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Spindle tachometer with SFM calculator?

pirlbeck

Aluminum
Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Location
Iowa
I am thinking about adding a spindle tachometer with a SFM calculator to my lathe while I have it down for a little refurbishing. I have found two different ones by searching on the net. Here are a couple of links to the different ones I have found.


http://www.eldb.webuda.com/tachometer.html

For some reason I think this one is out of the UK, but I can't find the info back that makes me think that.

tachoptions

I think this is the same unit for a little less money, if the price is current.

LittleMachineShop.com - Tachulator Tachometer & SFM Meter

I am wondering if anyone has any experience with any of these units. Or if you know of similar units please let me know about them.

Thanks!
Pat
 
I like this little hand held tachometer .
Picks up signal from small piece of reflective tape .
Use on any equipment , then return to drawer .
Once you have rpm , sfm is easy to figure .
 

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That's a nifty little idea there. What would be REALLY cool is if you could figure out how to do it elegantly and mechanically ... might sell a few of those ... Like a tach with a sliderule bezel for the FPM. Kind of like old Cinci manual mills have for cutting speed.
 
But on a more practical note - Does your lathe actually have infinite speed options? If just belt and back gears maybe a little chart would do fine. Material diameter down the side, belt posn across the top, SFM where they cross. No moving parts, no batteries...

If you have VFD then add a few more columns across the speed range. Should get you plenty close.
 
Pat
I have the Tachulator on Heavy 10 with a VFD. Works quite well and I like the ability to monitor SFM while the diameter of the work piece changes. With the VFD you can dial in exactly what you want

Dennis C
 
Tachulator

Hi Dennis - Just ran across this thread and was wondering how/where you mounted the sensor on your Heavy Ten Tachulator installation? TIA. Ed R.
 
Ed
Sorry to take so long to post pics of the Tachulator pick up sensor. Basically I just used a piece of flat stock mounted to the back hole of the bull gear guard. I gave the flat stock a slight twist with a pair of pliers once it was in place to get a good angle at the spindle.

Keep in mind that my Heavy 10 has a D1-4 spindle so I have a litle more of the spindle to work with than a threaded spindle would have.

Dennis C.
 

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Thanks!

No worries Dennis - Thanks for going to the trouble of posting the pics - they are very helpful, particularly as I also have a D1-4 spindle mount.

:cheers:

Ed
 








 
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