Adjusting Blake Co-Ax for larger diameters
 

I picked up a Co-Ax off ebuy a few years ago, and I'm getting my
money's worth out of it. Bought the 3" inside feeler, and was stumped on
why it wouldn't pick up on a 1.375 bore...

Manly-man adventures deleted. The secret to adjusting the swept diameter
is to pivot the feeler outward. The phillips screw just above the feeler
socket is the pivot for the feeler assembly. You can loosen it up or
tighten it with the phillips screw / acorn nut. Duh.


To answer the question of what the Co-Ax measures, the dial says
(Quote).0005" AXIS

Does that " stand for inches or minutes?

The dial graduation is divided such that each division represents .0005"
(0,01mm) of axis offset (deviation from true location) when the feeler
is tracing a diameter of two inches. This will vary slightly with feeler
angle. - manufacturer's instructions

http://longislandindicator.com/p5.html

Place the appropriate feeler in the indicator rocker bracket and secure
it with the thumb screw. Position the rocker bracket on the rocker
friction joint such that the small indicator hand is centrally located
on its graduation scale when the feeler is in operational contact with
the work piece.

Adjusting Blake Co-Ax for larger diameters
 

"Louis Ohland" wrote in message
...
I picked up a Co-Ax off ebuy a few years ago, and I'm getting my
money's worth out of it. Bought the 3" inside feeler, and was stumped on
why it wouldn't pick up on a 1.375 bore...

Manly-man adventures deleted. The secret to adjusting the swept diameter
is to pivot the feeler outward. The phillips screw just above the feeler
socket is the pivot for the feeler assembly. You can loosen it up or
tighten it with the phillips screw / acorn nut. Duh.


To answer the question of what the Co-Ax measures, the dial says
(Quote).0005" AXIS

Does that " stand for inches or minutes?


If I understand your question correctly, I believe it means the spindle
holding the indicator is .0005" inches "off center line" with the bore you
are sweeping.

I have been using a Blake for many, many years and love it. But I never
cared about the graduations, I just center it as close as I possible can and
go for it.

Adjusting Blake Co-Ax for larger diameters
 

Let the Record show that "Tim" on or about Sun,
26 Jul 2009 23:36:37 -0500 did write/type or cause to appear in
rec.crafts.metalworking the following:

"Louis Ohland" wrote in message
...
I picked up a Co-Ax off ebuy a few years ago, and I'm getting my
money's worth out of it. Bought the 3" inside feeler, and was stumped on
why it wouldn't pick up on a 1.375 bore...

Manly-man adventures deleted. The secret to adjusting the swept diameter
is to pivot the feeler outward. The phillips screw just above the feeler
socket is the pivot for the feeler assembly. You can loosen it up or
tighten it with the phillips screw / acorn nut. Duh.


To answer the question of what the Co-Ax measures, the dial says
(Quote).0005" AXIS

Does that " stand for inches or minutes?


If I understand your question correctly, I believe it means the spindle
holding the indicator is .0005" inches "off center line" with the bore you
are sweeping.

I have been using a Blake for many, many years and love it. But I never
cared about the graduations, I just center it as close as I possible can and
go for it.

I loved mine, I could center holes, pins, etc, in short minutes -
faster than I could any other method, even including the 'set up'
time.
-
pyotr filipivich
We will drink no whiskey before its nine.
It's eight fifty eight. Close enough!

Adjusting Blake Co-Ax for larger diameters
 

pyotr filipivich wrote:
Let the Record show that "Tim" on or about Sun,
26 Jul 2009 23:36:37 -0500 did write/type or cause to appear in
rec.crafts.metalworking the following:

(...)

I have been using a Blake for many, many years and love it. But I never
cared about the graduations, I just center it as close as I possible can and
go for it.

I loved mine, I could center holes, pins, etc, in short minutes -
faster than I could any other method, even including the 'set up'
time.

Mine's required service for some time (no round tuit available).
Imagine my delight in discovering that Blake will disassemble,
clean, reassemble and certify it for only $40!

http://www.blakemanufacturing.com/pages/repairs.html

Cool!

--Winston

Adjusting Blake Co-Ax for larger diameters
 

Tim wrote:
To answer the question of what the Co-Ax measures, the dial says
(Quote).0005" AXIS

Does that " stand for inches or minutes?


If I understand your question correctly, I believe it means the spindle
holding the indicator is .0005" inches "off center line" with the bore you
are sweeping.

I have been using a Blake for many, many years and love it. But I never
cared about the graduations, I just center it as close as I possible can and
go for it.



I re-read the terse user instructions, it's .0005" at a two inch
diameter, as the diameter changes, the error will depend on the cosine?
of the difference.

Centered a 6" square plate on a rotary table. Co-Ax'd the table MT2
bore, locked down the table, then centered the plate.

Then I used a 1/2 cobalt machine screw drill with 135* point and
drilled along the diameter. I'll follow up with a roughing end mill to
connect all the holes. I'll follow this with a boring head to take it to
a finished diameter. More operations to do after this, but this is
starting to look like a compound clamp for an import 11x26 lathe.

My Sieg X3 finally got to do some serious chip making.

