Machinist ruler with bubble level
- Thread starter aphelps1
- Start date
Do you mean such a tool?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TOOL-HOLDER-OR-METAL-LATHE-BIT-CENTERING-TOOL-Made-USA-/370313999557
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TOOL-HOLDER-OR-METAL-LATHE-BIT-CENTERING-TOOL-Made-USA-/370313999557
Nice tool, I might have to pick one up, but the one I'm looking for is truly a 12 inch metal rule with a bubble level on the width end. It's made to help center a tailstock to a headstock. It's an adaptation of an old machinist trick.
Thanks,
Alan
I bought one. Used for setting tool bit height.
Don't know if the spelling is correct.
Aleesam or something like that. On EBay.
That would be the phonetic pronunciation of his name.
Here it is. Different seller tho.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Center-heig...676?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53db4fbd4c
Don't know if the spelling is correct.
Aleesam or something like that. On EBay.
That would be the phonetic pronunciation of his name.
Here it is. Different seller tho.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Center-heig...676?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53db4fbd4c
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I've been using this one from Edge Technology for a couple years now:
http://www.edgetechnologyproducts.com/lathe-tool-positioning-gage.html
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
http://www.edgetechnologyproducts.com/lathe-tool-positioning-gage.html
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That's the one I was chasing. Thanks much, and thanks to the other posters with other tool suggestions.
Alan
I use utility blade.
Then again, you face and see a dimple ?
Simple hit the center of that dimple by adjusting the tool holder's height.
Done! Unless I'm missing something.
back to spraying..........
With boring bars, it is hard to centre otherwise.
I use brass, as it is less likely to chip the tool edge.
My strip is 100 mm long, x 1/16 thick.
Neil
feeler stock
I use a piece of .030" feeler stock. Those bubble levels are not much more accurate than a carpenters level. Either will work, but for pennies on the dollar, I use the feeler stock and eyeball it method.
I use a piece of .030" feeler stock. Those bubble levels are not much more accurate than a carpenters level. Either will work, but for pennies on the dollar, I use the feeler stock and eyeball it method.
The easy way is just swing your toolpost around and set the tip of your tool on your live center,,,,,,,,,,,,,,that said, you don't ALWAYS WANT to be on center,,,,,,,,,,,another old machinist trick.
Yep. I like to be about .005"-.010" below center for cutting OD on stuff, and the opposite for ID. You can just look at the slight tilt of the feeler gauge in or out (resulting in above or below the centerline of the work piece).
Why not just face a piece and adjust the tool post elevation setting where the center of the stock cuts perfect in the center? That takes like 20 to 30 seconds.
All the tips so far about centering a tool to the work piece are great ways of doing things, but I think the thread has moved a little off course. The reason I originally asked for the tool information was to set the tailstock to the headstock, which I consider more difficult to do than adjusting the tool to the workpiece.
Ruler won't do it, coaxial indicator will.
I use a long rod and an indicator. The coaxials are nice but the one I have doesn't stick out as far as I want. On a metal lathe they would work fine but on the small Taig based lathes like my Deluxe those beds are hard to get perfectly flat and true.
Just know that those Coaxial Indicators are Comparative Indicators, meaning they are good for centering but will not give an accurate measurement if you wanted to determine say how many thousandths a step is. You know this by the lengths of the various probes. Mine has a 1/2 dozen diff. length probes. Obviously, the Longer probes will move the dial more than the shorter probes on the same step. Probably one of the probes is fairly accurate, just use Jo Blocks to determine which one.
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Sharp pointed object in chuck, I use a hex bodied scribe that I purchased
20+ years ago that has prooved to be the absolutely best dollar I ever spent.
Dead center in the tailstiock.
If you require more instruction than that, you should throw your lathe into
the river.
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Have you needed to set the tailstock height more than once? And why
didn't it line up the first time?
Dale
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tail stock
For the tail stock I have a precision chuck with morse taper with a piece of thompson shaft. throw the four jaw on the lathe and indicate an indicator in the four jaw. slide the tail stock up lock it in and check it with the indicator. adjust as nessesary until you get tail stock to zero. you can use different length shafts to check at other positions. An old 40 year hungarian machinist taught me this way, once its done your good for about 20 years unless you have a huge crash and tip your lathe over :grin:.
For the tail stock I have a precision chuck with morse taper with a piece of thompson shaft. throw the four jaw on the lathe and indicate an indicator in the four jaw. slide the tail stock up lock it in and check it with the indicator. adjust as nessesary until you get tail stock to zero. you can use different length shafts to check at other positions. An old 40 year hungarian machinist taught me this way, once its done your good for about 20 years unless you have a huge crash and tip your lathe over :grin:.
Dale,
I've set tailstocks like that for 20 yrs., just wanted to use the method with flat bar and level to recheck things out. BTW, I don't think my eyes are as good as they were 20 yrs. ago either. If I had thrown a lathe in the river 20 yrs. ago, I might be more ahead of the game now.
Alan