# Threading dial problem



## ome (Sep 30, 2013)

Hi guys, thanks for all of your collective knowledgeable advice.
I am having a problem with the threading dial lining up on any of thr 4 numbers, except it never does. I have tried to engage the gear at  different places on the leadscrew, but never gets on any number.Do i need a new or used threading gage for my Logan 11" 56" bed lathe.

Thanks<
jon


----------



## Tony Wells (Sep 30, 2013)

After a lot of use, wear will show up like that. Some people simply make a new index line wherever it wants to fall. As long as it is consistent, that works fine. Or it could be that the dial or gear has slipped on the shaft, or the gear has simply worn, or even not engaged with the leadscrew deep enough. They generally pivot on a single mounting bolt so that you can disengage them when not in use, so it might be worth looking at.


----------



## ome (Sep 30, 2013)

Tony Wells said:


> After a lot of use, wear will show up like that. Some people simply make a new index line wherever it wants to fall. As long as it is consistent, that works fine. Or it could be that the dial or gear has slipped on the shaft, or the gear has simply worn, or even not engaged with the leadscrew deep enough. They generally pivot on a single mounting bolt so that you can disengage them when not in use, so it might be worth looking at.


Thanks Tony.

Regards 
jon


----------



## GK1918 (Sep 30, 2013)

This problem is nothing new. I have wrote this before i think. Myself I cant see the numbers anyways.  So my first thing in setup is
run the maching with 1/2 nut to put a load on it and kill the electric.  You know those cheap round bandades for your toe "corns" or
something? I stick it on and mark with a red sharpie..  I still think there is enough things to do without getting involved with numbers and all that. Everybodys different I guess, but by the time I do steps #1, #2, #3 and #4 my sharpie lines comming up.  The fastest I can do at my age is back gear and in second (drive speed).  Things happen fast & I cant miss a red line (rather than seeing little numbers).......


----------



## OldMachinist (Sep 30, 2013)

On some lathes the gear is only held on the shaft by a set screw. To adjust engage the half nuts and run the carriage down the ways a few inches, stop lathe with half nuts engaged. Loosen the set screw and rotate the dial until the lines line up, tighten the set screw.


----------



## ome (Sep 30, 2013)

OldMachinist said:


> On some lathes the gear is only held on the shaft by a set screw. To adjust engage the half nuts and run the carriage down the ways a few inches, stop lathe with half nuts engaged. Loosen the set screw and rotate the dial until the lines line up, tighten the set screw.


Thanks, i wish that were the case , but there is a long pin from center of dial and down to the gear, no set screw.

Thanks,
jon


----------



## Tom Griffin (Sep 30, 2013)

Take the dial assembly off so you can get a good look at it. There has to be something holding the gear on the shaft, because that's probably the way it was originally aligned. It may be a pin and they can be difficult to see. If it is a pin, just knock it out, rotate the gear 90º and drill a new hole in the shaft with the half nuts engaged and a mark lined up. I suppose the gear could have been fixtured and pressed on the shaft. In that case, you'll need to devise a way to pull it and realign it to the mark.

Tom


----------



## ome (Oct 1, 2013)

TomG said:


> Take the dial assembly off so you can get a good look at it. There has to be something holding the gear on the shaft, because that's probably the way it was originally aligned. It may be a pin and they can be difficult to see. If it is a pin, just knock it out, rotate the gear 90º and drill a new hole in the shaft with the half nuts engaged and a mark lined up. I suppose the gear could have been fixtured and pressed on the shaft. In that case, you'll need to devise a way to pull it and realign it to the mark.
> 
> Tom


thanks Tom,
not pressed to the shaft, a bolt lets it mesh with the lead screw when haif nut is engaged. Little confused where i would drill a hole.

Jon


----------



## Tom Griffin (Oct 1, 2013)

OK, here's a pic of the shaft. It looks like it is straight knurled on each end, probably hardened, and the dial and gear are pressed on. You'll need to pull the gear, or drive the shaft out with a punch, realign the mark and press it back on.

Tom


----------



## pestilence (Oct 1, 2013)

It shouldn't really matter whether it lines up on a number or not as long as you flip the lever at the same time it's just about to line up or whatever.  Actual alignment of the number and the mark isn't important
  All that's important is that the number and the mark are in the same position relative to each other every time.

Someone recently did a YouTube video meant to demystify the threading dial recently. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbRcs_Hhtuw

The creator of the video is TomG, who's been posting in this thread.

