# ITW dial indicator 1/10,000 Dial



## Rick Berk (Apr 12, 2013)

Hope this is a good place to post this,  I have a Illinois Tool Works dial indicator that is 3 inch in diameter with 1" of travel and reads out 1/10,000 of in inch. I bought this used 42 years ago and cannot imagine going on without it, but here is the problem. The face dial is brass and was originally silk screened white and silk screened with red numbers and notched marks. The paint has been failing for some years now and cracking off and is getting to the point I need to have it fixed by someone with the skill to do it right or it will no longer be usable, any suggestions as to how to proceed would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


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## David S (Apr 13, 2013)

Rick perhaps you could try some of the folks that restore old clock dials.

Here is one.
http://dialrestorations.yolasite.com/

David


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## daveh53 (Apr 13, 2013)

Hi Rick-
I'd try these guys first: http://longislandindicator.com/
If they can't help with replacement parts or a suggestion, then I'd pursue a watch repair artisan.  There are many craftsmen that enjoy refurbishing painted timepieces.  Your dial face would be right up that alley.  Might be pricey - but it would be authentic and unique.
-Dave


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## Rick Berk (Apr 15, 2013)

Just got a Email back from long island indicator, said the never heard of a ITW indicator and did not think they could help. This is a 12 jewel indicator so I do not want it to become useless, guess I'll look into clock face makers now.


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## daveh53 (Apr 15, 2013)

Well it was worth a shot with the Long Island guys.  They seem quite knowledgeable and have a ton of parts that no one else has.

I too have never heard of ITW.  Sounds like a classic piece.  Do you have a picture of the face you could share? Maybe somebody would recognize it.

Regards
-Dave


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## Rick Berk (Apr 15, 2013)

This indicator came from Evansville, Indiana which was a heavy war production town Building more LST's than anyone else, built 80% of all P47's. The number of small arms ammo was staggering as I remember. I was told once that ITW made only the finest quality inspection gages that ranked up there with Pratt and Whitney. I have always thought this was a war production gage, all I can say is ti has served me for 40 years and shows no signs of failing other than the paint. I have an old Dell computer that I bought new about 8 years ago and when I bought a Sony digital camera I never could get the two to work, had a neighbor help and he could not figure it out either,  I need to get a new one soon and it will not be a Dell. This indicator has a graduation of 0-100-0 in one revolution with an arrow for plus on one side and minus on the other, the next time my son comes by I'll ask him to take a picture with his cell phone an try to send it that way.


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## itsme_Bernie (Apr 22, 2013)

Yes!  Pic pic pic!!  

Bernie




Rick Berk said:


> This indicator came from Evansville, Indiana which was a heavy war production town Building more LST's than anyone else, built 80% of all P47's. The number of small arms ammo was staggering as I remember. I was told once that ITW made only the finest quality inspection gages that ranked up there with Pratt and Whitney. I have always thought this was a war production gage, all I can say is ti has served me for 40 years and shows no signs of failing other than the paint. I have an old Dell computer that I bought new about 8 years ago and when I bought a Sony digital camera I never could get the two to work, had a neighbor help and he could not figure it out either,  I need to get a new one soon and it will not be a Dell. This indicator has a graduation of 0-100-0 in one revolution with an arrow for plus on one side and minus on the other, the next time my son comes by I'll ask him to take a picture with his cell phone an try to send it that way.


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## Rick Berk (Aug 18, 2013)

Senna said:


> Old thread but I'd bet that this DI was made by Federal and badged with the ITW label for use on the ITW involute gear checker.
> 
> I have several of these and they are sturdy, accurate and useful. Some of the ones I have are marked Federal and some are marked ITW.
> 
> Fantastic tools in all respects.



THANKS for your input, I have not found any of the DI repair people would'nt  even look at it. Clock face makers are apparently to busy with clocks. I got the bezel ring off, it had 3 #0-80 screws hidden thru a hole in the bezel ring, still need to make a pointer puller to get to the face. It's still on the list or work in progress but has very low priority with the wonderful weather we are having this year. I've been cleaning and painting a SB 10L for the last 2 weeks, trying to get it all painted for assembly this winter.


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## 12bolts (Aug 18, 2013)

Rick,
You can make a simple puller from a piece of pipe about 25mm dia. Take a slice about 6-10 mm thick, file the  inside flat on one side, file the outside flat, (just make it as thin as required to slide under the pointer) cut a notch to fit the shaft, drill and tap for a suitable screw and your set to go.







Cheers Phil


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## Rick Berk (Aug 19, 2013)

This is my first picture ever, hope it works.

Big red letter say ILLINOIS on the left face it has "Minus with an arrow, on the right is Plus with an arrow. at the center it has full jeweled 1/10000. at 6 oclock it has Illinois Tool Works Chicago. the scale is 0-100 on the right and 0-100 on the left. Thanks.


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## Swarf (Jun 18, 2014)

Look what I found!
 Bought a bag of indicators and found this.
 Rick, I do want to get this working which means pulling the needles.Dunno If I like that idea.If it doesn't pan out would you be interested?
I was thinking this was a E36 but a closer look reveals it may be E38.It's such a light strike on the chrome surface it's difficult to see.The '8' character does look symmetric.
 HTH
Jay
P.S. How the bell did my image get rotated!!!?


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## ddmunroe (Jun 18, 2014)

Rick Berk said:


> View attachment 59231
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I can imagine how attached you are to it. Would be great to have a large face and being able to read tenths too.
If you could find another indicator via wanted adds or find a collector asking to borrow or visit to take high def pictures maybe you could carefully sand down the face then have a reprint made and adhesive it on, reassemble then done.

my 2 cents
dd


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## chips&more (Jun 18, 2014)

I think your best bet would be to do a “follow this search” on eBay for a like replacement. You have an odd duck indicator and the talent to restore that dial is hard to find and costly. I send wrist watch dials all the time to S. Korea for restoration. That’s the only place that can do inspection with X10 eye loupe perfection! I do not know of any place/person that could help you with restoring a painted indicator dial, sorry. Again, I think searching on eBay is your best bet. Or, make your own dial. Save the original, start with a new disk, paint it, add the marks, do some letter/number transferring and then show us your handy work…Good Luck.

Edit: To remove that center hand. Put two opposing small screw driver blades under the hand at center and leverage up simultaneously. Lay paper on the dial if you do not want it marred. Do everything slowly so you can keep an eye on that hand and not lose it.


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## ddmunroe (Jun 18, 2014)

Theory:
Any dial indicator can be turned into a tenths indicator as long as the newly made graduations suit. Large dial face preferred
Correct?


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## Swarf (Jun 18, 2014)

...Upon further review,
 It looks like a Starrett dial may fit.Prolly best to buy a new dial & swap them out.
 On another note,the rear edge of my bezel shows a #, A7297.
 I'm thinking this is a rebadged Starrett.
 J


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## 12bolts (Jun 18, 2014)

chips&more said:


> ...to remove that center hand. Put two opposing small screw driver blades under the hand at center and leverage up simultaneously. ....



*Do not do this. ^*
You can damage bearings, displace gears, bend shafts.

Use a suitable puller. They are cheap enough to buy. They are even cheaper to make. And probably quicker to get than searching for 1 and then going to get it


12bolts said:


> View attachment 59179



Cheers Phil


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