Graham Meek?s Tailstock Dial - MEW279

Given the feed back that I have received from constructors of this attachment, this has not been a problem.

The Input gear is larger in diameter that the Thrust race, thus the face of the Idler gear teeth, above the pitch diameter, enter a pocket and just kiss the face of the Thrust race. Provided the drawing dimensions are adhered to this will not cause a problem. The Idler gear floats on the Idler pin so there is no end loading forcing the gear to contact the Thrust race.

Regards

Gray,

Thanks Graham

I can see what you're saying, would you have a photo of the gear cutting bits, or the setup you used?

Thanks,

Brian

The jig above is for 1/8" and 3/16" square Silver Steel, (if you can get hold of it), or Gauge Plate, better known as Ground Flat Stock these days.

The centre line of each blank is 12 mm from the fixed Jaw face of my Machine vice. As I always work with this face set to Zero I know exactly where each cutter is in relation to my index.

This is a sequence of photographs showing how I go about making a gear cutter. IN this case this is a special for a Centring Device I made some years ago. I think the Gear was 0.4 MOD. The cutters in the jig are inclined at an angle of 10 degrees to the Horizontal.

These last three images show how the gear form is created using in this instance a 1/16" Slot Drill. Most of my cutters are made double ended, that way should I have a calamity I can quickly change the cutter end for end.

I have a photograph somewhere of how I hold the cutters in the mill.

Regards

Gray,

I have found the photographs quicker than I thought,

The above was when I made the sample Super 7 Handwheel dials for the original article in EiM. This cutter incidentally had been used to produce approx 500 dials over the course of 30 years. The cutter only requires touching up on the top surface to restore the cutting edge.

Regards

Gray,

"Good in principle, in practice often impractical as deadlines are tight and I would also need extra time for corrections to be made"

If Microsloth can't get it right after decades of practise, - - - - - -

Regards Ian.

Being a thick Forester I regret to say you will need to explain this post? I am assuming it was intended for another Topic?

Regards

Gray,

Hello Graham.

Really appreciate the photos, thank you.

Notice you have cut the slit in the slave gear before cutting the teeth, this is usefull to know.

Thanks again.

Hello Brian,

The sleeve gear is easier to hold without the teeth on, and less likely to distort as the teeth remove a lot of material from the end face. This face is used to clamp the part for slitting in the appropriate fixture.

What is not shown in the photograph is a small locating dowel to locate the axial slit of the sleeve gear. The dividing head was set using a flat on the mandrel, (also not shown),so that a tooth space on the sleeve gear aligned with the slit.

Its a case of me just being fussy, I guess.

Regards

Gray,

Thanks Graham.

Could someone point me in the right direction of a supplier for the thrust bearings please.

regards Martin

Martin,

PM sent.

Best regards,

Steve.

Well..this is my interpretation of the Graham Meek designed tail stock gauge.

I really enjoyed making this, nice little project.

Thanks Graham.

Nice work there Brian,

Let's see a picture of it on the tailstock!

Steve.

Hi Brian,

You are entirely welcome, I hope you have many happy hours using this attachment in the future.

My best regards

Gray,

Hello Steve

Photo of the gauge attached,

i would have liked to have chemically blacked it to match the saddle gauge i bought from you some time ago but didn’t know how to do it, either way certainly looks the part and will be very useful.

Thanks again

Brian

Edited By Brian Abbott on 26/04/2020 23:33:14

That looks good Brian,

It might be to your advantage to fill the lines and numbers with black paint.

Just a thought.

Best regards,

Steve.

"Being a thick Forester I regret to say you will need to explain this post? I am assuming it was intended for another Topic?"

Was a reply to Neil's comment of the 29/3/20 of "Tight" deadlines. Reference to "Sloth" was the Tuesday "Updates" to their O/S.

Escape of drawing errors is not new, hence the number of complaints by the great unwashed being unable to understand why no one has corrected some/many existing designs.

 Sorry for the side track, seemed pertinent at the time.

Regards Ian.

Edited By Circlip on 27/04/2020 10:56:19

Ian,

Thanks for the explanation all has become clear, I was beginning to think I was losing what bit of sense I have.

Regards

Gray,

Haha, finished finally.

Don't know if this was intended or just a happy accident but the holes for the pin spanner are identical to the ones in the small bore adjusting collar on the end of the spindle so the Myford peg spanner fits a treat.

Nice work there Martin.

Steve.