Over due lathe improvement

[BKB]

[I have endured the tiny dials on my Southbend for years, but my reading glasses don't help like they used to. Inspired by Tubelcain's latest project, I started building a new dial for the cross slide. They are unmarked until I have time to build the indexing jig and holding fixture for numbering, but they were test fit. The original dial is less than 1 inch and the lines are hard to see. It pains me to admit that misreading the dial has enlarged the scrap bin of late. The new dial is 1 3/8 inch and I will blacken the lines and numbers. There are still many opportunities to trash this part, so I will take the time to get the fixtures right first.

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[seagiant]

Hi,
TRASH PARTS!!! I've never heard of such a thing!

[BKB]

Usually the parts that I trash get made into a smaller project!

[labradigger1]

I feel your pain on the small dial. My 1913 south bend "O" series lathe has the same small dial. While only 41 years old with good vision the dial is very small. I removed mine and dusted orange powder coat into the lines and wiped off the excess, then baked for 10 mins in the toaster oven. Much easier to see now. I will make a larger dial one day though. +1 on tubalcains videos, he is a great teacher and instructor.
Lab

[GOPHER SLAYER]

A man named Stelling in Pasadena, Ca. used to make large direct read out dials for the Logan lathes. He may have made them for South Bend as well. I would try to buy one of his before trying to make one. An ad on Home Machine Shop might find you a used one.

[BKB]

A man named Stelling in Pasadena, Ca. used to make large direct read out dials for the Logan lathes. He may have made them for South Bend as well. I would try to buy one of his before trying to make one. An ad on Home Machine Shop might find you a used one.

Part of the satisfaction is doing the job myself, but I have to make sure not to count my time wasted on it. If I fail at making it that may be my next stop.

[cwheel]

Easiest thing to do with the graduations is to find someone with a dividing head for their milling machine, would mark that dial fast. Might consider an even bigger dial to be able to put twice as many marks ( and still see them well ) and be making a direct reading dial. One mark would take .001 off your work instead of 1 mark = .002, well worth the effort. Most of those original early lathes have enough wear on the cross feed screws to have accuracy problems due to screw ware as well. Lucky part is that you can make a new screw on the lathe itself, and along with the larger dial, make a large improvement in accuracy. Nice little South Bend, great home lathe.
Chris

[bangerjim]

I have a South Bend 9" Precision Toolroom Lathe that came with large dials like your are making on both compound and cross feed. 0.001 calibrations are really nice!!! If iCloud ever updates (!!) to this computer from my phone, I will attach a picture of what it looks like for your reference.

Most valuable when doing precision work!

A dividing head would be very useful for layout of your marks.

banger

[DougGuy]

Well, I can make this REAL EASY on you old farts, when it get to hurting your eyes to read the dials, it's time for a new lathe so you get a bigger one and you send that little pita one to ME okay? I will just wear stronger glasses and it will relieve us BOTH of the problem! You get a newer better bigger lathe, and this old fart gets a lathe period!

[DCM]

I do like the project Idea, very sound one at that!
If one is short on time they may want to try my friends idea, a magnifying glass on a stick, but larger dials would be preferred IMO.

[bangerjim]

Part of the satisfaction is doing the job myself, but I have to make sure not to count my time wasted on it. If I fail at making it that may be my next stop.

Check around locally to see if you can find somebody that has a dividing head or a CNC rotary head. I have both and love that little Sherline CNC digital rotary table. I use it to cut clock gears and index hole drilling. If you need 120 divisions, you just type 120 into the controller and it jogs the rotary table each time! Fast and accurate.

Too bad your are way down south in LA or I would invite you over and we just could do it in my shop. I do work for (really good) beer!

good luck!

banger

[BKB]

Some of these ideas are great. Getting a bigger lathe with BIG dials is on the bucket list along with a dividing head for the old Burke mill. But dreams they remain, meanwhile I have to plod along. I did find a "dividing plate" with 100 graduations.......and you wouldn't believe how hard it is to find a saw blade with 100 teeth. The arbor and dividing setup was tested this evening with success. I made no attempt to scribe the lines to a consistent length, just check the repeatability of the "Bubba divider" (Jeff Foxworthy would be proud). The jig for stamping the numbers is done except for the 1/4 inch slot milled at right angle to center. Attached are photos of the "indexing" setup and the outcome of the test. I'm pleased so far. BTW, my picture taking skills are as weak as my computer skills.

[BKB]

I do like the project Idea, very sound one at that!
If one is short on time they mat want to try my friends idea, a magnifying glass on a stick, but larger dials would be preferred IMO.

Been using that Magnifier on a stick method, but when I need it the most oil will always get slung on it. It is "a way", not necessarily "the way"!

[BKB]

Finally had time to finish marking and numbering my dial. I included a picture of my number stamping jig, crude but effective. Overall I am pleased and only spent 5 or 6 hours....it's a good thing I work cheap. Try not to notice the background junk in my shop, it seems that **** expands to fill all space.

[bangerjim]

Good job!

[seagiant]

Hi,
VERY nice!!!

[W.R.Buchanan]

Good job on your bigger dial. I was going to tell you to send it out and have the graduations Laser engraved but yours look great, and you did it yourself. BRAVO!

Now do yourself a favor and go buy an OptiVisor so you can see what you've done.

I wear one everyday in the shop and could not function without one,,, or two.

The graduations on my chucker are 1/8" between .001's and I still use the OptiVisor to see what I'm doing . You can't do good work if you can't see what you're doing.

http://www.doneganoptical.com/products/optivisor get the DA 4 lens as this is the most practical focal length for working with machines.

If you don't already have one of these simple devices you have been working in the blind.

Randy

[seagiant]

Hi,
Ha! Have had mine for years! B&L great quality at a great price! Indespensible!

[BKB]

I have a cheap one, but the focal length is a little close. About the time the work comes into clear focus I lose my nerve with my face that close to moving parts. Thanks for the link, I'll look into it.

Good job on your bigger dial. I was going to tell you to send it out and have the graduations Laser engraved but yours look great, and you did it yourself. BRAVO!

Now do yourself a favor and go buy an OptiVisor so you can see what you've done.

I wear one everyday in the shop and could not function without one,,, or two.

The graduations on my chucker are 1/8" between .001's and I still use the OptiVisor to see what I'm doing . You can't do good work if you can't see what you're doing.

http://www.doneganoptical.com/products/optivisor get the DA 4 lens as this is the most practical focal length for working with machines.

If you don't already have one of these simple devices you have been working in the blind.

Randy

[Any Cal.]

Just saw this. Nice work on the project.