Dial Indicator w/Mag Base???

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Kroll

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Guys I am starting to use my lathe more and more to repair another lathe which I am discovering more of what I don't have than what I do have.In my other post I am repairing my QCGB which include repairing a shaft.What I found today is I need a 35/64 drill bit and a 9/16 reamer,I am just using this as an example but you are getting my point just the basic stuff.Guessing this is just the beginning,dang the lathe was the easy part.What I also need is somewhat of a good dial indicator w/the mag base so that I can line up the shaft perfectly so that I can turn down the OD for a sleeve to heat and slide over the end of the shaft.Well before I get carried away asking for suggestion I do have some limitation. I have more Washingtons than I do Lincolns,or let me say I have a champagne taste on a beer budget and I am and always will be just a hobbyist.So my first though is to try and find used one over on ebay and kinda hope that the indicator has not been drop and all is good.But what brand should I look at, and I guess a scale of .001?I don't know nothing about these other than what I see on Youtubes,so if possible could use some pointers,suggestions maybe some links and what I should purchase on my beer budget?Guys even though this lathe that I am repairing has a lot of issues that a person who is not hardheaded would have pass on except me who is hardheaded,I am enjoying it.;) Thanks
 
Greetings Kroll, the import indicators and stands work just fine, i did score a really nice CDI ( Chicago Dial Indicator ) indicator and Federal .0001 test indicator on craigslist for $40. each. I suggest you set up an alert on craigslist for indicators.
 
http://www.longislandindicator.com

They have a very comprehensive list of indicators and their shortcomings. It helped me to decide what used indicators to look for on eBay. And it’s a good read!
 
I'm just a hobby guy as well, and normally a soda budget, Do not even get the beer stage. Thus, Even though many complain about them, I start off with cheap, LIke HF stuff, Low cost from Amazon, (but wife has almost forbid me from using amazon due to their flubs, not the products) Do not really trust Ebay for stuff like gauges, as have seen to much damaged items. Then if you get a good chance pick up some good stuff. Just my 2 cents
 
As Rootpass suggested LongIsl.Ind. is good, but anything less than Compac or Bestest has problems. In my humble view a hobby is about fun, not about having the best tools that won't make any difference in your work. The best part of import tools is they are so inexpensive you won't cry if you drop one.
 
I have old brand name indicators that I was gifted and CHEAP import ones. They all work the same when your dialling in a shaft on the lathe. 0.001 is fine for 99% of your work. Unless your dealing with ground shafts a 1/10th indicator would drive you nuts. Beter quality bases are easier to use and stiffer. A half thou test indicator is nice to set a vice on the mill or to dial in a ground shaft on the lathe. Again an import will serve you fine.

Greg
 
i have purchased and i use a 1" travel, .001" dial indicator from Shars, just to see the quality- i was impressed
the construction is brass inside and it will eventually wear out.
for an indicator that possibly could be in harm's way, i could feel good that it was less than $20.
the accuracy is sufficient 90% of the stuff i do with it on the lathe or on a small mill
for anything requiring more accuracy i'll check with my trusted Ames dial indicators (.001") or my Mitutoyo test indicator that measures .0001"

you don't have to break the bank to get a decent indicator, i would look at Shars, JTS Machinery, even Harbor Freight
BTW i bought a harbor freight 1" dial indicator solely on price alone.
for being an inexpensive indicator, i was also caught off guard by how nice it felt.
it is being used to set sawblade height on a tablesaw.
it will last most likely forever unless i calibrate it on the shop floor somehow.
but then again, i wouldn't feel bad once again, i paid around $15 :grin big:
 
Rooster said:
As Rootpass suggested LongIsl.Ind. is good, but anything less than Compac or Bestest has problems. In my humble view a hobby is about fun, not about having the best tools that won't make any difference in your work. The best part of import tools is they are so inexpensive you won't cry if you drop one.
Click to expand...

What you say is true, but the flip side is drop a no name Chinese test indicator on the floor and poof there goes $29-45. Do that 4 times and you must paid for an Interapid 312-b> Have dropped mine 3 times in 15 or so years, its still dead nuts accurate, repeats within half a tenth. On top of that I have had the pleasure of using a quality tool all these years. Chinese dial indicators are fine, the test indicators from what I have seen are all low quality dreams, they are not precision tools and do not hold up to any mishaps. The HF dial indicators are a bargain, clean the plunger with alcohol every so often and they seem to last for years. Drop and they are usually toast but for $10 still a nice tool. Where a HF or the like dial indicator shows its weekness is in return mode, when you are releasing pressure on the plunger, they do not respond as quick that way and are less reliable, but for down and dirty work they are the go to tool in my shop.
 
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