Author Topic: Simple Dividing Head  (Read 22951 times)

Offline swilliams

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Simple Dividing Head
« on: October 22, 2013, 02:08:05 PM »
I started this ages ago and then put it aside. Lately I was watching youtube videos by a fella called Doubleboost who built a dividing head and got re-enthused to finish my simple one off.

The dividing head will only have a 24 index plate, but I can make other index plates later if I want to. My idea is to make it so that I can put it in the mill vise and also attach it to the topslide of the lathe. The lathe is good for drilling PCD holes on the face of something. It will have a spindle nose to match my lathe with a 3MT in the guts.

So starting with the spindle



roughing the outside



Needing to really bury the drill in the material



Then touching up my 3/4" drill before burying it too





Now I bored each end out a little for sticking some plugs in



Here's a plug turned up to be a press fit in one end



Then the plugs allowed me to put it between centres. I'm using a dead centre in the tailstock and the one in the headstock was trued up in situ. So the spindle should be running dead true for replicating the nose.



With the nose finished, I screwed the catch plate onto it and roughed out the other side with a pin in another faceplate on the lathe.

So that's where my spindle is at. I then left it sitting on the bench for six months and moved onto the body. More on that when I get around to my next post, hopefully soon.

thanks for looking
Steve

Offline steamer

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2013, 02:21:56 PM »
You've been reading my mind Steve.   I have something brewing....but I'm still in the design phase.....I'm watching!

Dave
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Offline Don1966

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2013, 05:51:37 PM »
Hi Steve, I am little curious here and will be tuning in to see how it all unfolds. I thought you already had a VDH.

Don

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2013, 10:44:01 PM »
Thanks guys

Dave - sounds pretty cool, maybe I'll hit on the odd idea that you can cherry pick

Don - I have some castings for the VDH, but haven't built it. I did build the pillar tool. The main feature this will have is that I can put it in and out of the mill vice in seconds.

Cheers
Steve

Offline steamer

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2013, 11:20:14 PM »
Still reading my mind Steve!   I'm working on a vise mounted unit also!

Dave
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Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #5 on: October 23, 2013, 12:00:56 AM »
Cool Dave - I've got to the stage where everything is pretty set in stone steel now. So no use me trying to extract any of your ideas. Will be be most interested to see how you go about it of course.

Anyway, I'm off to work
Steve

Offline steamer

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2013, 01:31:44 AM »
OK....state of the state....I think it's coming along.

The vise jaws are shown either side of the body for reference ( My 4" Glacern Vise)
I've based this fairly closely to the VDH, but of bar stock
The spindle lock is on top with the over arm locks to get it out of the way of the vise jaws
The center height of the spindle is 2.56 inches to match my Southbend height from the top of the cross slide.
I have grooves down either side to allow for clamping to the cross slide directly.
I'll be putting a bolt on lip to locate the spindle square to the cross slide
The second photo shows the head at 30 degrees in the vise.
I moved the over arm out 1/32" to CLEAR a 2" diameter work piece.
The spindle nose is 1.5 x 8 with a 1.509" register diameter and the bore is 3C for use with a stub draw bar.
No tailstock...just the overarm.   Anything over 2" I can do in the big dividing head.

Constructive Comments welcome!

Dave
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Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2013, 01:49:50 AM »
Looks good Dave. Yours is a lot more sophisticated than mine will be. I'm putting a 3rd MT in mine and using the lathe's 3C collet adaptor. That way I can pass a 20mm bar through it. Have you thought about whether the front sticks out past the vice enough, you want to be able to have room for a decent sized chuck? You can always make the spindle a little longer if necessary.

All up, I like it!
Steve

Offline steamer

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2013, 02:04:27 AM »
Looks good Dave. Yours is a lot more sophisticated than mine will be. I'm putting a 3rd MT in mine and using the lathe's 3C collet adaptor. That way I can pass a 20mm bar through it. Have you thought about whether the front sticks out past the vice enough, you want to be able to have room for a decent sized chuck? You can always make the spindle a little longer if necessary.

All up, I like it!
Steve

Great points Steve...I'll look at that!

Dave
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Offline Don1966

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #9 on: October 23, 2013, 02:13:18 AM »
I ilke it Dave, but I would move the spindle locking pad to the opposite side away from the over arm pads,they might create problems. I agree with Steve on spindle length also.

