# Homemade tailstock drilling indicator (caliper)



## Pmedic828 (Jan 25, 2014)

I have just finished modifying my small lathe with a drilling depth indicator made from a H/F wide caliper to allow me to determine the depth of a drilled hole in stock.  I used a bearing race that was heated in a fire to soften it, then machined to fit over the quill of the tail stock.  A small stud was welded onto the race to allow anchoring of the caliper.  Since the caliper's forward arm is hardened, I could not drill thru it, but instead milled a hole and a slot in a 3/8 rod to engage the arm of the caliper and a hole to anchor it to the race pin.  I am a new "machinist" and continue to learn daily.  I cannot produce what others on this site can create, but I thought that it is a start - it works for me! Any ideas or suggestions?  Pictures as follows:


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## Holescreek (Jan 25, 2014)

I got by for decades without a tailstock read out until I helped a friend figure out how to mount one on his lathe. After that I was hooked. I used a cheap HF caliper for the job, I think I used a carbide drill bit for the holes through the stainless jaws. I made a split clamp about 1/4" thick that just clamps to the spindle so I could remove it if necessary. I haven't ever needed to remove it so far.  The most important thing to watch out for is that there is still enough room behind the spindle clamp to allow the taper of the tool to be ejected.


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## mattthemuppet2 (Jan 30, 2014)

both of those look great, nice job! I did one with a digital tire depth gauge as my quill doesn't have more than 2in travel. Makes a world of different drilling to the right depth, especially as I didn't have any kind of dial on there before


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