New dial guage thingy with base!!

Okay I ended up getting one of these things from Ebay... $45 including postage FOR BOTH!! bloody hell its a worry when you can get a set of both for less than the dial costs from Carbatex :roll:

ANYWAYS!!!

So on the dial thingy it has two nobs at the top and the bezel moves around the face taking the numbers with it

My problem that Im having trouble understanding is IF I move the bezel and therefore the face to the top centre of the doohicky how the blazes do you get the pointer to point to zero? do you turn one of the nobs? Only one if any actually the one right at the top the one on the side seems to tighten the bezel into a fixed position the other nob Ive so far not been able to move... and havent gotten the pliers onto it yet to get it to... bit more than finger tight this one.

So can anyone help?
Cheers


oops sorry bout that I sorta forgot the pics duhhhh :doh: If any more are required for clarity please leave a note here and I'll get back to it when I can cheers!

Quote:

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My problem that Im having trouble understanding is IF I move the bezel and therefore the face to the top centre of the doohicky how the blazes do you get the pointer to point to zero?

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Ding M8! You do it the other way round! You adjust the clock onto your job until you are happy the "plunger" is touching enough and then you rotate the dial so zero aligns with the needle!

Forgive me if I have misunderstood your question. (Just woke up from first shift back on nights!:rolleyes:)

Yeh Ding thats the one it will pop as its sprung should be that tight tho

Hi WD
Like they said.
Also make sure the plunger is at right angles to the piece you are measuring if possible, otherwise you wont get an accurate reading.
Cheers,
Papillon.

Does this help?

http://www.littlemachineshop.com/Instructions/DIandMagBase.pdf



Tried to make it a hyperlink but it kept getting prefixed with a ubeaut address.

I didn't check the link(s), but here's how I use it:

As said, mount it so the plunger is in line with the desired measurement. Set the attachments to the stand, including the fine adjustment, so that the plunger is depressed at least as much as the expected travel. Move, rotate, or whatever the device being measured (e.g. runout on a spindle) to maximum dial movement. Then rotate the bezel to align zero with the needle, and lock the bezel with the small knob off-axis if desired. Then proceed with actual measurements.

BTW, the other knob, in line with the plunger, just captures the plunger. Leave it alone, or tighten by thumb and finger if it gets loose.

Fair warning, though: You'll find yourself measuring everything you possible can; tool spindles for runout, pie crust in the kitchen, and Gawd knows what else.

Congrats, Shane.

Joe

So... hey thanks for the link yes thats the fella! The little boxes help to tell me what each bit does so cheers!

Joe... so if Im understanding you right... if say I wanted to measure the height of the peice of paper behind the pointy thingy from the desktop for instance (under the pointy thingy... ie the height above zero zero being the desktop)... I would first set the pointythingy onto the desktop (ala straight perpendicular and at right angles... why make it so it can go all over the place if it must be at right angles to the stand? doesnt make much sence that... and turn the bezel to zero right? then swiveling it around put the pointy bit on top of the paper?... would that be right?... nah that doesnt sound right does it? what am I bloody missing!

Swivelling the contraption around would likely fubar the initial setting. Better (in this case) to remove the paper, zero the dial, and then grasp the top knob or the plunger shaft to retract the plunger; replace the paper under the plunger, and allow the plunger to touch the paper. Of course, the paper is probably too thin to register; should work for something thicker. A more direct way would be to zero the dial on the "paper", and then just remove the "paper", and let the plunger contact the desk; use the tiny red numbers on the dial for inverse reading. I was kidding about the pie crust of course. For pure thickness measurements, a micrometer or a dial caliper would be the better tool if available.

Joe

The Indian gentlemen at both Morriset MegaMarkets and Parklea Markets (both NSW) do the dial indicators for about $24 - $30, and the magnetic bases for $20.

But, when comparing prices, also take note of the diameter of the DI - I bought a dial test indicator (with a lever instead of the plunger) for my Dad from a catalogue, and the dial was about the size of a 20c piece - too small for failing eyes:(

Cheers,
Andrew