Lathe setup device

[Mr Ron]

I came up with an idea that could help in setting up cutting tool bits to the lathe center. It would use a laser. Has anyone made such a device or has one been marketed?
Mr.Ron from South Mississippi
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[Bill Shields]

There are laser measuring tools already on the commercial market. (hold wallet)

https://www.blum-novotest.com/us/produk ... ntrol.html

they are most commonly seen on milling machines, but apply to lathes as well.

easylaser.com is another one that comes to mind

[earlgo]

This method is far less expensive.
In this pic the fish tail scale is tipped because the tool is above center.

scale tipped

In this pic the fish tail scale is vertical because the tool in on center.

scale vertical

Just my method.
--earlgo

[John Hasler]

I came up with an idea that could help in setting up cutting tool bits to the lathe center. It would use a laser. Has anyone made such a device or has one been marketed?
Mr.Ron from South Mississippi
Top

Google lathe laser alignment. Lots of very expensive industrial products but also lots of DIY articles using inexpensive laser modules.

[Steggy]

https://www.blum-novotest.com/us/produk ... ntrol.html

Looks expensive.

[Bill Shields]

you have no idea...measures tools, while spinning....to values well below the resolution of the machine motion

[SteveM]

I think that most of the lasers that we civilians have access to have too wide a beam to be used for something this precise.

I use Earlgo's method. It definitely gets me to better than the width of the typical laser I can afford.

I once tried to use a carpentry laser to do a wheel alignment and found that it was nowhere near as accurate as sighting thru the tube on the alignment tool. Perfectly suitable for its intended use - lining 2x4's.

Steve

[curtis cutter]

I made a device that uses a light to indicate on center.

I sandwiched a very thin piece of sheet metal between two plastic inserts and stacked them on a steel column with a bolt to hold the whole stack together. I then ran a wire from the base of the device to the thin piece of metal with a 9v battery and an indicator light in series.

Once the tool contacted the thin metal the circuit was closed and the light came on.

To verify the accuracy each time I used it, I got out the fish tail or feeler gauge.

Now I skip the light and go right to the fish tail.

[John Hasler]

I think that most of the lasers that we civilians have access to have too wide a beam to be used for something this precise.

I use Earlgo's method. It definitely gets me to better than the width of the typical laser I can afford.

I once tried to use a carpentry laser to do a wheel alignment and found that it was nowhere near as accurate as sighting thru the tube on the alignment tool. Perfectly suitable for its intended use - lining 2x4's.

Steve

You need to add a pinhole collimator to get a small spot size. It's not hard to do.