I was taught a new way to use an edgefinder today. What are your thoughts?

9t8z28

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Today was my first day on a new job. The guy training me asked me to find the edge of the part so I pop in the edgefinder and crank up the spindle to 1K rpm. I then flicked it with my finger to get it running off center, move it into the part until it runs true and then just when it kicks out I know I am on the edge of the part plus half the diameter of the tip. In this case its a .2” diameter tip so I have to advance .1”. This is the way I’ve done it a million times and I’ve even checked the accuracy of my edgefinders with my DRO and a DTI. Anyway, The guy training me tells me I am doing it wrong and tells me to get out of the way so he can show me how its done. His way of doing it is exactly like I described above but after the tip kicks out on the side of the part he reverses the table until the edgefinder runs true.
I was at a complete loss of words. Being my first day on the job, I didn’t want to **** the guy training me off.
I did ask him what kind of edgefinder it was and he said it was a normal edgefinder. I had a good look at it and it is identical to my Mitutoyo 050101 and starrett 827A which are both a 3/8” body with a .2” tip.
What are your thoughts ? Is there some kind of a new edgefinder that I’m on unaware of ?
 
Your way is about the way that I have always done it, but I, advance very slowly until there is no "air gap" to be seen, with back lighting, so I guess that I am somewhere in between the two of you, it is possible to go a little past the zero point doing it the exact way you describe; someone years ago also suggested that grinding a small flat on the .200 dia. makes it all the more sensitive --- it works!
 
I advance the part until it stops wobbling then back it up until it just starts. I find (for me) it is easier to see the beginning of the wobble as apposed to see the end of it.
 
Have you ever tested this message to see how accurate it is ?
I advance the part until it stops wobbling then back it up until it just starts. I find (for me) it is easier to see the beginning of the wobble as apposed to see the end of it.
 
I advance the part until it stops wobbling then back it up until it just starts. I find (for me) it is easier to see the beginning of the wobble as apposed to see the end of it.

..which is as I was taught, many years ago...
 
Today was my first day on a new job. The guy training me asked me to find the edge of the part so I pop in the edgefinder and crank up the spindle to 1K rpm. I then flicked it with my finger to get it running off center, move it into the part until it runs true and then just when it kicks out I know I am on the edge of the part plus half the diameter of the tip. In this case its a .2” diameter tip so I have to advance .1”. This is the way I’ve done it a million times and I’ve even checked the accuracy of my edgefinders with my DRO and a DTI. Anyway, The guy training me tells me I am doing it wrong and tells me to get out of the way so he can show me how its done. His way of doing it is exactly like I described above but after the tip kicks out on the side of the part he reverses the table until the edgefinder runs true.
I was at a complete loss of words. Being my first day on the job, I didn’t want to **** the guy training me off.
I did ask him what kind of edgefinder it was and he said it was a normal edgefinder. I had a good look at it and it is identical to my Mitutoyo 050101 and starrett 827A which are both a 3/8” body with a .2” tip.
What are your thoughts ? Is there some kind of a new edgefinder that I’m on unaware of ?

I was taught the same way as you and I've always done it that way and I've never really given it much thought; until reading your post...

I'm thinking that the person training you feels that for an edge finder to run off you must actually be a little past the edge. If not, in theory anyways, seems like the edge finder would be running true when just first touching and would have to be past the edge for the finder to move out and run down the edge of the work piece. He probably has a point.

But, for my use anyways, I use an edge finder to get me close i.e. within a thousandths or two of an edge and if I have a critical dimension I want to hold I would check it by some other means than just trusting and edge finder and then dialing off the distance (especially without a DRO).

So, old habits die hard so I imagine I'll continue to do it the same way.

Interesting topic!
Ted
 
Run the edge finder up until it just kicks sideways, set the dial on the mill to 100. Taught that way in school, confirmed by my first boss. I've never seen it done any other way.

Edit: I do back off after setting the dial and slowly crank up again to double check the setting.
 
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Welcome to the world of working in machine shops, many people have different methods of doing the same thing, you will find this to be true in short order I suspect.
Do it this persons way until they stop watching you at all times then use the method that you are accustomed to, as long as the parts are accepted over and over no one will care.

I do exactly what your trainer does by habit, not because it is better but for the simple reason that I have been doing it that way for 30 years of working full time in machine shops.
The only right way to do something is the way that works.
 
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