What's new
What's new

So where do you mount an indicator on your south bend 9?

Athos

Plastic
Joined
Dec 19, 2019
Hello All,

I have recently picked up a South Bend 9C 36". I have already rebuilt much of the machine, dialed it in and even managed to add a new motor and VFD. I am loving it!

After watching countless you tube videos one thing I noticed about other lathes is that the cross slide or apron on many models has a nice flat area to mount a mag base to, however on a South Bend there is no such spot. You can temp mount the mag base on the bed but this quickly becomes a pain.

So I am curious what others have done? Please respond with photos.

I feel like I am having a blonde moment, but I am sure there is a clever idea lurking out there.

Many thanks

Jim
 
I like to avoid mag holders because they tend to mag the machine, and it takes only a few seconds to clamp an indicator to a tool post or the like.

I guess it depends on what kind of too post you have.

Back in trade school I made a flat nose tool bit and brought it up to a part between centers to feel a slip of paper as a shim. Just using my cross dial I cold get a long part between centers to .001 - ,002 easily in a couple minuets,

I often did the same for a part in a 4 jaw. Agree you cant get tenths with that.
 
Make a mount with a much smaller foot print using a neodymium magnet. The arm can be a metal flexible goose neck. The base can be a piece of HDPE with the magnet inside.

I took a few HDPE squares and milled a slot on the side of them. They are 1.25 square and 0.5 thick. The magnet was the size of a quarter coin but three times as thick.
The squares hold up sheets of plastic and don't leave marks. The thickness of the HDPE was milled down to get just the right amount of attraction. If you have tried to
pull apart 1" diameter neo magnets then the reduction in attraction is desired.
 
I used some scrap aluminum and made a dial indicator holder that holds a 2" indicator. It mounts in a bolt hole on the back of the saddle. Not pretty, but functional and easy to remove or rotate out of the way.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3852.jpg
    IMG_3852.jpg
    41.3 KB · Views: 104
  • IMG_3847.jpg
    IMG_3847.jpg
    78 KB · Views: 118
  • IMG_3851.JPG
    IMG_3851.JPG
    97 KB · Views: 99
  • IMG_3850.jpg
    IMG_3850.jpg
    38.5 KB · Views: 137
Why do you need an indicator on the cross slide?


I dont specifically have to have it on the cross slide, I am just looking for ideas of where to put an indicator that is out of the way for the most part and am just looking for other peoples set ups for indicating.

I am mostly using one with a 4 jaw chuck.

Thanks !
 
Thanks All!

I appreciate the help and advise. I will opt for something creative or potentially mount it in the QCTP. I was just curious if there was a common method!

Cheers
Jim
 
I did this a few years ago. Meaning to replace the wood with aluminium.

The small aluminium cylinder screws into a stud held to the carriage. I have shorter and longer aluminium cylinder to work a certain zone.
If the zone needs to move to the right, I just move that wood piece holding the indicator.
I can easily detach the indicator and move it to a mill head to measure column travel in the Z direction.

DSC_0937.jpg

DSC_0938.jpg
 
Thanks All!

I appreciate the help and advise. I will opt for something creative or potentially mount it in the QCTP. I was just curious if there was a common method!

Cheers
Jim

Jim, I think the QCTP is the best place for an indicator if all you are going to use it for
is centering the workpiece in the 4-jaw. That's where I mount mine too for that operation.

But that isn't going to help if you want to indicate precise movement of your cross-feed for cuts.
Clearly you will lose indication once you remove the tool or spin it around to a cutter. For sure,
where I now have mine (above) is in the worse possible place due to swarf splattering all over it.
If I need it at all, I will not mount my dial until the last 20 thous or so to final cut.

Since I use a steel plate on the back of my saddle (where a taper attachment should go), I don't
worry about magnetism. If I was, I design some sort of dovetail mount for quick on and off. I'm
not too keen about drilling into the saddle for any kind of permanent mount; would rather try adhesives
first. Whatever works for you is clearly the best.

PMc
 
I just stick a universal mag base holder to the left side of the saddle on my 13. It's flat and stable enough to indicate a 4 jaw and/or a steady. If it lands on a wobbly spot I just move it slightly and try again. Gets taken off and stuck to my tool box when I start turning.
 








 
Back
Top