Any compound slide dials that have a zeroing feature?

[Mr Fixit]

Hi Guys,

I agree it was either because it was missing the dial and they had this dial or they thought they were improving things, which I find hard to believe. I have been using it the way it is for quite a while, but doing some internal threading for the first time I needed the dial to zero for me to keep track and it wouldn't so that started the question. I'm working on another project at the moment, but when I'm done with it the next is to rework the dial to be able to zero like the cross slide, hopefully with a new handle too. I probably will have to make a ball turner first. LOL.. A tool for a tool situation again..!

TX
Mr fixit for the family
Chris

[oxford]

perhaps they saw the need to not have the dial-zeroable? I can't imagine why, but on a part that well made, I have to think it was intentional.

I don’t know, only thing I can think of in that scenario is it was a “government” job that someone that didn’t really know better had done for a machine they picked up.

[mtraven]

I’m pretty surprised that someone was able to make that dial/knob combo yet didn't see the need to have the dial zero-able.

perhaps they saw the need to not have the dial-zeroable? I can't imagine why, but on a part that well made, I have to think it was intentional.

[SLK001]

[B] Always place the movement of the piston of the measuring device perpendicular to the movement of the tool. For best results. JR

Perpendicular? You meant to say "parallel", or "in-line" didn't you?

[JRouche]

Any compound slide dials that have a zeroing feature?

compound? On my compound I just use it for threading. So I use a dial indicator mag attached to my cross slide. JR

P.S. You should like to use the plunger of your indicator on the face of the item you are measuring.

In this case the face of the compound or even behind it if its a big lathe. Always place the movement of the piston of the measuring device perpendicular to the movement of the tool. For best results. JR

[gellfex]

Chris, it just occurred to me, something I've done for a temporary reference mark is the good ol' sharpie. Wipe it off to re-set.

That's been my method for decades on my Logan 200. and notes in sharpie on the cross slide. Occasionally I'll put a dial indicator somewhere if it fits. I did swap in a adjustable BP dial on my Jet mill/drill when I added an X power feed, but I still have to do the arithmetic on the Y axis. It helps that I never move my vise so I know that 065 is centered to the back jaw.

[Doozer]

...
There are times that a setable zero does make things a whole lot easier.

Like on surface grinding.
I have a grinder where the downfeed is not zero settable.
You grind so long and take pretty small bites,
that you forget where you are and where you are going.
A little piece of painter's tape on the downfeed wheel helps
keep track.

-D

[oxford]

I have a turret lathe that does not have a reset-able dial.
It is a nice dial, about 6" diameter, so the graduations
are very clear. Anyhow, I just count over the increments
in spaces of 10 thousandths divisions of the amount that
I want to take off, and just move the dial.
Like if the dial is at 43 thou, and I want to take 30 thou off,
I count 43 to 33 to 23 to 13 and then take the cut.
I don't even do subtraction in my head, I just count down.
It is pretty easy. It never bothered me that much to go through
the effort of re-engineering the thing. But everyone has their way.

----D

I will do the same a lot of the time, mostly out of laziness and like you said it really isn’t needed most of the time.

There are times that a setable zero does make things a whole lot easier.

[Doozer]

I have a turret lathe that does not have a reset-able dial.
It is a nice dial, about 6" diameter, so the graduations
are very clear. Anyhow, I just count over the increments
in spaces of 10 thousandths divisions of the amount that
I want to take off, and just move the dial.
Like if the dial is at 43 thou, and I want to take 30 thou off,
I count 43 to 33 to 23 to 13 and then take the cut.
I don't even do subtraction in my head, I just count down.
It is pretty easy. It never bothered me that much to go through
the effort of re-engineering the thing. But everyone has their way.

----D

[jackary]

I made this zeroing dial for my topslide, the rotatable dial has a shallow curved groove that is positioned so that three spring loaded balls keep the dial in position and the friction adjustment can be set by screwing the internal grub screws
Alan

[old mart]

I think that the person who fitted that knob simply used what they had to hand despite it not being ideal.

[oxford]

I’m pretty surprised that someone was able to make that dial/knob combo yet didn't see the need to have the dial zero-able.

[Mr Fixit]

Hi Group,

You are very correct about the turning of this odd star knob, it was never easy. JT, the explanation and pictures are exactly the ticket to modify my machine to get the Zeroing feature that I'm after. I figure I will be doing a combination of ideas as I proceed. I also was offered a PDF ( by GadgetBuilder )to look at for a possible modification, so when I get that I will be able to look things over and combine or choose the design that I think fits my needs which will allow the machine to perform at it's best for me...

I'll update when I get time in the shop and have something figured out. It might take a day or so, but I'll be back with the results to this conversation.

TX
Mr fixit for the family
Chris

[oxford]

^^^^^ Thanks for the insight. My Clausing 5914 has a compound dial that is large enough to read (within reason for lathe size) but it was it direct reading. I ended up replacing the screw and nut with a 2 start so it was.

I like the cross slide to read diameter but I don’t know why you would want the compound to read it.

[Paul Alciatore]

I have a SB-9. In the OEM arrangement the graduated collar is not part of the stack-up, as you say. The nut tightens the three ball handle against a shoulder. It holds the collar on, but it is free to spin: there is a built-in clearance for that. The locking screw is what holds the collar to the handle and shaft. It is fairly easy to adjust to a zero at any point in the rotation.

What is bad about the SB-9 compound collar is it is fairly small in diameter and that forces the lines close together. The screw is 10 TPI so 100 lines produce a 0.001" movement per division. But that is 0.002" on the diameter being turned so making fine adjustments in order to hit a diameter to 0.001" means you must split the already small divisions. A magnifying visor is almost a necessity for my 78 yo eyes. SB did make a version of the compound with a larger graduated collar. It also had the three ball handle which, with both the original or the improved collar, is somewhat problematic when trying to make small movements.

I suspect that this small diameter collar with it's closely spaced lines is one large factor in someone making a replacement. The one in the photos clearly is much larger than the original SB collar.

I like that collar. I do not like that knob. The cross slide has a similar problem with the knob. It is almost impossible to make a uniform feed with the three ball handle. In desperation when trying to produce a nice finish while using the cross slide I made a wood handle that fits over the three ball handle but has a much greater lever arm. That larger arm length allows the feed to be turned at a much more uniform rate and that produces a much better surface finish. I would think that the knob shown on this lathe would only make this surface finish problem a lot worse as it is totally necessary to start and stop the feed a bunch of times per each revolution.

I’m not familiar with the SB9 other than knowing what it is. Is the current handle and dial part of the “stack up” that holds the screw secure?

This really doesn’t look like all that hard of a project. I’m with the other guys though, the current handle seems awkward to use. I would plan on something different when I made the dial zero-able.