I just took a look at the dial on my Logan 11" and it looks like the shaft is as TomG said.  It looks like if you could press the dial off the shaft, you could rotate it a bit and press it back on to realign it with the gear.


----------



## ome (Oct 1, 2013)

pestilence said:


> It shouldn't really matter whether it lines up on a number or not as long as you flip the lever at the same time it's just about to line up or whatever.  Actual alignment of the number and the mark isn't important
> All that's important is that the number and the mark are in the same position relative to each other every time.
> 
> Someone recently did a YouTube video meant to demystify the threading dial recently.
> ...


I was recently reading a book on lathes, and it referred to different threads might be on a odd number and others may be on the even number.  so I  naturally thought there was a reason for the numbers on the dial face.  
I agree with you, with the little I know from limited threading, its all about throwing that half-nut lever at the same place each time.

Thanks,
Jon


----------



## ome (Oct 2, 2013)

pestilence said:


> It shouldn't really matter whether it lines up on a number or not as long as you flip the lever at the same time it's just about to line up or whatever.  Actual alignment of the number and the mark isn't important
> All that's important is that the number and the mark are in the same position relative to each other every time.
> 
> Someone recently did a YouTube video meant to demystify the threading dial recently.
> ...


Thanks,
would i need a special type of gear puller or like a 4" spider like puller. 
Thanks,
jon


----------



## pestilence (Oct 2, 2013)

ome said:


> Thanks,
> would i need a special type of gear puller or like a 4" spider like puller.
> Thanks,
> jon




I really don't know.  I couldn't see any way to take it apart other than maybe a punch to the end of the rod in the middle of the dial.  the gear at the bottom is shrouded, so I don't think you could get a puller behind it.  I couldn't find any references to how they are disassembled on google either.


----------



## ome (Oct 2, 2013)

pestilence said:


> I really don't know.  I couldn't see any way to take it apart other than maybe a punch to the end of the rod in the middle of the dial.  the gear at the bottom is shrouded, so I don't think you could get a puller behind it.  I couldn't find any references to how they are disassembled on google either.


Thanks anyway, i could not find anything on google either.  A punch looks like the only way to get the gear and shaft, once knocked out, i guess i need to somehow press the gear off and then press it back on , but in a different position..

Thanks,
Jon


----------



## pestilence (Oct 2, 2013)

You shouldn't have to remove the gear.  You should be able to just press the rod back into the dial with a different alignment.   From TomG's picture, both ends are press fit.


----------



## epanzella (Oct 2, 2013)

My old worn out Logan had the same problem. It just wouldn't catch on the line. After thinking about it I just decided it doesn't really make any difference. If I need a line or whole number I just flip the half nut on it but it would'nt engage until the number went by  for almost a quarter inch. So what? As long as it does the same thing every time you're golden.


----------



## ScrapMetal (Oct 2, 2013)

pestilence said:


> You shouldn't have to remove the gear.  You should be able to just press the rod back into the dial with a different alignment.   From TomG's picture, both ends are press fit.



:+1:  As for pressing the dial/gear back on, that's the simple part.  All you need is a shop vise, hydraulic press, or you could make a "fixture" to hold things in alignment while tapping it back on with a hammer (redneck version of the "right" way to do it ).

How about some pics of the dial assembly you're working with?

-Ron


----------



## ome (Oct 2, 2013)

Thanks guys,
Still not sure what tools I would use to accomplish this task.

Checked out TOMS WEBSITE and it cooks.  Great teachings.

Thanks,

Jon


----------



## ome (Oct 3, 2013)

ScrapMetal said:


> :+1:  As for pressing the dial/gear back on, that's the simple part.  All you need is a shop vise, hydraulic press, or you could make a "fixture" to hold things in alignment while tapping it back on with a hammer (redneck version of the "right" way to do it ).
> 
> How about some pics of the dial assembly you're working with?
> 
> -Ron


Thanks, that was quite helpful, still having problems getting my pics from my iphone to the computer   No luck trying to upload a photo directly from my iphone
jon


----------



## ScrapMetal (Oct 3, 2013)

ome said:


> Thanks, that was quite helpful, still having problems getting my pics from my iphone to the computer   No luck trying to upload a photo directly from my iphone
> jon



FWIW  - I left at least one out - I've used a large  "C" clamp to press smaller items together before.

Sorry I can't help with the iphone/pics thing as I'm allergic to cell phones and don't have/use them. :biggrin:

-Ron


----------



## ome (Oct 4, 2013)

Hi Ron,
Excellent idea, that may work for pressing. 
Thanks,

Jon


----------

