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

[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".