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• This is essentially a dial indicator with a very short, very wide plunger that only moves a few millimeters. It’s meant to measure the position of a cutting bit mounted in a milling machine.

• Dial indicators are often mounted on a magnetic base, which clamps itself to a cast iron surface on a lathe or milling machine. A lever magically turns the permanent magnet on and off.

• This reasonably good dial indicator has divisions of 0.001mm (about 1/20,000 inch). The big pointer makes one full revolution per 0.1mm, while the small pointer goes around once per 5mm. Over its 5mm (about ¼ inch) range, the main pointers turns fifty times. (Which means that when you push the rod in, the pointer spins fast!)

• It is in the nature of digital measuring devices to have very low backlash: there are no gears, so as long as the rod slides with minimal friction, there is no other source of backlash.

• This dial indicator has a hinged lever instead of a straight rod.

• Dial Indicator

• This basic dial indicator has divisions of 0.01mm. The big pointer makes one revolution per millimeter, while the small pointer goes around once per 10mm. Over the 10mm range of the instrument the dial turns ten times.

Do you have a better example of this kind of tool? Let me know by leaving a comment, and include a picture of it if you can so everyone can see!