# Bored today, so I got the idea to make an angle index for my AXA toolpost.



## Ken226 (Sep 20, 2021)

I move my compound around alot, and being able position the toolpost quickly seemed like a good idea.  Plus,  I had a little Multifix envy, but got too much invested in BXA holders to talk myself into switching.

Everything turned out decent, except for the washer/pointer

Having a flat inside (D shaped) hole,  gives it too much slop, and aluminum is too soft.  I need to make another, from steel, and tabbed to secure it.

So, the idea was to have the index secured to the toolpost via two tabs, that lock into the disassembly slots. I made this part from 316 stainless.   Then I engraved it with markings, in 5° increments,  so that the index rotates with the toolpost, but the pointer remains stationary.





Then to make a washer with a pointer, and a D shaped hole, which fits over the t nut stud, and is prevented from rotating by a flat milled into the stud.





Here's the final setup.

But like I said,  too much slop in the pointer to be useful.   It moves 5° back and forth when I tighten the toolpost.


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## brino (Sep 20, 2021)

Very creative and innovative!
I have never seen an idea like that before.....

Thanks for sharing this!

-brino


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## MrWhoopee (Sep 20, 2021)

I LIKE IT!


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## francist (Sep 20, 2021)

I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if we see this appear on a commercially available tool post in the not too distant future.


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## Brento (Sep 21, 2021)

Only issue the OP has is it has play with 5 degrees otherwise i would copy that. Would need a way to get it more accurate.


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## Ken226 (Sep 21, 2021)

Brento said:


> Only issue the OP has is it has play with 5 degrees otherwise i would copy that. Would need a way to get it more accurate.



I'm going to make another washer/spacer tomorrow.  This one will have a tab that protrudes toward the center of the hole. 
 I'll mill a slot into the toolpost stud, that fits the washers tab more tightly.  That should do the trick.

Like this, but bigger.


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## Brento (Sep 21, 2021)

Cant wait to see the results


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## Weldingrod1 (Sep 21, 2021)

If you could sneak in a torsion spring to bias it against the "tighten" side you'd be set! Another idea is to add friction between the handle nut and the pointer, then over travel the handle, come back part way (to bias the slop) final check, and tighten. 
If you could get your indicator out of the structural system this would get better. You could come up with some kind of bypass with holes and posts... but the sneaky way is to open the top of the nut and attach the pointer ABOVE the nut!

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk


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## Shotgun (Sep 21, 2021)

Wouldn't it be easier to mill a slot in the post and the washer, then make a key to an interference fit?


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## MikeWi (Sep 21, 2021)

Or, if you know it's going to change by 5 degrees when you tighten it, you already have an accurate system. Just allow for the movement.


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## Ken226 (Sep 21, 2021)

Shotgun said:


> Wouldn't it be easier to mill a slot in the post and the washer, then make a key to an interference fit?



Possibly.  But the washer is only .048" thick.   I'd considered making the washer alot thicker,  and using a 3mm setscrew,  but am worried that the additional thickness won't leave enough threads for the nut.   A tiny, .048" thick key might suck to try and make.



MikeWi said:


> Or, if you know it's going to change by 5 degrees when you tighten it, you already have an accurate system. Just allow for the movement.



I could do that, but it would bug me until the day I die.  I'm kinda like that autistic guy in that Tom Cruise movie about the casino card counting.    I just can't let some things go.


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## francist (Sep 21, 2021)

I think it’s going to be tough to get a real precision fit against the thread tops of the stud. I know in theory there should be no difference in dimension but in reality I suspect there is, and maintaining a snug sliding fit there that stays fit for any length of time may be difficult. A thicker washer would mitigate that some by bearing against more threads, but the thickness becomes objectionable for the already mentioned reason. It’s a worthy effort though, good luck with it.

-frank


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## woodchucker (Sep 21, 2021)

Ken226 said:


> I'm going to make another washer/spacer tomorrow.  This one will have a tab that protrudes toward the center of the hole.
> I'll mill a slot into the toolpost stud, that fits the washers tab more tightly.  That should do the trick.
> 
> Like this, but bigger.


I have been looking for that type of washer for a while for my AXA tool posts, so that the lock nut doesn't turn the height nut.
I have searched hard for that. I have tried many different variations of a tabbed washer, keyed ... you name it.. arbor washer, spindle washer...
I can find some but they all start at  than 1" ..

