E-Z Tram from MSC

[Bob Fisher]

Anyone tried the tram with 2 dial indicators as offered by MSC ? If so, whar are your thoughts? Bob.

[Rich Carlstedt]

Personally, I think using two indicators is a mistake.
You then have to consider that they may not be the same in setting.
You could wind up reading only one , or be confused with two.
When they don't match, you have to rotate the spindle anyway to set them, so why complicate the issue?

Tramming is easy if you follow this Procedure, and you don't need a big Ring or double indicators.
Start with the spindle in the full up position and tram left and right ONLY !
When you feel it is pretty good, drop the table and fully extend the quill and repeat.
The extended quill acts as an amplifier and you can fine tune the L & R settings because of increased sensitivity to head movement.
After L & R, then you do the front...period
Never rotate front to back, only rotate front to one side ( 90 degrees).
If the right or left are plumb, then all you need is to balance the front with one side.
This is much faster and prevents going the wrong way . It doesn't matter if the dial changes, which it will when doing a tilt correction.
All youy have to do is make sure the front matches a side..
When you are done, you can dop a 360, but be aware that 3 points determine a plane , so L, R, and F are all you need.

Rich

[EVguru]

Personally, I think using two indicators is a mistake.
You then have to consider that they may not be the same in setting.

There is a pad under each indicator and these pads are machined to be at 90 degrees to the spindle axis. You rest the instrument on those pads and zero the indicators.

It's fast and involves the minimum amount of cranking the knee up and down.

[Boucher]

I have one and I love it. Much easier to use than the DTI. The proof of the pudding is the ability to easily tram accurately enough to get that perfect fly cut finish. They are a little expensive for the component cost and the ease that one could make their own.

[Carld]

I don't see the need for the double indicators. It doesn't take that long to just use one indicator and the standard method. I like having tools but sometimes tools come along that are not really needed.

If you have a lot of spare money and like to buy any tool that comes along I see nothing wrong with it. For that matter you can make one for yourself at way less than those sell for.

When I sweep my head in I seldom move the knee more than a few thousandths up or down to get it done. I don't understand why you have to crank the knee up and down so far.

[BigJohnT]

I'm glad someone else thinks that is a gadget, my wife would buy one though...

I might add to your procedure: Use a machinist square on the extended quill to get it close to square before you mount the test indicator.

John

[Dr Stan]

+1 on the DTI

BTW I was taught to tram the head with the spindle fully retracted as that is where it should be when you are milling.

[Mike Amick]

I think that most modern tools you can buy .. there is a previous method/tool that can be used
that takes just a little more effort/time to use. There will always be people that resist
change. I say take those darn DRO's off .. whats wrong with the dials !?

The people using these easy trams all say they love them .. seems strange to say nonsense without
even trying one.

[bborr01]

Training wheels for your mill.

Brian

[BigJohnT]

The problem I have with unitaskers is well they only do one thing... I can tram my head with a test indicator heck I can even tram the mill head with it as well as align my vise, check material... well you get the picture. I'm sure it works fine but that is all it does... and I don't have enough drawers for every unitasker out there.

Just to be clear I'm not saying it doesn't work!

John

[Ron of Va]

I made one and I like it. They are not hard to make.

With a single dial indicator you go to align the head, you tap a little this way and that way. I am ashamed to admit it, but with a single dial indicator, I frequently tap the head the wrong way before I get my brain wrapped around it. With the two indicators, I know exactly which way to tap the head. I really don’t know why it is like that for me.

I still use a Starrett indicator with the plunger on the back most of the time because I don’t want to dedicate two dial indicators to the tool and leave them in the drawer. So I have to go get two indicators from their magnetic bases and switch them to the tramming gizmo. Then put them back on the magnetic base. All that is a pain.

(And I would never buy it from MSC. They can be found much cheaper elsewhere.)

[uncle pete]

Each to their own opinions I guess, I've got two spare indicators brand new still in the box and could easily make one. I just don't see much point if you've already got a DTI. And for the same reasons already mentioned. But they obviously work, just not quite as accurate as a 10ths reading DTI though. Probably in a commercial shop they would speed things up enough to be well worth it? I really am a tool whore and love even single purpose tools. And I still can't justify one.

Pete

[Lew Hartswick]

I made one a couple years ago (whenever they came out) and haven't used it
since the initial trial. A big truck brake disc and a single dial indicator with a
large swing to match the disc is so easy to use it's a no-brainer.
...lew...

[dp]

I made one a couple years ago (whenever they came out) and haven't used it
since the initial trial. A big truck brake disc and a single dial indicator with a
large swing to match the disc is so easy to use it's a no-brainer.
...lew...

Like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfioLDhBNBQ

[KiddZimaHater]

Do you REALLY need one?
I mean, just how often are you tramming your mill?
It's once in a blue-moon when I need to tilt the mill's head.
Then, it's a quick 15 minutes to tram it back in the 'old-fashioned way', and It's set for another long while.
I have the feeling the EZ-TRAM will be a dust collector.