Don

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #10 on: October 23, 2013, 09:22:47 AM »
Next instalment



Inside thread for the spindle retaining nut. This nut will also end up having the division plate mounted on it



family shot as I left it six odd months ago. The block will be the body. Onto the new stuff :)



Knocking the block into shape on my shaper. My shaper has a auto-feed to go up and down as well as side to side. Quite handy for this sort of thing  :DrinkPint:



Finished it off on the mill with a fly cutter. Here's how it will fit on the topslide.



Sliced a bit of steel down the long line to get a bit to make an extra long t-nut. I finally got my horizontal bandsaw cutting nice and straight



Here's the long nut. I'll make a stradle clamp for the dividing head.





bored out an 11/16" hole in the side to put a clamping cotter in.

That's getting pretty close to me being up to date. I'm gonna try and buy some bar on Saturday morning to make a between centres boring bar. Then I can bore the guts out and get more serious about finishing off the spindle.

 :cheers:
Steve

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #11 on: October 24, 2013, 01:11:46 PM »
I rough bored the body out tonight



You can see the locking cotter sticking out



On Saturday morning I'll attempt to get some steel bar to make a between centres boring bar. Then I'll finish bore it with it bolted onto the topslide.

 :DrinkPint:
Steve

Offline Don1966

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #12 on: October 25, 2013, 04:56:57 AM »
Looking good from here Steve. What's holding the locking cotter in place? Did you go all the way thought?
 :noidea:

Don

Offline steamer

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #13 on: October 25, 2013, 05:13:38 AM »
Looks Awesome Steve!

Dave
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Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #14 on: October 25, 2013, 05:30:04 AM »
Thanks guys.

Don - There's a 6mm cap screw around the other side. I counter bored it so that I can still bolt it down on the topslide to finish off the boring. The cotter comes up against a shoulder.

Steve

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #15 on: October 27, 2013, 01:43:35 AM »
So I made a boring bar and a clamping strap,





and finished off the boring on the topslide. The front face was squared up with a flycutter before I took it off the topslide.



above the cotter after the boring. I'll cut it in half next.



and the spindle in place after some more turning.

cheers
Steve

Offline steamer

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #16 on: October 27, 2013, 02:54:40 AM »
Looking great man!    I see your going to use it on top of the compound?...at least you can set the angle with the protractor!

Dave
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Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #17 on: October 27, 2013, 03:44:13 AM »
Thanks Dave

Yep, will use it ontop of the compound for the odd bit of drilling PCDs. Main use will be in the milling machine vice though. Yep can tilt the compound if necessary (I keep calling it the topslide), probably won't end up doing that much though.

Steve

Offline Don1966

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #18 on: October 27, 2013, 03:48:31 AM »
Looking good Steve and you never know when you'll be using it on the lathe. Nice to know you can though, great work bud.  :ThumbsUp:

Don

Offline Ginger Nut

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #19 on: October 27, 2013, 04:46:49 AM »
I like what I see and sticking my chair in the corner to watch this WiP even tho I have been following Doubleboosts on his Utube channel I need to learn as much as I can quickly. I know doing is better way to learn. :facepalm:

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #20 on: November 02, 2013, 02:26:42 AM »
Thanks Don and Ging

I've done more stuff.



Cutting the thread on the back for the thrust nut come indexing plate.



turning the outside of the nut. It's made out of hex because I got some hex just over 2" AF from a scrap metal place cheap.



So now the nut is set up on the rotary table with a spacer between it and the table



Then I cut 24 slots in with a 1mm module gear cutter. It's the cutter you use for cutting a rack, so the sides will be very close to straight with a 20deg angle between them.



So here's the nut mounted on the back with various holes. 3 holes for grub screws with copper pads under them to secure the nut and a number of other holes just spotted. This means I have marks for dividing 3, 4 and 6.

Next will be boring out the 3MT taper at the front of the spindle.

May post more later if I can get it together.

Cheers
Steve

Offline Don1966

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #21 on: November 02, 2013, 02:41:46 AM »
Hi Steve, I have had trouble using the copper pads to lock my VDH. It seems to slip even when I have them fully torqued. What I did with my Myford nose spindle attachment was to mill three flats on the shaft and then lock it in place, no more slipping.

Don

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #22 on: November 02, 2013, 03:13:09 AM »
Interesting Don! I'll see how it goes, I could always put some weak loctite in there.

