Thread: Tentative Turning - Modifications to a Chinese Indicator Stand

Whilst my shed is not a homage to Chinese industry I will admit I do own some Chinese tools, a bandsaw, a handful of collet chucks and their collets, a couple of toolholders and two 19 dollar mini magnetic indicator stands. A couple of weeks ago I picked up a nice Compac magnetic stand. Not much more than a small pot magnet with a pair of arms attached. What endeared me to this little stand was its ease of use. No buttons to push or levers to turn to disengage the magnet. Simply tilting the magnet enables its release. The only down side of the Compac is its inability ( at present )to hold DTIs by their dovetails.

So this morning I had a closer look at one of the 19 buck jobbies. My plan was to mount the articulated arm on a beater Eclipse magnet I've had laying around for years. Eclipse supply their pot magnets tapped M6. The Chinese arm mounting screw was 3/16". The hex at the base of the ball was smaller than the ball. I thought of setting it in a vice and either using a drill or mill to drill the 5mm tapping hole. Then I found a plastic grinding wheel centre sleeve that was a neat fit over the ball. Seemed like a good idea that would enable holding in a 3 jaw. Didn't work. The risk was snapping the insert which cost me half as much as the entire stand.

Brass shim worked. Held the ball, mar free, well enough to enable turning off the 3/16" thread ( left on to aid in centring with the tailstock rather than being hacksawed off ). drilling and starting the thread .

A 6mm socket set screw installed in the magnet and the job was done.

I decided to dismantle both of the mag bases, neither of which functioned particularly well, the reason for the transplant. The donor stand base internals were crudely finished in contrast to the other base which featured a more sophisticated and complex design. After removing swarf from within both bases the crude version outperforms its comrade in smoothness of operation.

These things aren't Nogas but for the outlay they aren't too bad, especially after a clean.

BT