center finder with 1/2" dia shank - does such exist?

View attachment 282439

Were these ever made with a 1/2" shank (as opposed to the 3/8 on the Starrett)? Anyone know of a source, or perhaps have one that they might consider parting with? Interested only in this Starrett style/and level of precision.

-Marty-

The attachment doesn't work for me, but, if you mean a wiggler, I have not seen one with a 1/2" shank. If I had the need, I'd just loctite a sleeve onto a 3/8" version.

Attachment don't work for me either. Center finder?? Is that an edge finder? If so check ebay there are quite a few of them for sale.

center finder with 1/2" dia shank - does such exist?



827B Edge Finder

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Sorry for the unopenable link. Probably has to do with the fact that the original is a .png and not a .jpg file. It shows the original Lowenstein "Wiggler" patent drawing of 1919 for what we think of as the old Starrett wiggler with the 3/8 shank and the propellering needle indicator.

Thanks to all who responded, above. I am aware of the 1/2" shank on the modern Starrett kick-out style wiggler with the conical indicator point. I happen to prefer the accuracy I get out of the needle type. It is fiddley, yes, and there is a learning curve, just as there is with some other "old" methods, such as bore diameter measurements with the telescoping T's, but I find it quite accurate in some manual jobs for spindle centration over the center of a tiny center pop or scribed 'x', or for running along a workpiece edge to ensure parallelism of milling when the table is moving L/R. Some, I know, find these needle wigglers frustrating.

My interest in increasing the 3/8 shank OD to 1/2 is to minimize collet swapouts in some milling operations. In the absence of an available commercial version, I plan to sleeve mine (as rklopp has suggested in #2 above).

-Marty-

Oh OK, I have a few of the 3/8" Wigglers too. I also use them, prefer the long needle to the short version found on the edge finders. With complete sets I often use the .100 disk attachment for limited openings.
I agree a sleeve on a Starrett wiggler is probably your only option. I'd buy another one on ebay so both are available if I were in need of the 1/2" size.

One interesting trick here is to simply make a new body for the 3/8 inch shank wiggler.

It's a trivial job. Years ago I copied the 3/8 shank one. Even soldered a long thin shank into
a steel ball and turned the end into the 0.100 disc at the end.

If you already have the ball and shanks, the rest of it is dead easy. You just need a bit
of brass for the pusher and a spring. Do it right and you can even use the original nut
on the top.

jim rozen said:

One interesting trick here is to simply make a new body for the 3/8 inch shank wiggler.

It's a trivial job. Years ago I copied the 3/8 shank one. Even soldered a long thin shank into
a steel ball and turned the end into the 0.100 disc at the end.

If you already have the ball and shanks, the rest of it is dead easy. You just need a bit
of brass for the pusher and a spring. Do it right and you can even use the original nut
on the top.

Click to expand...

The appeal of this is the fact that toolmaking is always fun, but only if one has the spare time free. "Simply", "trivial", "dead easy" - all might be true for this job, but I see it as a day-long project start to finish. The sleeving I can do in half an hour start to finish. That's a better fit with what I have going on in the shop.

-Marty-

Marty Feldman said:

The appeal of this is the fact that toolmaking is always fun, but only if one has the spare time free. "Simply", "trivial", "dead easy" - all might be true for this job, but I see it as a day-long project start to finish. The sleeving I can do in half an hour start to finish. That's a better fit with what I have going on in the shop.
-Marty-

Click to expand...

Fair enough.

Mine was made when I was attending adult education classes, and the drawing was done rough, copying one the instructor had,
I refined the drawing at home, and I think it took me about two one-hour sessions to finish it. There are two versions of that, and old one and a
new one. The old one has a threaded cap that holds the ball in contact with the spring-loaded brass shoe, and the wiggler part can be reversed
and stored inside.

The newer one has a sort of spring collet and the ball snaps in place. The wiggler cannot be reversed in those.

US1300428A - Wiggler.
- Google Patents

Jim Rozen and others: The picture I tried, unsuccessfully, to get into my original post in this thread is here. It is an exploded view and is clickable. You will notice, Jim, that one of the wiggler drawings shows the needle in its stowed, inside position, as you mentioned. I believe that at the bottom of the text of Lowenstein's patent it says that those wanting a copy of the patent will have to pay a nickel.

-Marty-