Dial test indicator question

[Tozguy]

I had the point as near as I could eyeball to the center of the piece as viewed from above and perpendicular to the piece. I turned the headstock by hand. Is that what you mean?

Yes, at least that is how I do it. With the dti magnetic base installed on the cross slide, and the point of the dti placed as close as your eyeballs can tell to the center of the piece, you can move the cross slide slowly back and forth to get the highest reading on the dti. That would put it dead on center.
Do you have a fine adjust feature on the magnetic base?

 

[Tozguy]

Putting the tip on the centerline height of the spindle axis is self evident.

I remember when starting out that nothing was self evident to me.

 

[mikey]

I remember when starting out that nothing was self evident to me.

Now that I think on it, that applied to me, too.

 

[fcs]

I will respond to a couple replies and then maybe we can leave this thread for posterity and I will start a new one when I am stumped again. Expect me to be stumped by the simplest thing, and I really appreciate that you won't rip me for it. Believe it or not that can happen on the interweb.

First, I ordered the Beall ER32 chuck and then some Techniks collets from All Industrial. I just needed 4 collets to cover what I am doing first, and then ordered 2 more just to get the free shipping. I'm a sucker for free shipping. I expect this to give be much less runout on my mandrels.

Second, I have a good new Noga indicator base with a fine adjustment and an old POS base I got I think from Enco many years ago. I used it for setting up the table saw etc.

Third, the Sherline cross slide is aluminum so the magnetic bases are not immediately useful. I suppose that is why people have a lathe and a mill, so they can make parts for each other. I will look for a solution somewhere down the road.

Thanks all
Frank