Thread Dial Kits, any interest?

[garyphansen]

I am thinking about offering a limited number of thread dial kits for the South Bend 9N, 10K 10L and any other lathe that has an eight threads per inch acme lead screw. The kit would consist of the gear, dial and a drawing showing how to make the other parts. The gear and the dial are the only parts that that would give most people trouble. I notice that thread dials are going for about $130.00 on Ebay. I not sure yet, but I think I could offer the kits for about $40. Is there any interest? Gary P. Hansen

 

[aametalmaster]

I would be interested in one for my 10L....Bob

 

[cooncatbob]

Me too. How about a micrometer stop.

 

[flathead4]

I would be interested in one for my 9A. I have been thinking of making my own, but don't have the tooling to make a gear so would have to buy the tools or the gear anyway. Of course, I'd be happier to pay $29.99, but 40 bucks still sounds reasonable, what with the cost of labor and said tooling.

Tom

 

[e15cap]

count me in

 

[SteveA]

Yes.

 

[garyphansen]

I need to put this project on hold for a short time. The brass bar stock I had lined up for the gears fell through, so I had to order some more from a different source. I will let everyone know when I am ready to start. Gary P. Hansen

 

[Limy Sami]

Greetings from the UK, I read your thread and thought or recovered this from the mists of time.

There was a design ( I think it had a solid dural body) published in the English mag -Model Engineers Workshop (somewhere about 95 I think) to fit the 41/2 and 5" Boxford, a Southbend clone in so many ways, including the thread dial indicator.

Hemingways (UK) did the kits but seem to have dropped it.

Keep you a troshin bor. Sami

 

[Paula]

Seems like a number of individuals have been making these from time to time. There are a couple of different ones on eBay now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/South-Bend-THREAD-DIAL-for-9-or-10K-lathe_W0QQitemZ220071972768

http://cgi.ebay.com/Thread-Chasing-Dial-for-South-Bend-9-10-Lathe_W0QQitemZ270081104387

I like the idea of the kit (though I don't need one right now), as it makes a nice, not-too-challenging project.

Paula

 

[garyphansen]

Could some post some dimensions of a original gear in a South Bend thread dial. If I am going to make a bunch fo gears for kits I might as well make them interchange with the South Bend gear. Like what size the hole is for the shaft. Is it attached to the shaft with a set screw. Is the a step in the gear where the set screw goes and if so what is the dia. I know the gear is 1.375 in dia. and there are thirtytwo teeth. and that the teeth are angled to match the lead screw.

I am planning to hobb the gears, that make the gear profile concaved. I know that South Bend made there gears straight but a hobbed gear actually works better because it more closely conformes to the lead screw. I have heard of people having problems with a straight gear when a stray chip eneded up on the keyway of the lead screw because there is only a small amount of contact between a straight gear and the lead screw threads. Gary P. Hansen

 

[Paula]

Gary,

I took the gear off my thread dial, and here are some dimensions for you:

• The bore is 7/16"
• The actual O.D. of the gear is 1.332"
• The width of the gear is .50"
• The overall width of the gear (with hub) is .875"
• The hub dia. is 1.12" with 1/4-20 setscrew.

Paula

 

[garyphansen]

Thank you Paula! Gary P. Hansen

 

[Limy Sami]

Quote:-
I am planning to hobb the gears, that make the gear profile concaved. I know that South Bend made there gears straight but a hobbed gear actually works better because it more closely conformes to the lead screw. I have heard of people having problems with a straight gear when a stray chip eneded up on the keyway of the lead screw because there is only a small amount of contact between a straight gear and the lead screw threads.

--------------------------------------------------I see where you're coming from but IMHO it's overkill, all you're driving is a little numbered disc.
I'd cut em straight and I've made a few over here, never had any complaints and my owns done 12years + (average I spose about 5 or 6 hours a week) without a problem, then you can do em in batches on a mandrel, saving yourself a bundle of time.

Only my way of looking at these things,.........lifes hard enough as it is without making it harder.

Keep you a troshin bor. Sami

 

[FTF Engineering]

Gary,

Here's a pic I nabbed somewhere of what I believe is the gear end of a Sheldon thread dial. It's not South Bend, but this is what you're planning, right? I like the way this looks.

Speaking of a thread dial project, I just got my hob back from heat treat yesterday. I haven't had the chance to try it yet, but if I get the chance I'll snap a pic and post it if you're interested. It's my second attempt at a hob and hopefully it will work better than my first attempt.

I don't know how far you are into your project and I'm certainly not implying that you need help, but if you want to hear what I've learned after being through this twice, please just let me know.

-Bruce

 

[garyphansen]

Sure Bruce, I would be happy to hear what you have learned. I always like to learn from other people's mistakes. Heck, I have always been able to make more than enough mistakes on my own. Gary P. Hansen

 

[Samtd]

Absolutely...

 

[DaveCog]

I am also interested in one of your thread dial kits.

 

[FTF Engineering]

Hi Gary,

Heck, I have always been able to make more than enough mistakes on my own

Haha! Yeah, me too.

Let me check through my notes and I'll put them together for you. Hopefully I can sneak into the shop and take a picture of the finished hob sometime today.

-Bruce

 

[ChrisK]

If they aren't all accounted for, I would love to buy one as well.

Thanks
Chris

 

[nameH10]

Interested for sure.