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #23 on: November 03, 2013, 12:58:27 AM »
So I had a interesting problem pop up and learnt a thing or two on the way, but more on that shortly



Above is my setup for boring out the 3rd MT in the spindle. It's held against the centre in the headstock with some cable ties and the front is in the fixed steady. This means it is running dead true with the axis correctly in line. Just putting it in a 4 jaw chuck won't do that so reliably.



So the Morse taper turned out running dead true, but not so the thread  :toilet_claw:  My lathe doesn't use the register to locate sideways, rather it locates on the thread and the face behind it. After much head scratching the problem dawned on me. The thrust face on my lathe's leadscrew is not true, I presume it is worn. The spindle pitch is the same as the leadscrew and so the end effect is that the thread is just like it was cut out of true.



So here's the spindle set up running true in the 4 jaw with a small backplate screwed on. Because the face has already been turned true, it doesn't matter if the axis isn't dead on line. The backplate has had it's OD turned in place on the lathe, so that is what I want to run true, i.e. I can test it. After some careful planning and measuring with a dial indicator I was able to juggle the tumbler gears and remove the high spots off the offending area.

I realise this is complicated and I've skipped over it pretty quick, but I don't want to write a huge essay on it. If part needs clarification I'm happy to answer questions though.



So here it is, the finished spindle complete with thread that results in the chucks running true. Anyway I'll have to add fixing up my leadscrew to my "to do" list.

Cheers
Steve

Offline steamer

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #24 on: November 03, 2013, 01:20:14 AM »
Great job on that Steve, that's the way to do it.   

Dave
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Offline Don1966

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #25 on: November 03, 2013, 02:17:35 AM »
Hi Steve, I get the part about the lead screw, but not quiet sure what all you have said. I am glad you were able to sort it out. I probably would of never figured it out, lack of experience. Looks like it came out great bud.

Don

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #26 on: November 03, 2013, 03:01:12 AM »
Thanks Dave and Don

Don, I'll try and do a sketch later on to show what's going on.

Steve

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #27 on: November 04, 2013, 11:22:55 AM »
So here's a small sketch to try and explain the problem a bit better



The tool oscillates side to side, relative to where it should be, once per rev. This is because the thrust face on the leadscrew is not true and because the leadscrew has the same pitch as the spindle nose. It's only the "Face A" that the chuck registers on, so due to the angle on the tool the error translates and becomes equivalent to the nose running out of true. Effectively just like what would happen if you used an inaccurate 3 jaw chuck to hold the job in.

I've now pulled the gearbox off my lathe and have the leadscrew out. The thrust face is on the gear and there is a small amount of wear, say 1 thou tops. But the gear face butts up against a machined surface on the gear box that isn't round. I think I can see where it is going wrong. I'm going to face the outside of the gear down a little and leave a smaller diameter for the thrust face. This reduced diameter will be against the machined surface all the time and should fix the problem.

Hope this makes sense,
Steve

Offline Don1966

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #28 on: November 04, 2013, 01:29:20 PM »
Thanks Steve it is very clear. Are you going to show us photos of the problem and the fix?


Don

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #29 on: November 04, 2013, 09:47:28 PM »
Will do Don

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #30 on: November 07, 2013, 01:23:17 PM »
Ok here's some shots which show what's going on with my leadscrew



above is the gearbox! the vacant hole is what the leadscrew goes through and the offending face can be seen. The one surface is shared with the mating gear meaning the outside diameter of the gear can touch the face around the point it mates with the other gear.



so this is the face of the gear. There's the odd bur and nastiness on the face of the gear teeth that goes against the gearbox casting. That's the source of my problems. I'll mount the gear in the lathe, cut the diameter that is contact with the face down smaller and reface it. More on that later.



These are the locknuts that hold that gear on the leadscrew. They have the odd dag as well, which can't help. I've cleaned them up with a file and deburring tool.

Anyways I pulled the apron off while I had the leadscrew out



I've had this lathe for 26 years and never pulled the apron off, so was expecting alot of crap to be in there. It wasn't so bad.



Anyway I cleaned the apron up. It's all good on that front now.

Then finally another detour



while I've got things apart I decided I should machine the back of the saddle so that I can use this taper attachment that I've got.

That's it for now

Steve

Offline Don1966

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #31 on: November 07, 2013, 11:17:15 PM »
Ah! That's what I wanted to see. Doesn't look to bad Steve.


