Threading dial

eddieirvine · Jan 15, 2011

I have a question as of now I don't have a threading dial on my South Bend A 9" lathe been looking you would think they were made out of Titanium! for the price! anyway I ran several lathes where I used to work and they were marked as to where to engage your threading knob! meaning it told you on even pitch threads any number odd pitch threads any line, I can't remember if that is correct or not but something in that order, metric if I remember right you choose something and left it engaged until you were finished with your threading. And if I remember right for left hand threads you also left the threading lever engaged through the threading process! Is there a chart or something I can get so I know what to do when I am cutting threads? I know I need to get a thread dial but I did some trial threading with it and worked ok for some playing around scrap peices, I left it locked on the lead screw and did some threading and work fine, I just know if I get into more of this I will need to get a threading dial installed thanks for the help Eddie

mcruff · Jan 15, 2011

As for price quit looking on ebay. Get one from Joe at plaza mchinery, brand new repro's for $99 shipped.

eddieirvine · Jan 15, 2011

Thanks Mcruff I will do that Just did a goggle search and found his web sight looks like $119 shipped so I might as well bit the bullet and get a new one thanks again

bigmac · Jan 15, 2011

As far as using the dial goes, get a manual from any lathe. It will explain dial use for even, odd, double lead, half, etc.
The manual from any brand lathe should have basically the same info.

rata222 · Jan 15, 2011

eddieI don't have a threading dial on my South Bend A 9" lathe been looking you would think they were made out of Titanium! for the price! [/QUOTE said:
Eddie
I didnt get a threading dial with my 9C that I restored. Would have preferred to keep it all original - but couldnt justify the money. I used a threading dial off a 10" Atlas lathe. They go pretty cheap. I think I paid $12.00. I machined a little adapter bushing to get the alignment right and it has worked fine.
I am not a machinist - and maybe someone knows why this "shouldnt" work , but since the lead screw pitch is the same - I assumed it would and it has served me well for my occasional threading.
I can send you a picture of the adapter - if you go that way.
Jim

fastback · Jan 15, 2011

I also did not receive a threading dial with my 10L and was able to use a dial (retro) for a 9 A,B or C or a 10K. Also had to make an adapter for the 10L. The 10L has the same thread on the lead screw as the 9 and 10K. Got mine from Tool4cheap same price range as the others.

S_W_Bausch · Jan 15, 2011

I think a universal threading dial replacement is a Holy Grail that might be possible, but in electronics, and feature creep would either make the thing a "must own" item or something only the military would purchase.

Consider bicycle computers. Those are small, with buttons, sensors, screens, etc. Most are less than $100, way less.

A clever engineer would just go with an existing housing, and order up a custom VLSI (or sumthin) to interface with the existing display. Many units are wireless. You would select the thread system, the desired thread, and watch a countdown to engagement.

Beyond my capabilities, unfortunately. I may be mistaken, but it seems plausible.

knudsen · Jan 15, 2011

Jim - there is no reason for the Atlas part not to work. Same as fastbacks solution. That reminds me of a quote though, "Back then we didn't know about safety, so no one got hurt."

sicero · Jan 16, 2011

Where is your adventurous spirit. Make one. I have made a couple. Nothing to it. Kenny

eddieirvine · Jan 16, 2011

Thanks guys for some good ways to go I appreciate your help as always, I just don't see a thread dial being worth what they want for them even at 100 dollars! I mean a dial a shaft and a gear :eek:

Anyway the Atlas is something to look for and Kenny you are probably right I have made more complicted things it just never seems like I do it for myself so why not :eek:

What is the pictch of the lead screw I never have really checked it I am assuming an acme thread? 8 maybe?

eddieirvine · Jan 16, 2011

Rata if you get a chance send me what you did for adapting your Atlas thread dial to your South Bend lathe this is my email address thanks [email protected]

Also instead of starting another post will a thread dial from a 9" or 10" work for my 9" A lathe I thougth somewhere I had seen where the lead screws are the same?

rata222 · Jan 16, 2011

eddieirvine said:
Rata if you get a chance send me what you did for adapting your Atlas thread dial to your South Bend lathe this is my email address thanks [email protected]

I sent you the pics. I took mine out and drew a dimensioned sketch for you. But I just eyeballed mine when I made it. The design is very forgiving. I just rotated the eccentric shaft till it all lined up and locked her down. From there use the bolt to advance and retract.
Good luck
Jim

sicero · Jan 16, 2011

Most all the lead screws on the smaller lathes are 8tpi. The Atlas and some others have a 16 tooth gear the some if not all SB have a 32 tooth. Either one will work. Kenny

mcruff · Jan 16, 2011

eddieirvine said:
I just don't see a thread dial being worth what they want for them even at 100 dollars! I mean a dial a shaft and a gear

Just to play devils advocate here, whats your time worth, can you make a gear in under an hour, the shaft, the dial, the housing. I make things I need to make and can't can't find or buy, but I can make more than $119 in less time than it takes to make a threading dial. Last week I made $180 in 3 hours working with my lathe. If you can make play money with your machine buy what you can and make money the rest of the time and enjoy what you do. I have always found it strange to make stuff for my machine just for the sake of making it. Don't get me wrong I have made several of the gears on my 9" South Bend but I also made spares and sold them to make mine free and make a little side money at the same time. I have also made fixtures you can't buy but I decided a thread dial just wasn't worth the time.

sicero · Jan 16, 2011

It depends on how you look at it.
If nothing unexpected comes up, my monthly income pays my bills and I may have a hundred dowwers left over for things I want.
If I take all day to make a hundred $ part. I still have my hundred. I just made a months pay in one day and the satisfaction. Priceless Kenny

It's like the guy who doesn't understand how the gas alone to take me fishing costs 50 times more than buying fish at the store. Don't try to explain it to him.

edkolt · Jan 17, 2011

The gear on the south bend threading dial has 32 teeth, the Atlas has 16 teeth, it will turn twice as fast. You can use it if you always start on the same number. But when making odd threads it may say to start on an odd number. The Atlas only has even numbers. Not sure how to overcome that.

tjwal · Jan 17, 2011

Although I haven't mounted it in a holder it appears that this gear will work ($3.95)
LittleMachineShop.com - Gear, Intermediate 32 Teeth

I think I would gang two of them together since 1 is just a bit wider than the keyway in the leadscrew.

sicero · Jan 17, 2011

edkolt said:
The gear on the south bend threading dial has 32 teeth, the Atlas has 16 teeth, it will turn twice as fast. You can use it if you always start on the same number. But when making odd threads it may say to start on an odd number. The Atlas only has even numbers. Not sure how to overcome that.

I don't have an atlas. Are they marked 2 and 4 or 1 and 2? If they are marked 1 and 2. 1 would be an odd number. Kenny

Slausonm · Jan 17, 2011

I just sold an extra heavy 10 dial i had in the commerse section of this site. Iwatched the e-bay auctions for a dial for a 10k and snagged one for a good price, so I sold the heavy 10 dial for what i paid for the 10k. $80

I think I made the new owner a good deal.
Matt

tribologist · Jan 17, 2011

I bet that some of the Grizzly lathe parts could be used. Look at these prices:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/G4000/parts/7

Threading dial

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Diamond

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Hot Rolled

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