mcload
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2007
- Location
- Houston, Texas
Hello crew; I hope all is well.
First and foremost, I appreciate the responses on my first thread about setting the
compound angle…lots of great ideas and information…thank you.
But I find that I didn’t frame my question very well, and hence, a variety of answers.
Rather than being a putz that doesn’t respond to his own thread, I thought I’d make
my question a bit more concise with a few parameters and better explanations.
Sorry to have taken you down this rabbit hole to begin with. This is NOT a problem I’m
experiencing nor anything that requires immediate action or response. It’s just an idea, thought,
or exercise in problem solving.
As we all know, a digital readout (DRO) that measures movement in the X and Y axis
is a popular add-on. Even mounting dial indicators (digital or dial versions) on an
analog lathe by means of holders that go onto a V-way (or magnetic bases elsewhere)
are great options. Clearly, a poor man’s CNC machine so to speak; the meeting of
an analog machine with digital measurements.
So my basic thought was if the X & Y axis can be so closely monitored (even to the thousandths), why not the angle of the compound using inexpensive handheld digital protractors? Although I said so in my first thread, it was really never about how to better see the degree graduations on the backside of the compound. Yes, lots of light, mirrors, magnifiers, and even camera snapshots are good ideas and I
rely on all of those heavily. But for the sake of this discussion, let’s take the degree stampings out of the loop, and say they are simply not there.
Let’s now add that a client has specified a 39.6 degree angle on the end of his/her product. Let’s also add that you must use a digital protractor to physically make this measurement. The tool post can be removed if necessary. Also, for the sake of discussion, let’s remove
all issues regarding the +/- tolerance of said digital protractors (to avoid splitting hairs).
It seems to me that there is really only one reliable machined surface on the compound,
that being the very small sliver of flat on the backside of the compound (see photo).
Clearly, the only other reference point can be the ways, the workpiece, or perhaps the
side of the chuck (or tailstock?).
First order of business will be to arrive at 'absolute zero' on the compound, be it perpendicular
or parallel. Like Patv mentioned, one could even use a machinist angle gauge to arrive at, say,
a true 45 degrees, and then any measured movement could be added or subtracted from that 45 degree
setting.
So the task at hand is to develop a quick way to set the compound digitally, and with any luck,
in real time as you are moving the compound. I would assume that a decent digital angle finder could be
modified somehow to be able to reach the two critical reference surfaces.
PS: Yes, I did look for applications on-line, and found mostly protractors, but these will be of little use until ZERO is found. I could not see if they could be zeroed either. There is a compass on my phone in degrees, but can only assume it is referencing magnetic North.
I doubt it would be accurate enough for machine work, but just thought I would mention applications.
Doing a quick web search, I have found many “digital angle finders”, some of which are very expensive. But I believe that a lot of these are inclinometers as opposed to a “lay-flat” protractor type.
Again, this is NOT a problem I’m experiencing nor anything that requires immediate action or response.
Please don’t bother to respond if you don’t have the time or interest.
I’ll live.
Thank You For Your Thoughts
PMc
View attachment 320569 View attachment 320570 View attachment 320571
First and foremost, I appreciate the responses on my first thread about setting the
compound angle…lots of great ideas and information…thank you.
But I find that I didn’t frame my question very well, and hence, a variety of answers.
Rather than being a putz that doesn’t respond to his own thread, I thought I’d make
my question a bit more concise with a few parameters and better explanations.
Sorry to have taken you down this rabbit hole to begin with. This is NOT a problem I’m
experiencing nor anything that requires immediate action or response. It’s just an idea, thought,
or exercise in problem solving.
As we all know, a digital readout (DRO) that measures movement in the X and Y axis
is a popular add-on. Even mounting dial indicators (digital or dial versions) on an
analog lathe by means of holders that go onto a V-way (or magnetic bases elsewhere)
are great options. Clearly, a poor man’s CNC machine so to speak; the meeting of
an analog machine with digital measurements.
So my basic thought was if the X & Y axis can be so closely monitored (even to the thousandths), why not the angle of the compound using inexpensive handheld digital protractors? Although I said so in my first thread, it was really never about how to better see the degree graduations on the backside of the compound. Yes, lots of light, mirrors, magnifiers, and even camera snapshots are good ideas and I
rely on all of those heavily. But for the sake of this discussion, let’s take the degree stampings out of the loop, and say they are simply not there.
Let’s now add that a client has specified a 39.6 degree angle on the end of his/her product. Let’s also add that you must use a digital protractor to physically make this measurement. The tool post can be removed if necessary. Also, for the sake of discussion, let’s remove
all issues regarding the +/- tolerance of said digital protractors (to avoid splitting hairs).
It seems to me that there is really only one reliable machined surface on the compound,
that being the very small sliver of flat on the backside of the compound (see photo).
Clearly, the only other reference point can be the ways, the workpiece, or perhaps the
side of the chuck (or tailstock?).
First order of business will be to arrive at 'absolute zero' on the compound, be it perpendicular
or parallel. Like Patv mentioned, one could even use a machinist angle gauge to arrive at, say,
a true 45 degrees, and then any measured movement could be added or subtracted from that 45 degree
setting.
So the task at hand is to develop a quick way to set the compound digitally, and with any luck,
in real time as you are moving the compound. I would assume that a decent digital angle finder could be
modified somehow to be able to reach the two critical reference surfaces.
PS: Yes, I did look for applications on-line, and found mostly protractors, but these will be of little use until ZERO is found. I could not see if they could be zeroed either. There is a compass on my phone in degrees, but can only assume it is referencing magnetic North.
I doubt it would be accurate enough for machine work, but just thought I would mention applications.
Doing a quick web search, I have found many “digital angle finders”, some of which are very expensive. But I believe that a lot of these are inclinometers as opposed to a “lay-flat” protractor type.
Again, this is NOT a problem I’m experiencing nor anything that requires immediate action or response.
Please don’t bother to respond if you don’t have the time or interest.
I’ll live.
Thank You For Your Thoughts
PMc
View attachment 320569 View attachment 320570 View attachment 320571