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Sticky Federal E3BS-2 Dial Indicator

alskdjfhg

Diamond
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
Location
Houston TX
Bought a Federal Federal E3BS-2 off ebay, when it arrived, I found it's a bit sticky and doesn't repeat.

Figured I'd see if Long Island Indicator works on them, looked at the list of that they work on and didn't see Federal. Saw Mahr, and I see the name Mahr-Federal so does that mean they do work on Federals?
030 : Gage Repair Service

Also saw this video and mine behaves in about the same manner, but I've always found that tearing into something when I'm not sure what's wrong is a good way to ruin it.
Federal Dial Indicator Repair - YouTube

Anyone know if my indicator is like the one in the video on the inside or would it send it's guts into outer space when the back is opened?

On Edit; in the pricing section on Long Island Indicator's website, it says they work on .0001 reading Federals. So I guess I've answered my own question and this thread is kinda pointless...:dunce:
 
I suggest you ask Long Island Indicator.

Any observations here as to what they do or do not work on is mere conjecture.

- Leigh
 
First step for indicator repair is a good flush. Any presence of WD-40 or similar will make the indicator sticky. Federal had a really good movement and it was nearly shock proof. ie: Miracle Movement.
John
 
I have had these guys do very very good work on my federal indicator and all my calibration for everything else goes through them too. Home

Robert
 
First thing I would do is give it a good swabbing with a cotton ball soaked with Isopropanol. If that doesn't clean/free things up, then consider surgery.

Cleaning the plunger with alcohol has worked 90% of the time on my vast collection of travel indicators. Federal made very nice stuff back in the day.
 
For a Federal, a toilet is recommended.

Dig deeper on Long island Indicator's website. Find the mention of soft steel on a part of the Federal that deforms and causes . you got it .. stickiness.

I realize this thread is years old now, but since I have a couple of Federal large dial drop indicators (NOT test indicators), I thought I'd chime in.

I read the Long Island Indicators pages with interest and amusement.
I loved this part:
"Chinese gages of any kind*

$380,089.00 (*Note: this is a 5% reduction over 2017 prices.)"



My Federal E3BS-2 0.0001" indicators say FULL JEWELED and actually seem quite nicely made inside.
I'm hoping that the stickiness I'm seeing is oil/grease/grime/residue that can be cleaned off with IPA.

These are beautiful, 3.5" large dial indicators and they are definitely not going into the toilet or trash.


Every one I EVER had hands on - and they had been VERY popular at one Day Job - eventually picked up a spot somewhere in its travel range with exactly that damage symptom.

A careful one-owner-from-new Toolmaker/Machinist might NEVER see that because they are careful with their money and their metrology gear.

A Federal DTI checking stand on a production line ALWAYS saw it eventually because bored housewives at minimum wage using 'the Company' DTI are NOT so careful .. and also use the silly thing part after part, for multiple hours on-end... which 'we' rarely need to do.

Abuse quite aside, those used that way saw more wear in a month than we might subject them to in twenty years. IOW - beware of ANY brand DTI stand-mounted to a CI or granite plate, or with a stage or any sort of bench mount. It may have been used for production, and Federal sold heavily for that very application.

I believe it.
I have a B&S and a Mitutoyo DTI and they both seem to work pretty well. I don't have any Federal DTIs.


Good idea to read ALL of LI Indicator's marvelously useful work before buying any used dial indicators. Or even brand-new ones.

Bill

Agreed! It is a very good read!
 








 
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