Small lathe dial suppliers

Hi all,

Does anyone have a source for small diameter dials for a small watchmakers lathe?

OD - approx 20mm

ID - approx 10mm

scale - 50 divisions.

Regards

Steven

Regards

Steven

Would be useful to know the make and model of lathe, someone might know where spares are available.

Not too difficult to make one on the lathe given minimum equipment. If a chuck or faceplate is available measure the diameter, calculate circumference, divide by number of divisions. Cut paper strip to length and mark on divisions, wrap around chuck/faceplate and rig up suitable pointer. With care can be quite accurate and use this to mark out dial held in chuck or on faceplate use a lathe tool mounted sideways to cut cut divisions. Have a look at my website ** Journeyman's Workshop **  for more detail.

Failing that 3D print one if you have a printer or know someone that has one. Will be sufficiently accurate and should last reasonably long time.

John

Edit: Add link

Edited By Journeyman on 10/05/2021 14:19:53

Thanks John,

Your response gives me options. The cross slide I have been designing and making myself so it's not specific to a manufacturer but I like your idea of marking a faceplate for the divisions.

Out of interest I was looking at a cross slide leadscrew with a 1mm pitch, Would it make more sense to have 100 divisions on the cross slide dial?

Regards

Steven

Whilst the 1mm pitch is a good idea I doubt you would get 100 divisions on a dial only 20mm dia. Each division would be 0.6mm (approx) apart a bit too close, you might manage 50 divisions though which is a nice round number.

John

.

You might find this useful in your assessment of that, Steven : **LINK**

https://shop.mitutoyo.co.uk/web/mitutoyo/en_GB/mitutoyo/Quick%20Spindle%20Feed%20Micrometer%20Head/Micrometer%20Head%20Quick%20Spindle%2C%201mm-rev./$catalogue/mitutoyoData/PR/152-101/index.xhtml

Mitutoyo seems to have chosen the thimble diameter wisely

MichaelG.

This from ** Arc ** might be of use

John

There are some useful responses here, thanks.

I didnt think of the mircometer dial, just wondering if I could buy some 2nd hand ones and modify them.

Steve

John,

I think I am going to take your advice above and make my own.

Thanks all

Steve

Can you accomodate any larger? Boxford dials are about an inch, and some of the old SouthBend lahtes are smaller. Old Myfords use a small anngled one with cast raised numbers and marks which are listed on spares sites but I think I've seen elsewhere are not in stock anywhere.

Another search method is to put selections of suitable words into Google image search and see if the results take your fancy, then try to identify them.

Yes I could,

Looking at the design today, I believe I can accomodate a 34mm diameter dial.

I shall have a look at your suggestions. Thanks

Steven