Had a thought: is there a small version of a co-ax indicator for small mills?

[RaisedByWolves]

Any update from n your project?


Cutting oil is my blood.

Thanks for the nudge.

Just found the tap at wallyworld for $11 shipped and ordered it.

What I'm thinking of will look like this.



Rough sketch.






The portion with the pointer will rotate with a thumb wheel surrounding the indicator stem and there will need to be some allowance for cross misalignment in X vs Y travel,

This is not going to be for +- .100 alignment, more like +-.010-.015 for picking up a punch mark. There needs to be springs and other details added, but until I get there this is the best I can describe it.

In use it would be approached like setting up a gross adjustment for a wiggler, where you pick up the spot and raise the quill and use the ensuing runout of the pointer to further close in on the spot, then when close enough, use this as like a CO-AX, but with the quill stopped.

Don't know if you're familiar with using a coax and turning it my hand vs with the quill running, but you can get on center much faster this way.


This could be adapted to finding the center of a hole or pin within limits using different tips of various sizes.

 

[Parlo]

This brings up a question that's been bothering me for a while and is only slightly tangential to the topic at this point. I've heard it said that plunger back indicators aren't able to be calibrated to units, and that they are comparators. I can only assume it is because the plunger is hard to set to true perpendicular compared to a traditional drop gauge. Anyone have insights on that?

I have replaced some of the spigots on my lever indivators with hexagonal ones. I can then still hold in a chuck but then also in a slotted holder which keeps the arc of the stylus in line with the spindle radius. To expalin slightly different the stylus when pushed towards the centreline it will travel directly to the centre & always on centre. The indicator axis is permanently set perfectly vertical.
Is this helpful?

 

[RaisedByWolves]

My $10 tap showed up today!

My coworker saw it in the bag and didn’t think there were any teeth on it.

Wheeeeee!!!1!!