digital tach

[brent]

can anybody point me towards a digital tach I could mount on my lathe -- economicaly priced-- everything I found on google was either hand held or well beyond what I want to spend ( thinking $50 ish ?? ) TIA, Brent

[Andy_Olney]

Try Camtronics at http://www.seanet.com/~dmauch/ . Look under products for a approx. $50 Kit.

Andy

[davestea]

The Camtronics is a KIT - he forgot to tell you that and its $47 for a dual sensor - this unit can have one or two sensors so you can select one of 2 motors to read -

It can be set up for using two reflective strips for high-speed applications (9000 RPM), Four reflective strips for medium speeds (30 RPM-5000) or 8 reflective strips for low speeds (15-3000). The optical tachometer uses a non-critical reflective optical sensor that can be set from .050" to .200" away from the reflective strip.

Harbor Freight - both are $69

photo tach (IR)

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D ... mber=41727

RPM range: 2.5 - 99,000
Digital touch
Stores last minimum and maximum reading
Auto-zero adjustment
+/- 0.05% accuracy
5 digit LCD display
Includes case

Contact tach

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D ... mber=41726

RPM range: 2.5 - 99,000
Digital touch
Stores last minimum and maximum reading
Auto-zero adjustment
+/- 0.05% accuracy
5 digit LCD display
Includes case

this one is interesting if you want to play with special readouts -
you can put a 1 inch circumference (careful not diameter) and it will read in inches per minute/

[mendoje1]

I've been following this thread over at the Yahoo group "sherline", message number 13703:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sherline/message/13703

The readout is an unmodified, off the shelf, bicycle tachometer (about $30), which uses a magnet (instead of a reflective strip) on the rotating part. Because it uses a magnet, there are no issues with reflectivity or the type of lighting. There is a bit of "programming" to do, that is the correct rotating diameters have to be keyed in, and there might be some issues with max rpm.

I'm waiting for them to figure it out and post the particulars. But the price and simplicity seem right!

Jeff

[Butch]

Going to tuck this away for future projects

[davestea]

check out -
http://www.homemetalshopclub.org/news/j ... tachometer

[John_Stevenson]

Good article here:-
http://www.jeffree.co.uk/Pages/speedmeasurement.html

John S

[davestea]

Thanks John -

that's the one I had read and referrenced in my note about the 1" disk used for ipm. Jeff has a fantastic site with an awful lot of info - I've printed many of them - yikes - 30+ pages and more!

[Rod MI]

This mite work?


Log on to sight then go to files under PavelK
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sherline/messages

Files
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sherline/files/PavelK/

[mhubler]

I bought a digital tachometer from Tower Hobby for about $25. It was original designed from testing the speed of prop motors, but is easy to use on a lathe or mill, etc. Just need two contrasting color strips, 180* apart, mounted to any spinning round object. For my mill, I made a couple of complete turns of black electrical tape (to make sure the tape stuck), and put two short lengths of yellow tape for the counter.

[mendoje1]

mhubler,
Have you had any problems regarding indoor lighting (incandescent or fluourescent)? Only asking since model airplane engines are normally run outside.

Thanks!
Jeff