Don

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #32 on: November 07, 2013, 11:31:33 PM »
Hi Don

Yep, I'm hopeful that it will come good without hassle

Steve

Offline steamer

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #33 on: November 08, 2013, 12:33:20 AM »
Did you get the rebuild kit Steve?

Dave
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Damned ijjit!

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #34 on: November 08, 2013, 05:50:58 AM »
Na no rebuild kit Dave. Now that you mention it I should buy one to have for next time, so thanks for making me think of that. The pin from the key in the worm has been peened over and I'll have to file it out to get that apart. Overall things were pretty good, so I'm happy to put it back together.

Steve

Offline steamer

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #35 on: November 08, 2013, 09:56:53 AM »
That pin came out with the key on mine.

Get the rebuild kit with the book...it's worth it!

Dave
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Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #36 on: November 09, 2013, 12:13:43 AM »
Yep mine is the same Dave. It's just the pin is mushroomed over a little on the outside, so it doesn't want to come out. Anyway I'm happy with how the apron is.

Got the book, I just need to get the rebuild kit. I'll get onto it.

Steve

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #37 on: November 09, 2013, 12:29:35 AM »
Once in a blue moon it actually pays to have a horizontal milling machine and there appears to be a blue moon.





My saddle is sitting on the mill table on a couple of bits of 1/2" round.



There is a slot milled for a key that aligns the taper attachment and a couple of holes drilled and tapped.



So the saddle is all finished off. Now to fix the thrust face and put it all back together. That is the task I've set myself for today.

Steve

Offline Don1966

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #38 on: November 09, 2013, 01:24:13 AM »
Cool Steve, I like your taper attachment. Your bed ways look like that have just been scraped. Have you had it resurfaced lately?

Don

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #39 on: November 09, 2013, 01:33:35 AM »
Hi Don

The bed was scraped by the guy I bought it off. He was an old retired machine tool reconditioner. I guess things wear pretty slow when you keep it oiled and don't have abrasive grit on the bed. Either that or I just haven't used it enough  :Lol:

Steve
« Last Edit: November 09, 2013, 06:50:19 AM by swilliams »

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #40 on: November 09, 2013, 10:45:58 PM »
Got my lathe back together. Gonna do a test today and see if I can fix up an adapter I made to screw chucks onto my rotary table. Will report back later

Steve

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #41 on: November 11, 2013, 11:35:45 AM »
Well I did my test and things are certainly a lot better. Could still be improved. I think I made the thrust on the leadscrew a bit too tight. Anyway I'll leave it for the time being, it may loosen up a little.

Back onto the dividing head



This plate will bolt onto the main body of the dividing head and hold the indexing plunger. I've screwcut a 5/8" x 24TPI thread to screw the plunger into. Next I'll attempt to make the plunger.

Cheers
Steve

Offline steamer

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #42 on: November 11, 2013, 11:39:28 AM »
Glad you got it all back together!....setting the clearance on those lead-screw bearings is really tough.  I still wonder if I set mine right!

Dave
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Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #43 on: November 11, 2013, 11:51:31 AM »
Thanks Dave

Yes it's a PITA. I think you want it to turn nice and free. If it's a little tight and is tighter in one spot then there will be a periodic stress which equals an error. Lot of gears and shafts for a small fluctuation in torque to lead to a small error; kinda like dragging a block over a surface with varying friction using a piece of elastic. If you drag the elastic at constant speed, the block won't move at constant speed. At least that's how I'm thinking.

Cheers
Steve

Offline steamer

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #44 on: November 11, 2013, 11:58:02 AM »
I hear ya.

Connolly states the free motion of that thrust bearing is supposed to be .0003"....except I don't think this design is remotely capable of that level of adjustment....so ....you do the best you can....considering there are MILLIONS of these lathes out in the wild....I guess it works right?

Dave
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Damned ijjit!

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #45 on: November 11, 2013, 12:12:16 PM »
Yep it works, as you know. I don't think it matters if there's backlash for the usual reason. A friend at work who has a Schaublin told me his lathe has opposed taper rollers on the leadscrew. Obviously we aren't going to get close to them for pitch accuracy with our little 9"s. Interesting that Schaublin often didn't use a screwcutting box. Being Schaublin it wasn't to cut cost, so maybe they thought it compromised accuracy slightly.

