Re: [ATM] Dial Indicators

["Don Clement" <clement.focuser@verizon.net>]

I have been using a jeweled 2" travel, 0.001" div, Chinese dial indicator
for several years and it has proved reliable, surviving coolant, chips, and
cutting fluid exposure. The cost of the dial indicator was ~$20. The dial
indicator is mounted on a split-clamp bracket that rides on the front
prismatic way on the lathe. The bracket can be positioned along the ways,
behind or in front of the carriage and functions as a poor man's DRO. The
bracket has 3/8" diameter mounting hole so the dial indicator can be
replaced with a standard micrometer head to act as a carriage stop if
needed. The dial indicator has proven to be reasonably accurate  better than
+-0.001". Good enough for use in a foucault tester.  Accuracy also depends
on how a dial indicator is mounted. In this case, the split-clamp bracket
insures parallelism to carriage travel and spherical tip on the indicator
prevents unwanted constraints to the dial indicator movement.

Don Clement
Running Springs, California

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