Edge finder,do you use one?

[ranch23]

What everyone else said, I also have a touch probe on my DRO, very handy.

 

[PorkBarrel]

Super-Jump @ 1500 RPM

 

[Ken from ontario]

I used my mechanical one yesterday and it was dead accurate on square pcs, Although I'm having a hard time finding the center of 2" x 2" x 1" piece that's tapered on two sides, how would I use an edge finder on the tapered edges? no matter what I did , I wasn't sure of it's accuracy.

 

[4GSR]

.................snip..............Count my handwheel turns. I'm consistently holding .001.
Reduce error wherever you are able on critical parts.
MN

I remember doing that in my younger years. Been spoiled to digital readouts since 1980 on my mills. And I still use my Starrett edge finders to zero in on a edge. And I still forget to add/subtract for the .100" on setting zero in the readout!

 

[todd774]

For what it's worth, if your asking what other people do. I go down to the local convenience store & purchase the thinnest rolling papers they sell.
Then I usually use a pretty accurate .250" dowel rod that I have. About 2" long. I just pinch the rolling paper & zero it in from there (of course I do the
math and adjust accordingly). I do have a wiggler that I use occasionally, but I seem to use the rolling paper trick out of habit. It works good setting zero
on my lathe tools also. I just built a new bench top cnc milling machine & started experimenting with a ground probe that I might have to make an insulated probe
because the work appears to be grounded through the machine to the tool always. I have to do more homework. In the mean time, the the trusty old
rolling paper trick works for me.

 

[jmarkwolf]

I once found a pack of Zig-Zag rolling papers in my dad's Gerstner machinist toolbox when I was a teenager in the 70's, before I knew how machinists use them.

I briefly thought my dad was "rolling his own" and hiding the evidence in his toolbox!

But knowing my dad, there had to be another reason for them, Found out years later.

I use this method now sometimes when I don't want to chuck up my edge finder.

 

[eugene13]

My high school Machine Shop teacher, Mr. Traester,

And, the older you get, the more often you get bit

Ted

taught me how to use an edge finder and offered this advice, "Set your dial at 100, and remember to move it to 0." I've still messed up and been .1" off.