How do you mount a lug back dial indicator into a spindle.

[addman16]

Hi guys Im thinking of buying a lug back indicator but can't seem to figure out how to attach the indicator into the spindle. Here's a video of what I'd like to do. This guy is using his dial indicator to align the column of his machine using it against a machinist square.

RCNC BF2L 11 : Aligning the column and tramming the mill head. - YouTube

What attachments do I need to buy so I can mount the dial indicator the same way

 

[tnmgcarbide]

I would buy one of these:

Magnetic Base Heavy Duty Fine Adjustment 176 lbs. Indicator Holder | eBay

just unscrew the mag base and use the stem , adjustment joint and rod in your drill chuck . this will enable you
to hold the 1" indicator perpendicular to the table.

 

[addman16]

Thanks tnmgcarbide.

 

[addman16]

Hey is there a way I could buy the attachments and mounting rods separately since I wanted to get a noga magnetic base.

Would this work as well?

NOGA Fine Adjusting Magnetic Base - Model: PH2040 NOGA Fine Adjusting Magnetic Base - Model: PH2: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

 

[tnmgcarbide]

you can use whatever fits your spindle and holds the dial gage . parts usually cost just as much or more than the whole shebang. that noga is useful in that you may attach to the lug/thumbscrew or the stem itself .

 

[Larry Dickman]

this is one of the most idiotic videos I've ever seen.

First of all, the idiot is wearing a watch. A machinist's square is no where near accurate enough to align a machine. Anyone who would dare put a steel clamp on one of my squares would be hunched over in the parking lot looking for their teeth. Maybe I missed a few things, as I couldn't bear to watch the whole thing.

To the OP's question, either buy a mounting kit as suggested above, or take a rod, mill a flat on it and drill a hole though it.

 

[dsergison]

The video is truly bad. It seems to be thinly veiled advertising for some truly unnecessary bit of kit.

Buy the Noga. It's very versatile and will serve you well. It will hold your indicators for years to come.

also buy a dial TEST Indicator.
Fowler 52-562-1 Horizontal White Dial X-Test Indicator and Accessory Combo Kit, .5" Graduation Interval, 1.5" Diameter: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
I like the ones with the swivel post on top as in that picture. this one is a cheapie but includes some other handy accessories. it's no comnpaq or interrapid but you could do worse.

stick that post in a drill chuck or collet and use that to indicate your table flat or to center on a hole etc.


also buy one of these cheap indicator accessory kits. all the little bits and pieces will at some time or other be useful. it extends the sweep of the test indicator and lets you use it while you have other stuff like end mills mounted in your spindle. (provide you mill has a spindle nose diameter it can clamp to.)

https://cdn.mscdirect.com/global/images/ProductImages/0645155-23.jpg

 

[Modelman]

+1 on the dial TEST indicator. You can also do the same job with an Indicol style indicator holder that clamps onto the outside of the spindle, and is more useful for tramming in work to find centers, etc.

Dennis

 

[addman16]

Thanks for the great suggestion guys. It was mentioned that a machinist square wouldn't be good to tram the column. I have a dial test indicator to help me tram the spindle (rotates left and right 90 degrees g0704) to the table. I wanted to tram the column the spindle is mounted on, tram that to the table then the spindle to the table.

What would be a good method to tram a rigid column?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

[tdmidget]

Thanks for the great suggestion guys. It was mentioned that a machinist square wouldn't be good to tram the column. I have a dial test indicator to help me tram the spindle (rotates left and right 90 degrees g0704) to the table. I wanted to tram the column the spindle is mounted on, tram that to the table then the spindle to the table.

What would be a good method to tram a rigid column?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Education followed by cleaning out all the chicom shit .

 

[addman16]

Education followed by cleaning out all the chicom shit .

Well someone is salty today

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

[tdmidget]

Thanks for the great suggestion guys. It was mentioned that a machinist square wouldn't be good to tram the column. I have a dial test indicator to help me tram the spindle (rotates left and right 90 degrees g0704) to the table. I wanted to tram the column the spindle is mounted on, tram that to the table then the spindle to the table.

What would be a good method to tram a rigid column?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

cylindrical square.

 

[dsergison]

The machinist square is plenty good enough. Not many people need a cylindrical square.

That double dial tramming tool in the video is the unnecessary tool.
Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk

 

[gmach10]

I learned from here a while ago the handy little trick of using a a large diameter bearing race layed down on the table and use it for a "parallel" for your indicator to ride on. No chance of your indicator getting knocked out of whack from going over table t-slots. As I learned from here bearing races are ground parallel. I was lucky enough to get one with about a 9" O.D. In my work world tramming the head to zero in all directions in a 4" radius is accurate enough for most of the work I do. If I feel like driving myself nuts I've got a 12" diameter race too.

 

[tdmidget]

The machinist square is plenty good enough. Not many people need a cylindrical square.

That double dial tramming tool in the video is the unnecessary tool.
Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk

Of course it's good enough. Until you clamp it and deform it.

 

[dsergison]

Of course it's good enough. Until you clamp it and deform it.

How or why would you clamp it hard enough to deform it?

If you can't manage to hold a block of steel to your table without destroying it you should have all your nice toys taken away.

 

[John Garner]

Clamping the square to the table is wise, but it would also be wise to 1) put a protective "shim" between the square and the clamp, and 2) not reef on the wrench.

Doing analogous work (but on a much larger scale) I've long used two clamps, both padded with Pink-Pearl pencil-eraser blocks, and held in place with finger-snugged clamp nuts. Never had a square knocked over, nor saw any indication of one slipping.

 

[EPAIII]

There is an almost limitless supply of accessory pieces for mounting a DI. Just check out the suppliers.

As for what he is doing in the video, I would just find a piece of rod, perhaps 1/2" diameter. Mill or turn the end flat. Drill and tap a hole on the center. Both of these operations could be easily done in the lathe. Then use a screw to mount the DI to that end. That rod could be held in a collet or drill chuck. Done!

As for using a square, that depends on the quality of the square. And you can do it from front and back to average out the errors. I would use care in clamping it. Another thing would be to check the flatness of your table first. But this is not how I would tram my mill.

 

[tnmgcarbide]

if you're on a budget- about $0.60 cents including tax.

(1) a 6" piece of 1/4-20 all-thread
(2) 2-each , 1/4-20 nuts , 1/4 flat washers

-bend the allthread @90 deg about 2 inches from the end.
-tighten short end in drill chuck.
-attach dial indicator lug to the long leg where you want it, sandwiched between
the nuts and washers.

tram the fucking table and do some godddamned work. make some chips and get paid for it.

done.

 

[tdmidget]

How or why would you clamp it hard enough to deform it?

If you can't manage to hold a block of steel to your table without destroying it you should have all your nice toys taken away.

He's taking his cues from that video. Watch and see how the "mentor" did it.