The Home Machinist!

I have a DRO on one of my vertical mills, so using edge finder is simple using divide by two or just letting the DRO find center, eg on horizontal bar sticking out of vice etc. I really like the idea of using a 123 block or other flat against the back side of the part so the edge finder only has to ...

Thanks for the ideas. I have a long travel indicator and can check on some parts. I think the key to using dials will be to see how much backlash I have on each axis in each direction and how much variation exists in the backlash. If I use gage blocks I will know the part dimension (the gage block),...

Thanks, I knew the math and technique with center finder. I guess using your suggestion I need to use center finding technique to meassure the part width several times and see how repeatable the backlash is.
Bob

I know I can reference a surface like fixed vice jaw and measure part thickness to find part centerlines, but does anyone have a way to just use the axis dials? If I zero when the spinning center finder moves, with the backlash taken up in that direction, then when I would go to the other side of th...

This came with some tools when I got my 8520 and roundhead Colchester. It is ground and a neat tool, but I do not know what for.
Bob

Out of curiosity, what did you do for rust removal?
Bob

Makes sense, but I do not have a height gage yet.
Bob

Thanks, but it's not a washer. It is an integral part of the tool post and original. It has 12 spring loaded ball bearings sitting on top of it and goes up through the top where the lever to loosen/tighten is and where the nut to fasten to the t-slot are. Since the reference surface is the bottom of...

I have an old square four position indexable tool post by Enco Chicago. It thus needs tools to be shimmed to get on center if they are not so aligned. I have a Colchester 13x36 MK1.5 round head lathe, and in the instruction manual it says the distance from the top of the cross slide to the centerlin...

Can't get another one. The source had one that needed machining. Delay due to travel away from computer

I knew B&S and others made them and about surface plate standards and accuracies from previous posts, replies and then researching this. I also have a granite surface plate to use when needed. I am just curious about the history of this old plate, as I am regarding some of other older machinery ...

I want to machine the surface really flat. It sure rings nice when hit, but I will dampen this in mounting on a stump.