Jim Wilkins wrote:

On Dec 4, 10:25 pm, "DoN. Nichols" wrote:
On 2007-12-04, Jim Wilkins wrote:

[ ... ]

The biggest problem I have with dials is losing count of which lines
should be longer while trying to remember the different ending points.

first cut them *all* to the length of the shortest lines. Then
reset the index head arms for the spacing of the next longest lines, and
work your way around making those longer. Then do the next longer
(which is probably all you need -- units, fives and tens).

The issue I had with cutting lines twice was that the cutter didn't
retrace its previous cut exactly, probably because it wasn't moving
much metal the second time, so the lines were wider with a burr in the
bottom.

Then use
some very small number metal stamps to mark the longest lines with
values. (Nicer would be if you have a CNC mill with a CNC index head --
you could both automate the cutting of the lines, and engrave the number
markings as well.

Enjoy,
DoN.

CNC? My indexer is from a Brown & Sharpe Tool Grinder and looks like
it was made before 1900.

Jim Wilkins

The last project that I did similar to this, I used a dividing head on
my Bridgeport with an engraving cutter to do the degree lines accurately
and then moved to a CNC'd mini mill with a temporary stepper mounted as
a 4th axis to engrave the actual numbers where the relatively low
resolution of the 4th axis wasn't an issue. This was engraving on
anodized AL.