Micrometer Stop

[garycullen]

I made this micrometer stop to use in various places in the shop. I use it when I bend parts in the arbor press, the cut off band saw etc. so that I can fine adjust the distance from the bend to the end of the part. I make a z-rod linkage part and the length of each leg is .750 long. I also use it on other parts that need to be accurate on the length. It works good for repeating when you have multiple parts to make both in the press and the saw. I pressed a 1/8" spring pin in one end so the rod (1/2"-20 threaded rod)) doesn't rotate when you turn the knob and I pressed a bearing on the knob which has a hub. I also cut a 1/8" wide keyway in the rod. My lathe has a series of holes in the main gear so I used that as a dividing head to mark the graduations using a pointed tool. One revolution of the knob equals .050 (Fifty Thousands) The housing and knob are made from 6061-T6 Aluminum and the threaded rod is steel.

[DIYer]

Thanks garycullen! We've added your Micrometer Stop to our Metalworking category,
as well as to your builder page: garycullen's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Micrometer Stop by garycullen

tags: stop, micrometer

[Toolmaker51]

Great! Too many limit micrometer stops to our lathes, when sheer utility is clearly shop-wide. I'm thinking of one with a rotating magnet (ala indicator base) strong enough to register material on a horizontal bandsaw. It would slide while setup is going on, then clamp in position.
Sawing likes clearance between blade and stop for fall off. A end operating cam works nicely, back it off before blade completes the cut, reset for next part.
Once I combine those elements, I'll start on the stop.

[garage nut]

Please show some more detail how you marked the increments on the rotating part.
Have just been watching video upon video how to do it and I am not going to buy a 100 tooth saw blade to mark one little rotating dial.

Looking for the best/easiest/fastest to manufacture carrage stop on this site.

[mklotz]

Please show some more detail how you marked the increments on the rotating part.
Have just been watching video upon video how to do it and I am not going to buy a 100 tooth saw blade to mark one little rotating dial.

Looking for the best/easiest/fastest to manufacture carrage stop on this site.

Do you have a rotary table?

While an indexing device, either commercial or improvised, makes this job much easier, for one-offs it can be done on a rotary table. For 100 divisions simply move the table 360/100 = 3.6 degrees between divisions. Admittedly tedious but effective.

[Toolmaker51]

Please show some more detail how you marked the increments on the rotating part.
Have just been watching video upon video how to do it and I am not going to buy a 100 tooth saw blade to mark one little rotating dial.

Looking for the best/easiest/fastest to manufacture carrage stop on this site.

Lacking any mechanical means to divide a circle, there is another approach with a little trial and error. What ever the screw pitch of your stop is going to be [Imperial or Metric] determines a logical set of increments. 20 TPI is popular because it imparts an axial .050 per each revolution. Metric pitches have more selections 1.0, 2.0, etc; either way finer threads are more satisfactory. With a lathe, an available and convenient pitch can be cut on almost any diameter you chose, which will also control the male/ female fit, better than tap and die can produce, with next to zero backlash. An ideal feature of a good carriage stop. Save one end for a large diameter knob. You'll need to control its diameter [circumference] for a label carrying the increments.

Once you have that planned, use a spreadsheet program [ie Excel] and set column widths to fall at the same circumferential distance the screw pitch and knob diameter dictate. Print that out, lacquer onto the knob; you and micrometer carriage stop are calibrated! Sounds tedious, but I've made accurate [but short] verniers exactly same way. I do not know a conversion of column width dimensions to conventional measurements, but someone here does for sure. All I've made only needed to work with each other, so actual size wasn't a requirement.
I bet neither Bill Gates or his minions thought of Excel as a drawing program; I've done scaled drawings for years like that.

[mklotz]

Once you have that planned, use a spreadsheet program [ie Excel] and set column widths to fall at the same circumferential distance the screw pitch and knob diameter dictate. Print that out, lacquer onto the knob; you and micrometer carriage stop are calibrated! Sounds tedious, but I've made accurate [but short] verniers exactly same way. I do not know a conversion of column width dimensions to conventional measurements, but someone here does for sure. All I've made only needed to work with each other, so actual size wasn't a requirement.
I bet neither Bill Gates or his minions thought of Excel as a drawing program; I've done scaled drawings for years like that.

Rather than using Excel columns, how about this...

Cut a length of tape from a sacrificial metric steel tape measure such that it contains the number of divisions you need. Then adjust the diameter of the knob so this length of tape just circles it. (If the length of tape is C, then the diameter is C/pi.) Glue tape section to knob and Robert's your mother's brother.

[Toolmaker51]

Naturally Marv's correct, a metallic tape measure provides accurately divided increments. And even if sacrificed, the remainder can applied elsewhere, and more useful than aversion to purchasing 100 tooth circular blade.

Tapes wider than 3/8" - 10mm are curved across the width to give a little rigidity. They'll split being bent 'backward' around carriage stop knob. Instead, find the 3' and 6' foot pocket tapes which are flat, being only 1/4" - 6mm wide. Used to be common advertising give-away.
Mine is often used working on the lathe. It fits between the jaws when measuring length of a bar, inaccessible down the spindle bore otherwise.

I still lean toward the labeling method. A groove in the knob will help protect label. A larger diameter is perfect for fine adjustments. With good fits of mating thread, a smaller diameter on the same end allows rapid movement of the stop rod. Should you not have knurling, drill & tap for a socket head cap screw; they are knurled.

[mklotz]

Or, for ~$3 you can buy it already made and ready to stick on...

https://www.amazon.com/Techinal-35-4...ve+metric+tape

Cut away the evil inferial fractional nonsense, stick it on and give it a coat of protective goop.

[Toolmaker51]

Or, for ~$3 you can buy it already made and ready to stick on...Cut away the evil inferial fractional nonsense, stick it on and give it a coat of protective goop.

OK, you win pal. I'm not so lucky to dedicate 100% metric, with happy employers to keep happy, lol. And because we like you, have tons of experience, and may be the last smart person in Kalifornia, certainly LA Basin.
.....And if California slides into the ocean
Like the mystics and statistics say it will
I predict this motel will be standing until I pay my bill.

excerpt of Desperados Under The Eaves by Warren Zevon

As a fellow Los Angelino and poster I've seen a fraction of your spectacular work and thought process. There are 6-7 members posting I always find illuminating, others are good too, but group typify what I'd like to achieve.

But Excel doesn't care about increments; inferial or metricky.