. They would only fall in ahead of, or behind the dial markings.

Then I discovered the bolt that holds the drive gear on the dial shaft had loosened up and allowed the gear to turn on the shaft a bit. The gear is not keyed to the shaft.

Engaging the half-nuts on the feed screw (lathe off) I turned the dial by hand until one of the marks lined up, and then re-tightened the bolt holding the gear in place. Problem solved.