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Has anyone here made the MLA-8 Dial Indicator Holder with just a lathe?

Domodude17

Aluminum
Joined
Aug 14, 2017
I've been looking at the MLA-8 Dial Indicator Holder and Saddle Stop kit, and it looks like it may be possible to do on just the lathe with a bit of creativity. I'm just wondering if anyone in here has made it without access to a mill. Thanks
 
Check out this thread to see how it is done with lathe and mill, then ask yourself if you have what you need to mill on the lathe.

Machining the MLA-8 Indicator/Saddle Stop

The main question is whether you have a proper means (not a 3-jaw chuck) to mount an end mill in the spindle.

I did see that post, and it's one of the things that got me thinking. I have a 4 Jaw, so I figured that'd probably be better hold end mills for now than the 3C collets I have.
 
do not use a 4j for holding an end mill...the chances of it holding straight are practically nil...unless you have a VERY nice 4j....collets are better, but even better is an end mill holder.
 
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do not use a 4j for this...the chances of it holding straight are practically nil...unless you have a VERY nice 4j....collets are better, but even better is an end mill holder.

No worries, i'll just spin up the milling cutter and feed in an indicator to see what kind of runout it has :D My 4J is pretty nice, perhaps I should chuck up a piece of drill rod and dial it in at the chuck, and then see what kind of runout it has 3-4" out from the chuck. Can probably compare that to one of the 3C collets and just take ultra-light cuts if I need to use the 3C collets.
 








 
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