More lathe gadgets

[Micktoon]

Hi Lads , I have made a couple more small ' gadgets ' to make life easier when doing jobs on the lathe, again not my ideas, this is just the way I have done it  but might give some others tips on how it can be done anyway.
  The first item is a plain rod with a bearing locktighted on each end again mounted into a quick change tool holder so its nice and easy to use.

  It can be used to true up a disc type object as shown here or maybe a flat disc inside the chuck jaws just nip the job in the chuck lightly then with the job rotating just lightly contact the bearing against the surface of the job until it runs true, then tighten up or if its something precise use the DTI to fine tune, just the bearing gets things pretty close anyway.


  With it having a bearing on both ends the toolholder can be switched around and the other bearing used to true up a bar in the chuck as shown here.


 Again a really easy thing to make but very useful, any size bar that will not flex too much and any size bearing will do the job really too.
  The other 'gadget ' is a DTI with a magnet stuck to the back so it can be used on the lathe bed, or any other surface on milling machine , drill press etc where it might be handy.
  I had two matching Batty DTI's that I picked up cheap but with plain flat backs , the backs were made of plastic and when I held a magnet to the back it was binding up the spring return of the DTI. I cut a thin steel sheet into a circle and put this between the magnet and the back of the DTI which solved the problem. I used some strong magnets off Ebay 25mm round and 2mm think.
  I used two part epoxy glue to stick the steel backing plates to the DTI's then a dab more to go between the magnet and the steel, works a treat and strong enough for the gauges not to move in use.


  My lathe is metric micrometer collars so having the two imperial DTI's is handy if I want to use imperial, you could do this the other way around with Metric DTI's on imperial lathe too.

  This is where they live when not being used, the back of the cabinet door, they just stick to any steel surface so nice and handy.


  Cheers Mick.

[doubleboost]

Very nice Mick
Like you say easy to make & used all the time

I think there is a bit of swarf in your cupboard

John

[stevec]

Could the magnets influence the operation of the DIs?

Steve

[f350ca]

Its a dial indicator not a compass Steve. I've had one for years, actually just replaced the lens on it this week. Ok maybe the magnet breaks the lenses.

[stevec]

Ed, how come there's no " DISLIKE POST" button?  (sorry Greg )

Steve

[Highpower]

(03-01-2015, 08:24 PM)stevec Wrote: Could the magnets influence the operation of the DIs?

Steve

Steve, I'm guessing if you had a magnet strong enough for the magnetic field to put a drag on the indicator plunger and rack, you wouldn't have the strength to pull it away from whatever it was stuck to (by hand).

It it was anywhere near my bench De-magnatizer, I would say all bets are off. That sucker has snatched tools right out of my hand on a few occasions. 

[Micktoon]

Hi Steve, I had the problem of the magnetic field being strong enough to make the DTI  plunger drag, that is why I had to glue the steel plate between the magnet and DTI to act as a shield,  this did the trick and tge DTI now operates normally yet is firmly mounted when in use.
  It will probably be trial and error depending on the back plate of DTI and the magnet used ? 

 Cheers Mick

[krv3000]

Well run mick

[Roadracer_Al]

I've been meaning to make a "bump tool" that has a dovetail for my QC tool post.

If you measure the "ID" between a pair of rounds clamped to the tool post dovetail in the unlocked position, PLUS 2 sheets of paper, that's the right spacing. Machine a block to that dimension so that you can firmly clamp them for welding.

If you do the rounds, you don't have to use a tool holder.

I think bronze could successfully be substituted for the roller bearings.

here's a quick n dirty sketch:

[Dr Stan]

Excellent ideas. I've added them to my ever expanding "to do list".