Where to buy fractional dial indicator?

[merrill77]

not a caliper, but rather one of these:
http://grizzly.com/products/Magnetic-Base-w-Indicator-1-Travel/G9623

with fractional graduations, instead of decimal. And an analog unit, not digital.

I've been googling all over and am starting to wonder if they exist? I'm surprised if they don't - since all you need to do is change the face :dontknow:

 

[Mt. Gomer]

Hmmm... I've not seen a fractional one, perhaps cause you'd be dealing awfully small increments to work in fractions...

If you decide a decimal one will work I got my at Little Machine Shop... good kit with base and tips for a bit over 20...

http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1782&category=

 

[ehpoole]

I could be wrong, but I'm not sure you'll find a Fractional dial indicator in anything other than digital form. There are not many task for which one typically uses a dial indicator that are enhanced by fractions vs. decimal (i.e. you generally don't care that 0.004" runout is MOL 1/256").

From a practical perspective, a non-digital fractional indicator would have to span its full range (i.e. 0 to maximum travel) in a single revolution, not the multiple revolutions (typically 10-11) of a common 1" dial indicator. At best, you might get a scale in 1/256" increments, but you would need good eyesight to read it accurately unless the dial itself were enlarged.

Perhaps if you described your intended use other's might be able to suggest a suitable alternative?

I wish you luck in your quest, however!

 

[junquecol]

In my shop are six dial indicators, all of which read in fractions. Tenths, hundredths, thousandths, all of which are fractions. I never have been able to understand the need for using fractions (based on the unit of two) to do precise work. To do so means everything must be rounded off to closest fraction. Besides it's a heck of lot easier to add numbers than it is to add fractions.

 

[merrill77]

From a practical perspective, a non-digital fractional indicator would have to span its full range (i.e. 0 to maximum travel) in a single revolution, not the multiple revolutions (typically 10-11) of a common 1" dial indicator. At best, you might get a scale in 1/256" increments, but you would need good eyesight to read it accurately unless the dial itself were enlarged.

Well, most dial indicators span only 1". The tiny dial (1") on my fractional caliper rotates once per inch. I can easily read it down to 1/128, which is plenty for WW'ing If it was the usual 2" dial, I don't think it would be hard to read down to 1/512 (overkill for most WW'ing tasks).

 

[CaptnA]

try here and good luck

Click here: Search fractional dial indicator - Grainger Industrial Supply

 

[jhreed]

Fractional/decimal conversion chart? would that work for you?
James

 

[merrill77]

Fractional/decimal conversion chart? would that work for you?
James

Well, I can do the conversion in my head, but that breaks the mental flow of the work. If the whole WWing industry would move to metric, or even decimal inches, I'd love it, but that ain't gonna happen anytime soon

I think I'm outta luck.

 

[Mike Davis]

I think if you want to use fractions you will have to get digital, Peachtree has one for $39.95

http://www.ptreeusa.com/edirect_062210.htm

 

[junquecol]

Fractional/decimal conversion chart? would that work for you?
James

I have one of those glued to the lid of my dial calipers. I have an extra one here if you want. Also, Walgreens has a CASIO calculator for $2.99 this week. There is no telling how many MILLIONS of pounds of fuel my son used his to figure when he fueled planes for American Airlines at RDU. Remember, the world's best memory is no better than the world's shortest pencil.

 

[Jim Wallace]

I started woodworking as a carpenter and spent several years doing outside trim. One day my boss hired a guy who was fractionally challenged to say the least. He could handle a half and quarter inch all right, but eighths gave him fits and he called sixteenths those little teeny ones. I was the cut man so he was up on the scaffolding measuring everything and calling it out to me and then nailing it up when I had cut it. After several days of listening to me try to teach this guy fractions alternating with me ragging him about not measuring close enough (it was outside trim not inside, but I did have some standards), my boss came up with a system where 12 1/8" became twelve and a quarter minus, and 12 3/8" became twelve and a quarter plus. Some times he'd send a piece back to have a teeny one taken off, the ones that were a teeny bit short just got nailed up I think.

I have to say that some mornings in the shop when my brain is not quite turned on all the way I'll still measure something and say to myself well I just need to make it twelve and a quarter plus. So if you can handle anything past sixteenths in your head I'll say more power to you.

