Repairing analog dial gauges

diopter

diopter

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Recently brought home an abused dial gauge from work that's been unused for about 20 years. It was stuck and has a badly cracked bezel.
Managed to get it moving and now wondering if I should bother trying to calibrate the hands to Zero. Small hand zeros at .05". Never removed the gears but there always a first time.


 
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Then using a dial indicator you pre-load the plunger about .010" to .020". At that time you can bring the needle to the zero mark.
You can also loosen lock and turn the bezel to bring the zero mark to the needle. It would be pointless to try aligning needle and the zero mark.
 
remp49 said:
Then using a dial indicator you pre-load the plunger about .010" to .020". At that time you can bring the needle to the zero mark.
You can also loosen lock and turn the bezel to bring the zero mark to the needle. It would be pointless to try aligning needle and the zero mark.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you WANT to have to preload the indicator to the zero mark, else you have no idea if you are in contact or not.

If you wanted to set the rev counter to start at or near zero, pop the lens off the front and use a pair of very small pry bars to lift the hand off it's pinion, and then rotate it around and replace by pressing on with light finger pressure.
Slide a piece of paper with a slit in it, under the hand to protect the face of the indicator.

Look around the web for examples of watch hand removal. Here. https://www.google.com/search?q=wat...XRi54KHSzjDM0Q_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1920&bih=938

You can buy special tools for it, but it takes a few seconds to make a serviceable set. Have used a set of nail clippers to lift hands too.
 
good for the experiment to repair, but those Kar dials are cheap disposables.

https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwzZw6FLeTREPtbrrjSrkNr8RQ3xmfwtF

This series is helpful, but my neighbour has all the gear to repair, clean and set crystals in anything of mine beyond a tekclock worth repairing. He does a better job than I ever could.

To remove the bezel on yours I believe the little screw tab on the bottom left of your video needs to be loosened and the tab slid back before the bezel and crystal can pop off.
 
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This Starrett Shows what I am aiming for. Small hand just right of zero to get some preload movement.


Btw hicstick_10, there is a small screw from inside the back to release the bezel dial rim and a spring on the rim
 
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You realize the bezel is meant to be moved and zeroed every time you use it, right? You don't "calibrate" the main bezel. Load up the plunger, pull it back to give it a snap, then zero the bezel. The small hand is only there to tell you how many full turns on the main dial, it's just a rough counter.

Unless I'm missing what you're trying to say. If you're talking about where the main pointer sits at rest (9 o'clock) just pop it off and reposition it. They are just on with a taper.
 
^ Zeroing with some preload, the small hand that gives you the 0.1" spacing for each full turn of the large hand. Like what I show with the Starret Gauge.
 
Ok, just grab some tweezers or small pliers and pull the indicators off, then press them back on where you want them. They are just on a taper press fit.
 
Done.


Used angled tweezer to remove and lever off the hands, and a nail punch by hand to seat them.
 
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