encoder mounting idea. Practical or nuts?

[cyclestart]

A belt driven encoder for a turning head made with parts on hand. The large pulley would be bored to fit where rear spindle gear is currently mounted.
Purpose: manual indexing now and thread cutting in the future (electronic gearing method, not 1 pulse/rev)
Advantages: Already have the parts and a DRO wired for this encoder
Disadvantage: Extra moving parts.

Alternative idea is a go-kart brake disk drilled with with holes for a more traditional lathe encoder set-up.
Advantages: Clamps spindle for manual indexing. No need for belt and problems that may come with it. Otoh the spindle is already driven by timing belt so what's one more ?
Disadvantage: None of the parts on hand. Not sure how well it would work with my DRO.

Thoughts ?

[Al_The_Man]

This is a fairly common method of spindle encoder and has been in use for some time, the belt pitch is usually finer though.
Al.

[cyclestart]

This is a fairly common method of spindle encoder and has been in use for some time,

good to know, I looked at several mini conversions and didn't find examples.

the belt pitch is usually finer though.

Yes, the encode mount is also oversize. I'm thinking of locking the encoder shaft for indexing purposes using the type of holding brake sometimes found on servo motors. The hope is it will have holding ability at least equal to a stepper+belt driven 4th axis, I'd also like to use the tachometer function of the DRO software and will need some help with that in the near future..

Thanks for the reply.