[tobyaxis]

How many of you have .00005 Brown&Sharpe Indicators and what do you use them for???

I use mine for checking concentricity, symmetry, parallelism, circularity,and flatness on grind work. Also Jig Bore Positioning.

[Donkey Hotey]

Interesting thread. I only recently started to question the quality of the movement in my current test indicator (0.0005). I figure at that level, even the slightest friction is going to lead to bogus readings.

I indicate my vises using that indicator and I get them within a half. I always thought that was close enough but, on a part that flips in the vise, the error gets doubled. Make that part a foot long and suddenly, there are mismatches in machined surfaces and other anomalies. I'm starting to see why I might need more places.

How hard are they to use? They seem to have very limited range and I'm imagining that they're very jumpy until you get things almost perfect. Do you use a coarse indicator to get something close, then follow it with the finer gauge?

[underthetire]

I've had one for almost 20 years. I use it to re-align machines, since I am or was in field service. The company I work for has LVDT electronic gauges here that go down to micro-inch range. Believe it or not, some of our equipment has to be that close. Part tolerance on those machines is +/- .00002 or better on a part you can only really see through a microscope, and they are turning them!

[underthetire]

Interesting thread. I only recently started to question the quality of the movement in my current test indicator (0.0005). I figure at that level, even the slightest friction is going to lead to bogus readings.

I indicate my vises using that indicator and I get them within a half. I always thought that was close enough but, on a part that flips in the vise, the error gets doubled. Make that part a foot long and suddenly, there are mismatches in machined surfaces and other anomalies. I'm starting to see why I might need more places.

How hard are they to use? They seem to have very limited range and I'm imagining that they're very jumpy until you get things almost perfect. Do you use a coarse indicator to get something close, then follow it with the finer gauge?

Not too jumpy at all IMO. It's all I carry with me for field service.,well a Co-ax as well.

[tobyaxis]

Interesting thread. I only recently started to question the quality of the movement in my current test indicator (0.0005). I figure at that level, even the slightest friction is going to lead to bogus readings.

I indicate my vises using that indicator and I get them within a half. I always thought that was close enough but, on a part that flips in the vise, the error gets doubled. Make that part a foot long and suddenly, there are mismatches in machined surfaces and other anomalies. I'm starting to see why I might need more places.

How hard are they to use? They seem to have very limited range and I'm imagining that they're very jumpy until you get things almost perfect. Do you use a coarse indicator to get something close, then follow it with the finer gauge?

Greg,
I use a .0005 for indicating vises for regular jobs. If needed I use the .0005 then the 50 millionths. The .00005 only has .008 in total movement.

It's not too jumpy and just as easy to use as any other indicator. Also it is why I mainly use it on ground surfaces. 62 micro finish and better.

[Geof]

0.00005 what?

Millimeters, inches, feet, rods, perchs, chains, furlongs, kilometers miles, leagues? (I think I listed them in increasing size.)

My 0.00005 indicator works in feet.

[tobyaxis]

0.00005 what?

Millimeters, inches, feet, rods, perchs, chains, furlongs, kilometers miles, leagues? (I think I listed them in increasing size.)

My 0.00005 indicator works in feet.

Feet???

[Geof]

Feet???

Yes feet, 0.00005 feet is 0.0006 inches and my dial indicator has a resolution of 0.0005".

If you are going to use a number which indicates a linear measurement you should include the unit; did your physics instructor in school never beat that into your head?

[tobyaxis]

Yes feet, 0.00005 feet is 0.0006 inches and my dial indicator has a resolution of 0.0005".

If you are going to use a number which indicates a linear measurement you should include the unit; did your physics instructor in school never beat that into your head?

Your referring to ( 0.00005" )?? I usually do, but more than likely forgot or just got lazy.

Aren't we getting picky, LOL.

Good point as I forget that not everyone here works in "Inches".

[Geof]

Me, picky? Nevah!

[tobyaxis]

Me, picky? Nevah!

There is nothing wrong with being a little picky. As long as it has good intentions.

So do you use one or not, LOL.

[Geof]

There is nothing wrong with being a little picky. As long as it has good intentions.

So do you use one or not, LOL.

0.00005"? Good grief no! 0.0005" is plenty precise enough for me and most of the time 0.001" is good enough. You have to start worrying about temperature and big trucks driving by on the road outside when you deal with 0.00005".

[tobyaxis]

0.00005"? Good grief no! 0.0005" is plenty precise enough for me and most of the time 0.001" is good enough. You have to start worrying about temperature and big trucks driving by on the road outside when you deal with 0.00005".

LOL, I can't see you being afraid of a little indicator. All you have to do is put a Red Light and a Green Light in the shop signifying when your employees can breath around the granite block.

Your always a funny guy Geof.

[mls]

For what I do it has never been needed.

But I have used one I borrowed from a friend when I bought my first machine to check spindle run out and machine backlash.

[gbowne1]

I use mine quite a bit to check hole position , //, and other physical part relationships.. tramming heads/spindles.. hole runout.. .0005 to 0.00005" aint that bad really... I've been good at keeping everything to .00025" to .0005" that way when I check it with my Mitu digimatic calipers everyting is a-ok.. even though my usual print tolerance is +/- 2° and +/- 0.030.

What I hate most about the blueprints/drawings I have are that they give 7/32" (0.218") holes as (0.218" to 0.229") and that the median is a metric drill bit. About 0.011" is actually a lot. Especially as clearance holes for fasteners (rivets, bolts, screws, etc). I also hate that they don't give the full value of 7/32" which is 0.21875" or 0.2188" for those that are less picky.
To actually get that from a drill is pretty hard.. they usually run 0.003" either way.. so I have had to drill and ream or bore out. but beings the guy I am I always still check clearances to the actual fastener that goes there and with pin gages.

Greg

[Jim G]

My .0001 (inch) indicator jumps like a dashboard hula dancer when the metal stamper next door is running their 175 ton punch press.

Makes tramming a bar take a wee bit longer.

[John_B]

I keep a .001MM Mahr indicator on hand for machine alignment and such that I've had since I worked in Germany, but haven't had any need for it otherwise. The .0001" BesTest is my favorite, shop temp varies enough it covers all my requirements.

[Badiroc]

For me the .00005 indicator is a staple. When dealing with .0003 true position pick up is everything. I prefer the Brown & Sharps as opposed to the Interapids. They just seem to have way better repeatabilty than the Interapids. Most people will never need a .00005 resolution indicator except in high precision finish grind such as Jig Grinding, Surface Grinding, ID OD Grinding and Hard Turn.

[roundman]

I have one which is nice to have yet I have not used it much at all. It seems to be one of those items which I never seem to use now that I have one. TIR would likely be the only thing I use it on. I could use it with a indicol for a id check for diameter but prefer Interapid because I like that Interapid indicator.

[Chasswen]

i use mine for surface grinding. building injection molds.