Dial Indicators

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I am looking at picking up a dial indicator (measuring electrodes for plasma).  I hate buying garbage most of the time (other than HF grinders and clamps).  Buy once, buy nice, but I don't necessarily need or want the nicest (= most expensive)What brand/model do you have.  Do you like/dislike it and why?  What can you recommend?I was thinking I would like one with a magnetic base.thx in advanceThe Lord has declared, "This is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man"  Moses 1:39Link: My name is John, and I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.-- ColdCreekWorks.com --
Reply:Measuring electrodes?My name's not Jim....
Reply:I'm kinda stuck on the "plasma electrode" too. Are you measuring length to sort parts???Matt
Reply:Here is a picture of the dial indicator that Hypertherm offers for use with its industrial electrodes for inspection. This stand will not work for the smaller air plasma electrodes, however it should be easy to build a device such as this. There is no need to get an expensive dial indicator for this purpose...a low cost indicator from Harbor Freight will work just fine.Jim Colt   Hypertherm Attached Images
Reply:Ahhhh says the young apprentice! Just Googled "dial indicator comparitor", imports are pretty cheap.Matt
Reply:Originally Posted by BoostinjdmMeasuring electrodes?
Reply:From a machining perspective your quality leaders will be starrett and Brown & Sharp - as far as imports go the only one in my shop I allowfor close tolerance work is mitutoyo.
Reply:Wouldn't a dial caliper work too? [ame]http://www.amazon.com/Mitutoyo-505-675-Dial-Caliper-White/dp/B001C13UOY/ref=sr_1_2?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1299943771&sr=  1-2[/ame]Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Originally Posted by SRO1911From a machining perspective your quality leaders will be starrett and Brown & Sharp - as far as imports go the only one in my shop I allowfor close tolerance work is mitutoyo.
Reply:The wear on the electrode after use is in the form of a pit or a hole. You need a dial indicator with a fairly narrow pin to measure the depth of this pit, as compared to a new one. The Hypertherm air plasma electrodes should be replaced when the pit depth is .016" deeper than that of a new electrode. You can use them longer, however after this amount of wear the electrode starts to spit some hafnium oxide inside the nozzle bore, and also starts to overheat, which can transmit more heat back into the torch. Cut quality suffers a bit in terms of dross and angualrity beyond this suggested wear rate as well.Jim Originally Posted by CEPWouldn't a dial caliper work too? http://www.amazon.com/Mitutoyo-505-6...9943771&sr=1-2
Reply:Originally Posted by jimcoltThe wear on the electrode after use is in the form of a pit or a hole. You need a dial indicator with a fairly narrow pin to measure the depth of this pit, as compared to a new one. The Hypertherm air plasma electrodes should be replaced when the pit depth is .016" deeper than that of a new electrode. You can use them longer, however after this amount of wear the electrode starts to spit some hafnium oxide inside the nozzle bore, and also starts to overheat, which can transmit more heat back into the torch. Cut quality suffers a bit in terms of dross and angualrity beyond this suggested wear rate as well.Jim
Reply:I can see it for CNC or production work, but in a home shop or occasional use I just toss 'em when they cut too crooked.  I'd go broke replacing them otherwise.My name's not Jim....
Reply:Get a real small ball bearing and use that with verniers..Measure it with the bearing in place before you start then upon inspection you will be able to tell how deep by the change in depth from the orig measurement with the ball....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:I kinda squint with my left eye and zero in with the right eye till I get a good visual of the pit. The depth gets rated at "not bad", "hmmm", "whoa" and then "holy keerap". The "not bads" and "hmmms" I keep runnin. The "whoas" get thrown in the just for back-up bin. The "holy keeraps" go straight in the can. "The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt
Reply:To me it is a waste of time to measure each electrode to determine the wear. Normally in an industrial application someone will go through a 5 gallon bucket full of used plasma consumable parts....saving the ones that still have some life left in them, and discarding the rest. In a case like this a dial indicator for checking electrode wear might make sense. Electrodes for the liquid cooled industrial high definition class plasma systems can cost between $12 and $20 each......they can last for 3 shifts of heavy plate cutting.On an air plasma system, for what you pay for an electrode ($2 to $4) or so.....is it really worth your time? My electrodes (Hypertherm Powermax45 and Powermax85) seem to last for months (realistically about 3 to 5 hours of arc on time) and when the pit appears to be about 1/16" deep, I replace with a new one. Most with a cnc machine in their shop like to be able to bill their time at about $100/hour. That means it costs about $1.66 if you spend a minute inspecting an electrode.It is best to have clean dry air, to have a plasma system that produces the longest consumable life (like a Hypertherm!), and change the consumables when the cut starts to suffer!Jim Colt
Reply:I can tell when a plasma tip has had it, no need for all that unless it is on a CNC table.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Originally Posted by jimcoltTo me it is a waste of time to measure each electrode to determine the wear. Normally in an industrial application someone will go through a 5 gallon bucket full of used plasma consumable parts....saving the ones that still have some life left in them, and discarding the rest. In a case like this a dial indicator for checking electrode wear might make sense. Electrodes for the liquid cooled industrial high definition class plasma systems can cost between $12 and $20 each......they can last for 3 shifts of heavy plate cutting.On an air plasma system, for what you pay for an electrode ($2 to $4) or so.....is it really worth your time? My electrodes (Hypertherm Powermax45 and Powermax85) seem to last for months (realistically about 3 to 5 hours of arc on time) and when the pit appears to be about 1/16" deep, I replace with a new one. Most with a cnc machine in their shop like to be able to bill their time at about $100/hour. That means it costs about $1.66 if you spend a minute inspecting an electrode.It is best to have clean dry air, to have a plasma system that produces the longest consumable life (like a Hypertherm!), and change the consumables when the cut starts to suffer!Jim Colt
Reply:I use this one frequently for bearing stand off. I would recommend it over a mag base, way easier to use for this purpose. They also go on sale a lot for 29.99.http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?P...AKA=TN625-8511Last edited by rangair94; 03-13-2011 at 10:38 PM.AllenSA-250LN-25Smith heavy duty OABobcat 250 at workMiller 210 at work