Adjusting Blake Co-Ax for larger diameters
 

Winston wrote:
Mine's required service for some time (no round tuit available).
Imagine my delight in discovering that Blake will disassemble,
clean, reassemble and certify it for only $40!

http://www.blakemanufacturing.com/pages/repairs.html

Cool!

--Winston

Long Island Indicator Service.
http://longislandindicator.com/

I found their site to have a better view of the Co-Ax parts
http://longislandindicator.com/p110.html

Go with Blake, Long Island wants $152 to repair.

Adjusting Blake Co-Ax for larger diameters
 

Louis Ohland wrote:

(...)

I found their site to have a better view of the Co-Ax parts
http://longislandindicator.com/p110.html

Excellent! Thanks, Louis!

Go with Blake, Long Island wants $152 to repair.

I shall.

--Winston

Adjusting Blake Co-Ax for larger diameters
 

Louis Ohland wrote:

To answer the question of what the Co-Ax measures, the dial says
(Quote).0005" AXIS

These things come with different length probes. Heck if I know what it works out to.

But let me google this for you.

http://www.blakemanufacturing.com/pages/coaxvalues.html

HTH,

Wes

Adjusting Blake Co-Ax for larger diameters (Dial Graduation Values)
 

Wes wrote:
http://www.blakemanufacturing.com/pages/coaxvalues.html

I knew I'd seen it... I'm used to web pages disappearing, so here are
the values

Blake CO-AX Indicator Dial Graduation Values

Bore 2" 4" 6"
0 .00056 .00105 .00147
1 .00054 .00103 .00146
2 .00050 .00100 .00145
3 .00044 .00097 .00143
4 .00030 .00093 .00140
5 .00087 .00136
6 .00079 .00132
7 .00069 .00124
8 .00055 .00115
9 .00105
10 .00097
11 .00083
12 .00062

Bore diameter in inches
2", 4", and 6" refer to the feeler Length

Adjusting Blake Co-Ax for larger diameters (Dial Graduation Values)
 

Louis Ohland wrote:

Wes wrote:
http://www.blakemanufacturing.com/pages/coaxvalues.html

I knew I'd seen it... I'm used to web pages disappearing, so here are
the values

Blake CO-AX Indicator Dial Graduation Values

Bore 2" 4" 6"
0 .00056 .00105 .00147
1 .00054 .00103 .00146
2 .00050 .00100 .00145
3 .00044 .00097 .00143
4 .00030 .00093 .00140
5 .00087 .00136
6 .00079 .00132
7 .00069 .00124
8 .00055 .00115
9 .00105
10 .00097
11 .00083
12 .00062

Bore diameter in inches
2", 4", and 6" refer to the feeler Length

I was fairly curious since I use one of those indicators at work from time to time. I
typically just settle for dead nuts ;)

I notice that there is a 800 rpm limit on the indicator. I've never used one with the
spindle powered, I've always manually turned the spindle.

Has anyone used one with the spindle under power? I see that is what the long rod is for,
to hold the body from rotating.

Wes

Adjusting Blake Co-Ax for larger diameters (Dial Graduation Values)
 

Wes wrote:
I was fairly curious since I use one of those indicators at work from time to time. I
typically just settle for dead nuts ;)

I notice that there is a 800 rpm limit on the indicator. I've never used one with the
spindle powered, I've always manually turned the spindle.

Has anyone used one with the spindle under power? I see that is what the long rod is for,
to hold the body from rotating.


They are designed for use under power.

Speed limits are probably due to the limits of the body moving up and
down as the feeler rotates. After it goes so fast, perhaps the body or
movement inside have too much inertia... Or perhaps it's the bearing
surface that the feeler assembly rides on.

Adjusting Blake Co-Ax for larger diameters (Dial Graduation Values)
 

"Wes" wrote in message
...

I was fairly curious since I use one of those indicators at work from time
to time. I
typically just settle for dead nuts ;)

I notice that there is a 800 rpm limit on the indicator. I've never used
one with the
spindle powered, I've always manually turned the spindle.

Has anyone used one with the spindle under power? I see that is what the
long rod is for,
to hold the body from rotating.


I almost always use mine under power, but I have never used the rod, I just
hold the body. I think the only valid purpose for the rod is if you are
working to just a couple of tenths or so, and don't want to chance springing
the body enough to get an inaccurate reading. I think the only time I don't
use mine under power is sweeping my spindle square with the table. I burned
a 10" circle out of half in plate, and had it clean up on a Blanchard, for
sweeping the spindle. Makes short work out of squaring the head on a mill.

I would think the 800 rpm limit is a moot point anyway. You need to be able
to read the dial every half revolution. I always select my lowest speed and
let'er go. Then just adjust until dead nuts same as you.

Adjusting Blake Co-Ax for larger diameters (Dial Graduation Values)
 

"Tim" wrote:

I would think the 800 rpm limit is a moot point anyway. You need to be able
to read the dial every half revolution. I always select my lowest speed and
let'er go. Then just adjust until dead nuts same as you.


I gave under power in a bridgeport going as slow as possible. I couldn't read it and
react fast enough. I stuck to my normal method, swing it from X+ to X-, note deviation,
halve it, do the same for Y+ Y-, repeat.

If I could have got it down to 1 rpm, I probably could have used it under power.

It was nice to know though just how close I was indicating. Louis had a darn good
question.

Wes