Machine Tool Dial Making Fixture

[rossbotics]

This tool was made for the purpose of reproducing the manufactures original machine tool dials; it will also function as a dividing head for general dividing as well, what intrigued me to make this tool was that I needed new machine dials for a 1950’s surface grinder that I had previously restored and posted on homemadetools.net, the dials were almost unreadable, I knew this would be a very time consuming project (and it was!!) but that’s what this site is all about, there are companies out there that will make any dial of your design but they are very expensive, in the manufacturers factory they would roll the graduations and figures onto a blank, like knurling, or they would print it, etch it, Etc.

The main spindle is supported by 2-6208 shielded ball bearings, the worm crank is supported by 2–R-8 shielded bearings making its movement very smoothly, the spindle is bored for 5-C collets or it will accept a 3 jaw chuck or face plate with a 5-C adapter, it has a 40-1 gear ratio like most dividing heads have, I made a 20 hole dividing plate which will accommodate the most common divisions on a machine tool dial such as 50-100-200, other plates can be made to obtain other divisions to ones needs,

Everything including the gears and dividing plates were designed and made in the shop with aid of Auto Sketch, with the exception of purchased hardware items. It is a solid and rigid tool, it is very easy to setup and use, it uses standard 1/8” figures with a 5/16” square shank, and everything is totally adjustable to accommodate any size dial one wishes to make, the graduations were engraved on using a 1/4" round HSS tool bit ground to a 60° point, I have included multiple photos of the tools construction along with photos of making a new dial from scratch for my surface grinder, the dial I made has 100 divisions each division represents .0005”- one half a thousands, one revolution of the dial is .050”- 50 thousands.

There is a downloadable complete set of cad drawings with documentation and numerous photos on how to build this tool from scratch in your own shop; this would be a challenging project for anyone.

Click the link below to instantly purchase a set of these plans

http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/m...-fixture-57783


As always
Thanks for looking and happy machining
Doug

Down below are some photos of the tools parts and construction along with a completed dial



Completed parts ready for assembly



Rear view



Front view



Side view



Side view



Locating the top of the dial blank



Locating the face of the dial blank



Engraving the graduations



Engraving completed



Stamping the figures



Complete dial



Installed on the surface grinder

Click the link below to instantly purchase a set of these plans

http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/m...-fixture-57783