Getting a thread accurate enough to locate a nut with accurate concentricity just using a face with no spigot is a tough ask. If the  thread is not accurate it will still repeat with accuracy, but if you make a second spindle thread on a different lathe, then you're in trouble. My experience with swapping chucks between these lathes say the originals had much more accurate threads than I can cut, well that was always a given  :Lol: 

Steve

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #46 on: November 11, 2013, 12:29:55 PM »
Come to think of it, if you make a second spindle on the same lathe you're in trouble.

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #47 on: November 12, 2013, 11:59:56 AM »
Made the next bit



which is the piece that will hold the plunger which engages the index wheel.



and a bit of a mock up of how it will go together

 :cheers:
Steve

Offline Don1966

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #48 on: November 12, 2013, 01:56:25 PM »
Cool Steve, is that the last piece you have to make?

Don

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #49 on: November 12, 2013, 09:21:08 PM »
Getting close Don

I need to make the plunger, a thimble for the plunger, a spring and a ball handle. I'm going down to Melbourne next week. If I have the patience I'll take a leaf out of your book, get some brass while I'm down there and make the ball handle out of that. Failing that I'll make it out of steel.

Steve

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #50 on: November 14, 2013, 09:31:47 AM »
So I thought I'd try some bootstrapping



using a dial indicator to locate the indexing plate, I put a couple of spanner flats on the plunger housing.



Then I turned up the plunger and milled the end with the same rack gear cutter I used earlier.



even fits a spanner

Steve

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #51 on: November 18, 2013, 10:38:58 AM »
More to report



I finished off my plunger mechanism. Here's the whole shooting match mounted on the lathe topslide.



Then I started on a ball handle to lock the spindle. My ball turner is an old one that I built to Radford's design back in my teens. It's rusty and a little rough but still does the job. I might build another one one day.



So that's as far as I got with my ball handle. I'll do the rest in about a week when I get a chance to get back in the shop.

So my dividing head's all but finished. I need to make a draw bar for my 3C collets, but I think I'll leave that for a while. I want to get back onto my radial engine.

Cheers
Steve

Offline steamer

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #52 on: November 18, 2013, 11:32:55 AM »
That looks the business Steve!

I'm waiting till winter for my"vise divider" to start...though I have the tooling set aside.

Dave
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Damned ijjit!

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #53 on: November 18, 2013, 09:50:00 PM »
Thanks Dave

I'll be following your thread when you get going

Steve

Offline Don1966

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #54 on: November 19, 2013, 12:47:03 AM »
Nice job Steve, you know it just occurred to me that you had bored it on the cross slide. See looks good up there buddy. How much trouble is it to align?

Don

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #55 on: November 19, 2013, 01:29:39 AM »
Thanks Don

I don't find it too bad to align, can just run a dial indicator along it. I'm not sure if I'll use it on the lathe that often, but it's nice to have the option :)

Steve

Offline metalmad

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #56 on: November 19, 2013, 08:25:36 AM »
Hay Steve
That thing looks fantastic :ThumbsUp:
Pete
A little bit every day, sometimes the same little bit

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #57 on: November 19, 2013, 10:24:44 PM »
Thanks Pete

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #58 on: November 27, 2013, 10:36:23 AM »
Ok, I'm calling this thing finished with this post



Continuing with my ball handle and shamelessly stealing some techniques from the Quorn tool & cutter grinder book. This will hold the big end of the ball handle.



This is a ring to clamp on the outside of the previous piece. The slot is milled in at an angle so the handle can go through later.



turning the middle section



then face off at an angle and drill and tap.



So here's the finished contraption. There is one thing left to do, and that's to make a draw bar for my 3C collets. But I'll leave that for another day, i.e. when I want to use a 3C collet in it.

So I'm pretty happy with how it turned out and I'm calling it finished.

Steve

Offline steamer

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #59 on: November 27, 2013, 10:49:24 AM »
Well done Steve....can't wait to see her in action!....I can see a need for this in my shop, leaving the mill vise where it is for most dividing.  I often just set up on the F1 due to the speed at which I can set up a dividing head...but it's limited in size, and is not as convenient.    Hence why I'm looking at it.

Like yours, it will drop right in the mill vise and go, or ....set up on the lathe cross slide and be on center.

I'll end up with 3 separate ranges/standards of lathe/mill tooling......5C, 3C and W12....which I hope will promote flexibility and reduce set up time.