Anyone know where I can find smaller sizes?


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## wachuko (Sep 21, 2021)

When can we order these?


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## benmychree (Sep 21, 2021)

Brento said:


> Only issue the OP has is it has play with 5 degrees otherwise i would copy that. Would need a way to get it more accurate.


A vernier could be added to make one degree resolution, but I think the "fat" graduations are a poor idea for accuracy.


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## Shotgun (Sep 21, 2021)

woodchucker said:


> I have been looking for that type of washer for a while for my AXA tool posts, so that the lock nut doesn't turn the height nut.
> I have searched hard for that. I have tried many different variations of a tabbed washer, keyed ... you name it.. arbor washer, spindle washer...
> I can find some but they all start at  than 1" ..
> 
> Anyone know where I can find smaller sizes?





			https://www.mouser.com/Electromechanical/Switches/Switch-Accessories/Switch-Hardware/_/N-cbtcs?Keyword=tab+washer&FS=True


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## Ken226 (Sep 21, 2021)

Once I finish it,  if the tabbed washer works, I'll test it by setting up for threading using the index,  then check how close I got with a fish.


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## woodchucker (Sep 21, 2021)

Shotgun said:


> https://www.mouser.com/Electromechanical/Switches/Switch-Accessories/Switch-Hardware/_/N-cbtcs?Keyword=tab+washer&FS=True


thank you... if only it were the right size.


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## Ken226 (Sep 21, 2021)

Just need to part it off at the right thickness, then mill the toolpost stud.


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## Ken226 (Sep 21, 2021)

I got it finished.  The stainless steel washer is much better.  Now it moves about a
Half the thickness of the index marks.   Accuracy seems reasonable.   I set the compound 60° clockwise from parallel to the lathes Z axis,   then rotated the toolpost to the 60° mark.   When the nut is tightened,  the pointer moves from the center of the mark, to just short of the marks left edge.  I checked it with a fish, and it looked at least as good as doing it with just the fish.









My protractor shows the correct angle as well.    I moved it around to a few settings and re-measured.

For the time being, it works.   It may wear and lose accuracy over time though.  We shall see 





In the worst case scenario,  it still works the same way it did before I added this index thing.  The 2 parts are drop-in,  I can swap the regular washer back in in 10 seconds.


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## jwmelvin (Sep 21, 2021)

Nice work. You could peen the washer tab with a round-nose punch to tighten its fit in the slot a little.


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## Ken226 (Sep 21, 2021)

jwmelvin said:


> Nice work. You could peen the washer tab with a round-nose punch to tighten its fit in the slot a little.



The tab is a really good fit.  The issue is as @francist  mentioned earlier.   The thickness of the washer is barely more that the thread pitch of the stud,  so it's only contacting about 1 and a half threads on the back side.

The best fix would be a washer/pointer that's at least 3 or 4 times the thread pitch.   But, then, the toolpost nut would only have a couple threads of engagement.  

I made this stud a long time ago, from a piece of an old .223 barrel.

I'll probably make a longer stud at some point,  purpose made for this application.  When I do that,  I'll leave an unthreaded portion that goes up high enough for a good, engagement with the pointer, and use a setscrew so there's zero movement.


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## wachuko (Sep 21, 2021)

What are you using for the engraving?


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## Firstram (Sep 21, 2021)

That's awesome!


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## Ken226 (Sep 21, 2021)

wachuko said:


> What are you using for the engraving?



A spring loaded diamond drag tool in a small CNC mill.   I switched off the spindle and just let the machine drag the point around.

For really flat or cylindrical machined surfaces ant I can keep consistent enough in shape to easily model in CAD,  I use a .028" ball mill,  but stuff that's thin and hard to keep flat or hard to model the contours, get the diamond drag.


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## Ken226 (Sep 30, 2021)

Just wanted to post an update on this project. 

I made a new toolpost stud,  with a shoulder that sits about .04" higher than the index ring.  I made the shoulder about a thousandth of an inch bigger in diameter than the washer, then hand fitted the washer with a small half round file, taking a little at a time off the inside.

It's perfect now.  There's no movement of the pointer whatsoever.  

Accuracy seems really good too.  When I index it to the threading position and check with a fish, it repeats to at least as accurate as the fish is capable of.


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