 

[Mike Davis]

It's all what you get used to. When i was making vacuum forming molds I would make trays with anywhere from 3 to 9 ribs in each direction and The total length had to be within a few thou. Adding fractions would work sometimes but decimal was always much easier and faster. I got to where .125 and 1/8 were instantly interchangeable and adding or dividing the spaces and ribs to equal a set total was almost automatic. I could beat anybody with a calculator adding fractions.

Having been away from that everyday exercise of the mind for twenty years I take more time and make more mistakes now. So, a digital caliper may be on the horizon for me.

 

[ehpoole]

After several days of listening to me try to teach this guy fractions alternating with me ragging him about not measuring close enough (it was outside trim not inside, but I did have some standards), my boss came up with a system where 12 1/8" became twelve and a quarter minus, and 12 3/8" became twelve and a quarter plus.

Funny, but that's exactly how I remember 32nd and 64ths, with short term memory issues, every little trick helps -- especially if I'm using a ruler that only shows 16ths, I find 4 13/16 plus (or minus) a very helpful memory trick.

Like others, when I was younger and didn't have all the health issues I deal with nowadays, I could convert fractions seemlessly, now I tend to be much slower -- especially when working in 32nd and 64ths. I still do quite well out to 16ths, but if I really need first-time accuracy without mistakes, particularly when my brain isn't quite up to par, I really love my fractional calculator!

 

[Tarhead]

I learned the metric system in 1974 when I lived in Germany using the mnemonic "My Car Drives Us Down Hill Krazy" (Milli, Centi, Deci, Unit, Deca, Hecto, Kilo). In college I had the metric system in 4 different classes. Metric or decimal OEM seem more precise to me than fractions if I "HAVE" to measure something. I am Tri-Metrical with my woodworking. Some of my tools are only metric, some are only OEM (fractional or decimal). My favorite measuring tools are Mesopotamian:

 

[Cato]

Woodcraft carries a Wood River fractional dial caliper. 1 rotation to the inch and everything else is in 64ths.

 

[merrill77]

Woodcraft carries a Wood River fractional dial caliper. 1 rotation to the inch and everything else is in 64ths.

Yup...got one of those! It's part of the reason that I want a fractional dial indicator - I've found that one so much more natural to use when working with WWing measurements.

BTW, for anyone still following this, one of the reason I want one - is to use in something like this:
http://www.oneway.ca/workshop/multi-gauge.htm

For doing things like setting router bit height, etc, I think it would be much more intuitive in fractions than decimal.

 

[Mike Davis]

I'll let you know if they reply

Hi Oneway,

I am interested in the Oneway Multi-Gauge for my woodworking shop, but I like to work in fractions rather than decimal measurements.

I have searched every manufacturer of dial indicators and not found one marked in fractions. I know that the rack/pinion would have to be changed as well as the printed faceplate and wonder why no company offers this obvious convenience to woodworkers.

Could be a marketing coup for you!

Thanks for supplying fantastic products.

Mike Davis

 

[Mike Davis]

Oneway's answer

Here it is...

Hello Mike,
I think that answer is that the whole world works in a base 10 system and
once you have the accuracy of digital verniers and dial indicators it is
much easier to do than working with fractions. I know here in the machine
shop I am a product of the digital age and I work better in .001's than
anyone here works in fractions. Not that I am particularly clever, it is
just easier.

Kevin Clay
Tech Support
Oneway Mfg.

 

[ehpoole]

Re: I'll let you know if they reply

I am interested in the Oneway Multi-Gauge for my woodworking shop, but I like to work in fractions rather than decimal measurements.

I know your preference was for an analog gauge, but if your intent is to use it as a height gauge for your table saw, router, etc, there are a number of woodworking vendors that sell DIGITAL height gauges which display both decimal and fraction equivalents.

I use digital calipers and depth gauges quite regularly, they are not a hassle, and offer some options that just don't readily exist with analog gauges (like the ability to work in absolute measuring mode or relative mode, without loosing your original calibrated zero reference, or the ability to work in imperial and metric at the touch of a button). In many cases the digital gauges are no more expensive than their older analog counterparts.

An example of one such gauge:

T21576 0-6" Digital Fractional Height Gauge​

I'm not trying to push you out of your comfort zone, just thought I'd suggest a viable (at least to myself) alternative that would perform the same task.​

I also like to use setup gauges (brass or aluminum blocks of calibrated thickness) to set my blades and bits to absolute known depths. I have both the Whiteside setup bars (from Woodcraft) and the Kreb setup gauge set -- both are very handy IMHO.​

 

[Mike Davis]

Actually I was asking for Chris. I still use a Starrett Master Vernier caliper.