Adding thread dial to 9" Junior?

[Mike C5]

I have a 1933 vintage 9" (Junior or Heavy as I understand it) and would like to try learning to cut screw threads with it. I have change gears but still haven't acquired a thread dial yet. I notice that most of the thread dials attach with a pin into a boss on the edge of the cross feed saddle. My machine has no such provision. I also see some dials with a flat flange which includes two mount holes in it. Either way it appears I will have to drill some holes... Or did this machine have some other way of attaching a thread dial? Is there a bracket I'm missing (probably rare & expensive)?

Here some photos of the lathe and saddle. I would much appreciate any advice on how best to proceed.

 

[johnoder]

See page 18 here

http://www.wswells.com/data/catalog/1931_Jr_Cat_No.22C/1931_Jr_Cat_No.22C.pdf

have fun

 

[Mike C5]

Thanks John,
That's interesting that it has a bracket cast as part of the dial body parallel to the edge of saddle. I get the feeling that isn't a very common configuration. Looks like I'm going to have to improvise....

I did some more searching and found this but I'm not sure the saddle is thick enough to support the pin properly.

 

[dalmatiangirl61]

Some ideas if you want to diy one
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=thread+dial+build

 

[johnoder]

Before I left my rather drippy "cellar" in Coventry CT in 1971 I fixed up my 1923 13" with a home made thread dial that included a hard maple "gear". None of this lash up had the least idea it was inadequate - it just let the old SB cut all sorts of threads

 

[Mike C5]

I can imagine hard maple making a good gear for this application. No doubt it would be a fun project but I think I'm going to go with one of the 3D printed ones for now. This one has the bracket that looks like the one in the 1931 catalog.

 

[Mike C5]

Those of you who have a 9" Junior with thread dial attached as shown. Is the stud and pin arrangement like the photo below how yours is attached? I drew up the basic dimensions of this area in AutoCad and would much appreciate if I could get some feed back on where to place the holes and what size threads.

 

[Mike C5]

Come on guys, someone here must have a machine with dial as originally installed. This catalog screen shot seems to show a bolt. Is there a permanently mounted pin (on apron) in lower hole of bracket?

 

[Mike C5]

The photo….

 

[SWIGIN]

On my 1922 O series I didn't want to drill a new hole, so I made a bracket off the half nut bolts.

I have pictures on here somewhere, but I have no idea how to find them.

 

[SWIGIN]

I found 2 pics.

 

[Mike C5]

Thanks! I like that idea as I’d rather not drill into the apron either.