[WhiteHare]

Other than a two dial tramming tool, what other tool or tools might be used to measure z-axis repeatability? I don't currently have a tramming tool, so I tried using a digital weight scale, which would work fine if repeatability were perfect, but otherwise it's hard to know how to convert grams into distance.

I thought about using a dial indicator, but where to attach it?

Then I thought about using a dial test indicator. Maybe?

What else might be used?

[Jim Dawson]

I guess I would use a dial indicator and attach it to the spindle by any reasonable method.

[deadlykitten]

hy white traming and repetability are different things

for repetability, use a code with low feed ( circa 0.01mm / 5 seconds ), exact stop, and uni-directional positioning + attached / kindly

[WhiteHare]

hy white traming and repetability are different things

for repetability, use a code with low feed ( circa 0.01mm / 5 seconds ), exact stop, and uni-directional positioning + attached / kindly

Easier said than done. How exactly do I clamp it from the back, and to what do I clamp it?

[routalot]

I use a piece of silver steel in the collet and attach the dial gauge to that.Once satisfied with the repeatability you can then attach an arm to the silver steel and move the dial gauge onto it for tramming purposes.I have known a man who had a steel rod bent to a ninety degree angle and which he used with the correct collet for tramming, you do need to be careful about making small adjustments.For information,I have had a variation of less than 0.001" on a five inch rod over a 360 degree rotation with a melamine faced chipboard piece as the table face.

[deadlykitten]

Easier said than done. How exactly do I clamp it from the back, and to what do I clamp it?

hello again i use attached : is a powerfull magnetic base ( bigger&stronger than usual ), with simple&rigid clamp ( so to avoid useles articulations and fancy-but-precision-loss-clamps ) and fine base adjustement ( so to be able to adjust the position without moving the dial in reverse direction after the hand lifts off; this fine adjustement speeds up the setting duration, making it fast to hand-dial at zero, or at any other value that you wish )

is not hydraulic, but mechanical - tough; if it matters, it's a noga

this so called " setup " is pretty accurate, and i don't use it for rough measurements, but only for finess

to achieve measurement consistency, especially at these 1um scale, don't move the ' object ' on a direction that is perpendicular to the dial ( so to avoid palpator 'micro' tilting ), but only across paralel directions ( or close to being paralel; it's that so called precision-cone ) ; for example :
... to measure Z positioning, put it upside down ( i reffer to this position as ||vertical or ||z, thus the dial is paralel to a vertical axis, or to the z axis; is the same thing for a vmc, unless the machine is tilted, like those boat-shops travelling in international waters, so to avoid taxes )
... for traming, don't rotate it on the table, but only raise it and lower it at different spindle phases ( but is better to tram with a less precise dial, and only use this high-precision dial for final control; being so accurate, it is suitable for fine control, like quality gauges inspection, tool tir, axis positioning, but not for machining geometry, or at least not for general purpose machining geometry ... it is beyond that, it is suitable for grinding-like precision stuff) / kindly

ps : sorry if this is too much info, i realized just now that this is a thread for wood routers/chinese machinese ... hmm; i guess is ok
ps2: thanks to the one that clicked reputation on previous post

[amiahtfrazier]

Talking about measuring z-axis repeatability can be quite the puzzle, but don't worry, we've got options!

[darkwood]

Using a digital weight scale is a neat idea, but I get what you mean about converting grams into distance—it can be tricky to get precise measurements that way.

A dial indicator could work wonders! You just need to figure out where to attach it securely for accurate readings. And hey, a dial test indicator might be another fantastic option! It's all about finding what fits best for your setup.

[darkwood]

Using a digital weight scale is a neat idea, but I get what you mean about converting grams into distance—it can be tricky to get precise measurements that way.

A dial indicator could work wonders! You just need to figure out where to attach it securely for accurate readings. And hey, a dial test indicator might be another fantastic option! It's all about finding what fits best for your setup.

BTW, have you ever considered a virtual ruler? There might be some cool digital solutions out there that can help you measure z-axis repeatability without the need for physical tools. Keep exploring and experimenting, and you'll find the perfect solution for your needs!