Graduated dials

[iron man]

For what its worth I tried red graduation lines I made on a radius cutter for my lathe and for me at least the contrast was really hard to read. It was easier to see the lines with no colour than with the red.

Thanks I will tell him that. I read somewhere that a guy used laquer paint (hard to find anymore) painted the dial let it dry then removed the excess by spinning it in a lathe and holding a wood stick on the surface. This he said stopped the paint from being pulled out of the fine lines and numbers..Ray

 

[kd4gij]

You can get laquer paint at michales or any art supply store. You can also get it at auto paint supplyers but have to buy at lest a pint.

 

[iron man]

You can get laquer paint at michales or any art supply store. You can also get it at auto paint supplyers but have to buy at lest a pint.

For some reason the auto parts stores claim it is restricted around here all though I have seen it in spray cans I may just do that or check the art supply houses. Thanks Ray

 

[middle.road]

The tedium of stamping all those numbers, well skill actually, it really looks great. I would have messed it up by the 7th Number.
And then there is the mag hood I'd have to have on to use it

 

[george wilson]

I have to agree with iron man that the small force(he is only stamping ALUMINUM with 1/16" stamps),is not going to mess up his bearings. An interrupted cut in steel would be a lot more force. I would not recommend heavier stamping,of course.

For what it's worth: My Hardinge HLVH has white delrin (?) dials with black grads.

Anyway,the use of the 200 tooth blade was a clever solution to the problem without complicated other means. That's the type of solution I LIKE!!!!

 

[iron man]

I have to agree with iron man that the small force(he is only stamping ALUMINUM with 1/16" stamps),is not going to mess up his bearings. An interrupted cut in steel would be a lot more force. I would not recommend heavier stamping,of course.

For what it's worth: My Hardinge HLVH has white delrin (?) dials with black grads.

Anyway,the use of the 200 tooth blade was a clever solution to the problem without complicated other means. That's the type of solution I LIKE!!!!

Thanks George the dial shown is cold rolled but I have made aluminum and brass dials in the past and your right the impact from the little brass hammer is the same just a light tap otherwise you will ruin the numbered stamp. An interrupted cut or simply tapping something to get it straight in a four jawed chuck would put more impact than what I am doing. Ray

 

[uncle harry]

For some reason the auto parts stores claim it is restricted around here all though I have seen it in spray cans I may just do that or check the art supply houses. Thanks Ray

Gee, even hardware stores sell lacquer thinner. Maybe a MSDS research effort could locate a rattle can source of lacquer.

 

[Thoro]

I used rustoleum pro spray can paint to refinish my lathe tags. Solvent is mineral spirits.... May not be as tough as lacquer, but is easy to find, and you can clear coat over it to prevent oxidation.

 

[iron man]

I found some lacquer spray paint at Hobby Lobby made by testers I also found enamal paint sticks most dial makers use lacquer paint sticks but I may give the enamal a try and remove the excess with a stick as you have shown.

 

[chips&more]

For coloring the grads and numbers. I have tried the lacquer paint, didn’t work well enough. I have tried the colored sticks from the engravers, didn’t work. I have tried various flavors of spray paint, forget it! And all the different paints and wax sticks over the years, forget it! None of the stuff produces a lasting, professional, perfect 10 result. But then I found a product that gives fantastic results. And it’s a product called “Dyken Staining” and it is NOT Dyken layout fluid, that’s different stuff. It comes in a few color choices, but I have only used the black color….Good Luck.