Has any one used dial indicators to level platens?

[DannyGruninger]

I've been thinking about this as well. Action used to make something but they stopped making it.

You’ll have yours soon and it works well

[Nation03]

While we're on the topic. I know of the flood bar method, but was wondering if your print head is slightly off on the level, should you make your floodbar equally as off to be in plain with the printhead? Probably need an entirely different thread and photos for this, but I threw a level on my printhead yesterday and noticed the bubble was slightly over to the right and was thinking when I go to check parallel I should set my flood bar also slightly to the right? Everything is printing fine for now but I'm just trying to get a better idea of how I should do this when the time comes.

[LuckyFlyinROUSH]

What type of press do you have?

Can you post a picture of which way you have your level on the print head? Longways down the tube going to the center, or left to right?

Might want to start with the base of the press and make sure its level first.

[Nation03]

What type of press do you have?

Can you post a picture of which way you have your level on the print head? Longways down the tube going to the center, or left to right?

Might want to start with the base of the press and make sure its level first.

M&R Diamondback S. Level was left to right when it was slightly off. When I put it down the tube it was perfectly level. When I have a screen clamped in and put the level on the frame left to right it's perfectly level as well so I guess that has to do with the screen hangers. However, when I place the level on the flood bar and make it level, it looks like one side of the pallets is a littler higher on each pallet consistently, which is leading me to believe that I did something wrong or I'm missing something. I don't plan on making any adjustments soon since it was installed last month but I just wanted to get familiar with the process.

[Rockers]

I would actually recommend  digital dial indicators as I have suggested to Action a long time ago. Makes reading the dial indicator so much easier.

[Rockers]

Yes and it is a fantastic idea. We do it on all installs.

Step #1 build a fixture that hooks to a head and fans out to each pallet corner
Step #2 manually level one pallet to the head using conventional leveling scheme
Step #3 place fixture on the head
Step #4 raise pallets
Step #5 zero out all dial indicators
Step #6 bring each pallet around the the same spot and bring indicators to as close to zero as possible
Remember they are crazy accurate so don’t get to crazy on exactly 0.000

Common mistakes: Do not tighten any leveling bolt until all indicators equal 0. If you move one corner to zero and tighten down that nut, you will then bend warp all the others corners. Make sure the pallet is level on its own without being forced into level.

Hope this helps

Would you be so kind sharing a photo of your construction please. Would love to visualize it.

[Maxie]

This is my homemade measure.
I clamp it onto the head so if I slide the head backwards and forwards I can measure the height front to back and if I turn the pallets I can measure all the pallets side to side or just measure in the middle.
The measure is a 3/8 threaded arm with two nuts so I can adjust it up and down.
The digital measure is from Harbour Freight.

[Logoman]

Anyone have a video of leveling Platens?

[RICK STEFANICK]

Anyone have a video of leveling Platens?

I think Dave Filip at Bimmridder apparel may have one. He has a custom made set up for doing that. He is no longer active here but loves to help out and advise other printers,you will find him to be a wealth of accurate information.you can reach him at 319.364.3479