tale of two indicator holders

[dallen]

I use it everytime I put something in the lathe since I keep a 4 jaw on the spindle

when I cut the center out I plunge cut most of it out, then used a boring bar to clean the bottom and sidewall to the final dimension.

The first one I made was out of a hunk of 1018 coldroll, sorry its been too long to remember what I did to cut the indicator pocket on that one.

if a guy had a CNC setup even a small one it wouldn't be hard to write the code to let the machine do the cut probably take a while to cut it thou.

Sure is nice to set it on the post and lock the wedge and not have to worry about it falling off, I still need to drill an tap a couple holes in it for DTI's and such

[Wawoodman]

Thanks. Could I trouble you for a more complete description of how you did the hole? I'm coming from a woodworking background, and so my concept of the method is hazy.

I can see using my largest two-flute end mill (probably 7/8 or 1") for the initial hole. Then, the boring bar: first pass to the bottom, move bar out, next pass, etc. Yes, no, maybe? Or, since it's less than a half circle, would you set the boring bar to the full diameter, and move the workpiece horizontally into the cutter, repeating with more depth each pass? Could you use the second method with a small fly cutter?

A newbie thanks you.

[Kaoma]

The only problem I see with an indicator placed in the tool holder is that you have to remove the knife, place indicator, put back the knife, loose accuracy...I like to have the indicator chase the knife as I cut to check for run-off and parallel plane.

[dallen]

Wawoodman the method that I use to remove most of the material from where the indicator sits is sort of like cutting a mortise in a table leg, except that one side of the hole was open and I used an endmill to plunge straight down into the material. but first I picked up where the center of the indicator would sit and used that to locate the outside radius of the cut. there are several material removal methods that would work and most people have a couple that they use in situations like this.

Kaoma I only use the holder to do the inital centering of stock in the chuck, the holder just makes it easier to setup the indicator on the lathe, now if I am working on say a gun barrel I would use it to get close then switch to a DTI on a magbase to get it right.