iGaging digital probe indicator?

[MidniteMachinist]

Just curious if THIS PROBE would be compatible with the iGaging version of theTouchDRO board. I think it would make a handy addition to my lathe, and could be installed as the Y axis (then renamed). It would make centering work in the 4 jaw more convenient, among other uses.

[Yuriy]

Just curious if THIS PROBE would be compatible with the iGaging version of theTouchDRO board. I think it would make a handy addition to my lathe, and could be installed as the Y axis (then renamed). It would make centering work in the 4 jaw more convenient, among other uses.

It uses the "AbsoluteDRO Plus" head (judging from the picture), so unless iGaging did something weird, it should work. Just curious, though, why would you need to have it connected to the DRO to center work in a chuck? A simple dial indicator seems to be a much less cumbersome tool.

[MidniteMachinist]

I think it would be handy to have this as a dedicated indicator for my lathe, with the measurement displayed alongside the DRO readouts. Use it to indicate in on a 4 jaw, align the toolpost, set the compound with a sine bar, use it to check a taper, etc.. . All the usual indicating, but I wouldn't have to worry so much about placement (no dial to see), and I wouldn't have to fiddle with zeroing a dial. I can just position the probe, and do all the fiddling up on the display.

I dunno. Just sounds cool to me, and I feel like it'll be one of those things I don't know all the possible uses for, but I will, and be glad it's there. Plus, I suppose I have a habit of making my life simpler in needlessly complicated ways.

[Ralphxyz]

Wow $149.95 seems a bit much. What exactly does this probe do? It looks like it is measuring a distance.
I thought a probe was only needed to measure on/off contact with a surface.
Always new things to learn.

Ralph

[MidniteMachinist]

It's basically a digital dial indicator, minus the dial. I intend to use it as a dedicated indicator on my lathe, with the readout displayed under the Z- and X-axis readout. I suppose it's sorta superfluous, but I think it would be very handy. And the half-tenths resolution is nice, too.

[bthompson]

I use these probes in conjunction with X-Y micrometer stages to measure and align parts with a very (<1") range. They are very accurate and allow me to avoid cutting the 6" iGaging scale for such a small stroke while also allowing me to keep my inspection station down.