Help with car boot finds

Now that I'm trying to get into machining I'm always on the look out for car boot treasure. I think I did well today getting this lot for £7.

I've got a couple of questions. How best to clean up the micrometer. It' works fine but has some surface rust and the markings are faint. I'm worried that by trying to sort the rust I'm likely to make the markings fainter.

Also how should I be setting the dti up? The little bracket doesn't seem to fit the post and the dti. Am I missing some bits?

Hi Colin,

Not sure if you need to do much with your micrometer if it is working OK, wipe with an oil soaked rag may be, there is more about micrometer maintenance here.

In your third photo it seems to me that the bracket grips around the moving part (plunger) of the dial indicator? If so it should grip closer to the dial around the stem.

Thor

Edited By Thor 🇳🇴 on 14/11/2021 10:10:43

.

As noted by Thor ^^^

MichaelG.

Does the dial indicator return to zero if you release it from a short distance? faulty one often return from a full press but fail from a 1/4 press etc.

An excellent haul for £7!

Where did you say this car boot was???

Well done!

Martin

I do like the bell crank to the right of the DTI in the box, I've been keeping an eye out for one for ages.

Bill

Thanks for the tip. Yes all returns to zero

.

Then presumably the wrong clamp has crept into the box

[ there are several variants ]

MichaelG.

A splendid haul for £7!

The clamp block should fit around the fixed stem, NOT the plunger, of the DTI, to clamp it to the rod on the G clamp, or the holder in the RH bottom corner of the box.

If the "Monkey Block" will mot do this, you can always make a suitable clamp in your shop.

Use a piece of 1/2" or 12 mm square bar and with a bit of drilling, tapping and hacksawing yo will have a bespoke one! If you want to make a really neat job, copy the existing one, to amended dimensions, to clamp the DTI to the rods, and make a really smart job by knurling the thumb screw.

The lever arrangement is particularly useful. It will clamp around the stem of the DTI and allow it to be used to clock bores.

Another project to go on the Round Tuit!

If the centres won't clean up particularly well, they can always be used to centre work in a 4 jaw chuck using the "Two Centres" method. Assuming that there is a centre drilling in the rear end of each one.

(There's a picture of this on the front cover of Tubal Cain's "Simple Workshop Devices" No. 28 in the Workshop Practice Series. )

Howard

Hi, I’ve recently cleaned rusty tools in white vinegar ,soak overnight or longer ,then use wire brush ,steel wool or scotchbrite .

Maurice

OK. Seems to me that it should be possible to either make a new clamp that will fit the stem or make a new part for the existing clamp with a hole that fit the stem. I have made similar clamps myself, not difficult.

Thor

Thanks everyone. I love the fact every time I buy a tool I end up making a tool!!

If there is a lug on the back of that indicator, then you just need to make a shouldered stud that will attach through the lug, secured with a nice knurled nut, and with the protruding plain shank of a diameter to fit the hole in the clamp you already have.

I've probably not explained that very well

Rob

Something like this

It does have a lug and your suggestion is fantastic as is your model. Thanks for the advice

See your messages Bill

regards

Thank you, I'm teaching myself how to use Solid Edge, so thought I'd try to draw something useful for a change - there's no doubt a proper way to do threads, but I've not got that far yet

Rob