Granite Indicator Stand

[applescotty]

I'm ordering a few things from Enco, and noticed that they had their import granite indicator stand on sale. I've always wondered what these could be used for. I can see an obvious use for QA applications, but does anyone actually use one in a home shop? This is the type I'm referring to:

Scott

 

[zeusrekning]

Not sure about the home shop applications, but at work we use them when inspecting features on parts that we are unning multiples of. If the price is good you could use it to check thickness easily and I'm sure it would come in handy at times.
Tim

 

[BobWarfield]

I was working on the con rods and making extensive use of my planer gage to flip the part:

Lots of trips back and forth between the big surface plate and the lathe. Eventually, I got thinking how nice it would be to have a little surface plate that sat right atop the lathe's headstock. It's flat up there and I use that spot for all sorts of things. Having a precision surface immediately accessible would've been handy.

One of those little plates would make it possible to have one near the action, if that helped you out.

Cheers,

BW

 

[GailInNM]

I use my granite indicator stand on a regular basis. It's a case of if it is available, you find uses for it. If you get one, get one of the cheap sets of 20 or so tips to go on the indicator.

I probably use mine the most as a depth gage for small holes and for measuring depth where there is no convenient place to place the base of calipers or depth micrometer on your reference surface. I find that I use mine about once a week, but almost always for a different purpose each time. Great for setting tools if you have an indexing tool post where you have to use shims. That way tool bits can be prequalified with the shims and not have to be set up each time one is installed.

Gail in NM,USA

 

[applescotty]

Thanks guys. Now I just need to decide if the ease of use over a indicator mounted on my surface gauge is worth the cost.

Scott