New tool review - Indicol clone

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whateg0
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Location: Wichita, KS

New tool review - Indicol clone

Post by whateg0 »

This isn't intended to be a gripe or praise of a tool. It's not a "should've bought a _____" post. I just thought that somebody who was considering one of these might like to see what they are getting. You do get what you pay for, and I didn't pay much.

I have a tool made out of a couple pieces of bar stock and blocks of aluminum for indicating a round part on the mill. The only problem is that I have to remove the endmill or other tool from the spindle first because this goes in the spindle. Sometimes, it's not a big deal. Other times, it's kind of a pain. So, I decided to buy an Indicol clone. Actually, I decided to make one, but it's real low on "the list". So, I looked at the real ones and decided there wasn't enough there to justify the cost, at least not with my money. Ended up buying a cheap one off of ebay, $12, shipped, and it arrived today. And... It's cheap. I expected nothing more, nothing less.

The knurls on the knobs are almost non-existent, to the point where on at least a couple, you can see them, but they provide exactly zero additional purchase when trying to grip them.
no knurl.jpg
The threads in at least one of the thumb nuts appears to have been drilled to the size of the fastener and then a tap allowed to scratch the surface. It does hold, but it wants to bind when turning.
threads.jpg
I'm not sure about a couple things. The clamping screw is a piece of all-thread, or maybe just a 40mm long set screw. Either way, I thought that it would be solid on one end or the other, but it's not. A knob is screwed onto one end and a foot, the other. No loctite or anything either, so the foot unthreads if you let it.
clamping screw.jpg
clamping screw disassembled.jpg
Where the arm attaches to the main body, there are coned washers. At first I didn't get it. But now, I believe it was done to allow the hole to be whatever size it ends up, and still have the fastener fit, well, kind of fit.
cone washer.jpg

Dave
Last edited by whateg0 on Thu May 04, 2017 6:37 pm, edited 2 times in total.
whateg0
Posts: 1114
Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2009 3:54 pm
Location: Wichita, KS

Re: New tool review - Indicol clone

Post by whateg0 »

I have never had a real Indicol, so I don't know how they hold the indicator, but this one is almost kind of neat in that regard. Not what I would call good workmanship, and I don't know if it functions as intended, but it seems like it could work.
dovetail.jpg
key.jpg
In the end, I'll probably remake all the hardware. I can probably use it as is, but I don't want to. I was going to make all of the hardware anyway for the holder I was going to make. This just saves me the trouble of making the main body for now. Worth the $12, I'd say.

Dave
spro
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Re: New tool review - Indicol clone

Post by spro »

The review was great. The tool was disappointing in that they drilled the thread ID too large, knurling and stuff.
SteveM
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Re: New tool review - Indicol clone

Post by SteveM »

Looks like they made the threads acme.

Actually, the whole think kinda looks like it came from Acme - the one on Road Runner.

:-)

Steve
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ctwo
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Re: New tool review - Indicol clone

Post by ctwo »

I'm impressed! Your's came with actual metal thumb nuts instead of plastic!
Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
To measure is to know - Lord Kelvin
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...
spro
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Re: New tool review - Indicol clone

Post by spro »

It is too bad about the oversize drilling into the frame. Maybe I shouldn't assume they are metric or it was a combination. I don't know the actual size of either but some metric are very close to imperial in that size. The goal is to use the frame and the attachments without going totally oversize. Retaining much of the existing thread while cutting/tapping it deeper.
Reiner
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Re: New tool review - Indicol clone

Post by Reiner »

ctwo wrote:I'm impressed! Your's came with actual metal thumb nuts instead of plastic!
Mine came with plastic. :(
whateg0
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Re: New tool review - Indicol clone

Post by whateg0 »

spro wrote:It is too bad about the oversize drilling into the frame. Maybe I shouldn't assume they are metric or it was a combination. I don't know the actual size of either but some metric are very close to imperial in that size. The goal is to use the frame and the attachments without going totally oversize. Retaining much of the existing thread while cutting/tapping it deeper.
It's all metric. The screws are all 6mm and the big hole through the frame is 7mm. The frame has a countersink in it that much of the washer resides within. There are no threads in the frame except where the clamping screw is. I suspect that I'll make all of the replacement hardware, including the screws. So, I'll be able to make them whatever size is reasonable. I'll probably bore it out to 5/16" and then turn a shoulder screw for it. The rest, well, I'll see what I fancy at the time, but I suspect 1/4" would be just fine.

Dave
whateg0
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Re: New tool review - Indicol clone

Post by whateg0 »

Reiner wrote:
ctwo wrote:I'm impressed! Your's came with actual metal thumb nuts instead of plastic!
Mine came with plastic. :(
Plastic probably would have been a better fit, even if it didn't last.

Dave
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