Positioning indicators on a small machine

[BiggerNoise]

I have a sherline lathe and mill. Most of the parts are non magnetic which makes getting a magnetic base to stick a bit of a challenge.

I have a board that the lathe is screwed to. Would it be reasonable to route out some channels and then glue & screw some steel strips into the board? How are other folks managing this?

 

[Aaron_W]

I have a sherline lathe and mill. Most of the parts are non magnetic which makes getting a magnetic base to stick a bit of a challenge.

I have a board that the lathe is screwed to. Would it be reasonable to route out some channels and then glue & screw some steel strips into the board? How are other folks managing this?

Somebody posted their Sherline which had some steel strips screwed to the mounting board. Routing pockets for the metal would make it look nicer but just screwing a 2-3" wide strip of 1/16" or 1/8" steel the length of the bed seems like it would do the job. I've thought about doing the same, but my Sherline is mounted on a tool chest so I can usually find a place to get a magnet to stick, so other projects distract from adding something to the board.

 

[francist]

That’s essentially what I have on my small Atlas 618, a full length steel “dashboard” that I can use for setting a full size magnetic base and indicator stand on. I also made the two steel supports under the mounting bolts extra long so that they also double as a place to clamp a magnetic base.

 

[BiggerNoise]

Thank you for the replies. Good to know that my original idea wasn't completely nuts.

@francist - that's a beautiful bench

 

[Forty Niner]

Thank you for the replies. Good to know that my original idea wasn't completely nuts.

@francist - that's a beautiful bench

I fastened some steel flat stock to my mounting board. Easy and convenient.

 

[Karl A]

I mounted my Sherline lathe and mill on frames of 8020, with 1/8-inch thick x 2-inch wide steel strips at the front and back of the lathe, and at the left and right of the mill. Rarely have I used the steel strips for indicating. Mainly, I have been using the Sherline 3/8-inch toolpost (#7600) for holding a dial indicator or a dial test indicator on the lathe. On the mill, I have been using the Morse taper of the spindle for holding a dial test indicator, and the 3/8-inch riser toolpost (#1289) for holding a dial indicator.

The vertical column on the mill is a magnetic surface that one can use.

 

[Dabbler]

on my 12" lathe I found it convenient to make an indicator holder behind the chuck, above my belt lever. It is 3/8 steel, milled to have a lip (for extra confidence). Here's a picture Some of the chuck is in the foreground):

 

[epanzella]

My lathe and mill tables are magnetic but I still use a 4" x 12" x 3/4" slab of steel to mount my indicator on. I can slide it around and it's heavy enough to hold the indicator steady. It's a real time saver when I'm jumping back and forth between the face and the side of a part.