Dave
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline Jo

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #60 on: November 27, 2013, 10:57:14 AM »
Nice :ThumbsUp:

Like Dave I also seem to have a multitude of standards: 5C, ER32, BCA,  W12, 200DA  :lolb: If you only have one you are lucky  ;)

Jo
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Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #61 on: November 27, 2013, 11:06:46 AM »
Thanks Dave and Jo

I also have 8mm and ER25 collets. I want to get a bigger lathe that can take 5C collets with a draw tube, but I have some workshop moves in my future and maybe I'll move some distance; so I'm holding off on buying anything heavy. Actually I have a self imposed machine buying ban on, which is tough  :'(

Steve

Offline steamer

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #62 on: November 27, 2013, 11:12:55 AM »
Sorry to hear that Steve....you can never have too many tools.....but definitely too many collets!.... :lolb:

I have W20 also...and a few 8mm...but they're odd balls.

Dave
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline Jo

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #63 on: November 27, 2013, 11:15:42 AM »
but I have some workshop moves in my future  :o and maybe I'll move some distance  :o  :o; ..... Actually I have a self imposed machine buying ban on  :'(,

Steve

I have only had to move my workshop once and I hired a company that did professional workshop moving.

:hellno: Never again, however nice the fella enticement is :disappointed:, never again  :ShakeHead:

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #64 on: November 27, 2013, 11:48:19 AM »
Too many collets is not a bad way to be though Dave :) Problem is I'm having a hard time thinking of what tools I really need that I don't have these days. It's not the same when a new purchase doesn't transform your workshop capabilities.

My workshop is a hell of a lot more move friendly than yours Jo. I could always resort to selling my milling machine, I want a bigger one. If I get really desperate I'll sell my shaper too. Anyways I'll have to wait and see what happens with my job here. One way or another I'm going to find a permenent location with workshop, in the next 12 months or so. If I sell machines I'm replacing them with something better  :DrinkPint:

Steve


Offline steamer

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #65 on: November 27, 2013, 11:56:07 AM »
I hear you Steve...I'm finding that in some respects "Less is more".   I don't have  a lot of room (11'4" x 18')   so I need to economize.   So at the moment, I'm thinking systems.... I need to promote synergy between the lathes/mills I have.....and adapt to more time effective methods.    This little gadget looks to be a winner in my book...it would seem that Arnold thinks so too..... 8)

Thanks for taking the time and effort to post it bud! :ThumbsUp:

Dave   
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline Meldonmech

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #66 on: November 27, 2013, 12:36:54 PM »
Hi

               I do like to see guys re enthused, it is so easy to be distracted these days, there always seems to something needing fixing. I was talking to an engineering friend about some little domestic item that had loose screw, he said that will have to wait till my son comes round. I said can't you fix it, he said I have no tools, if you have tools you get jobs.  Now your projects resurrected it coming on really well.
                                                Cheers   David

Offline ozzie46

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #67 on: November 27, 2013, 01:16:15 PM »
  Very nicely done Steve. I'm sure it will be boon to your workshop.
 Filed away fro future use.

 Ron

Offline Dave Otto

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #68 on: November 27, 2013, 04:35:26 PM »
Nice job Steve!
I also like your ball handle tooling; looks like it makes an easy job of it.

Dave

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #69 on: November 27, 2013, 04:36:06 PM »
Nicely Done Steve  :ThumbsUp: - that will come in handy.

I hope things go well with your planning - it's a bummer to be left in a "What's going to happen? " position.

Someone recently asked me what I'm going to do when I move one day...  Told them in no uncertain terms that unless something catastrophic happens requiring a move, I'm going to stay put and hopefully retire in my current house.

Kind regards, Arnold
Building an engine takes Patience, Planning, Preparation and Machining.
Procrastination is nearly the same, but it precludes machining.
Thus, an engine will only be built once the procrastination stops and the machining begins!

Offline Don1966

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #70 on: November 27, 2013, 08:18:20 PM »
Nice handle Steve I like it. My I make a suggestion, that you pin the bottom once you have it aligned on your cross slide. Make it removable in case you want to put it at an angle. Hope things work out for you with moving.


Don

Offline swilliams

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Re: Simple Dividing Head
« Reply #71 on: November 28, 2013, 12:56:26 AM »
Thanks for the kind words everyone

Arnold - I like the sound of your plan. Think I need to arrange things that way.

Don - that's a good suggestion. I'll put it down as a get around to it job.

 :cheers:
Steve

 

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