OLD Hardinge off the "bay"

[steamer]

Put a bit of work into this one, but I think it came out great!

I did a complete tear down, remade some missing parts, and then made 3 brand new division plates.    I also put a new plunger spring in and converted the plunger over to a GHT VDH style locking plunger.    The head is a Hardinge from the 30's I believe, and takes 3C collets and has a 1.320-8 spindle thread....which is a bit odd ball.   The attraction to this was it will fit in my 4" vise at a moments notice.    My second choice was going to be a VDH....but this got me there more quickly.     I did the engraving at the same time as the rest of it,  just a tool change.

It has some peculiar assembly nuts, that require pin spanners of wierd sizes.....that's next on the list....and a box

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ol0Q6PWTUmg

[cnr6400]

 

[propforward]

Great result on that.

[steamer]

I plan on.making a few GHT accessories for into make setting it up quick and easy.  A half center is one thing.

[Jo]

Looking good, your CNC makes drilling those plates so easy. 

I remember drilling the ones for my GHT dividing heads, using the DRO circle function on H who does not have a quill feed 

Jo

[john mills]

Hi
 those index plates look good  the CNC machine must have helped .
John

[Chipswitheverything]

I also have memories of drilling the three plates for my GHT dividing head, using George Thomas's method of the micro attachment and tabulated data, and the mini drill on the pillar tool. With the 3/32" stub drills supplied by Hemingway Tools with the casting kit...   Rather a lot of concentration needed!  Turned out fine, but though I look at the set of plates now and then, I don't think I have ever used other than the 60 hole circle that is part of the set up for generating the other holes.  Perhaps I ought to make a Sun and Planet Orrery to give all those funny hole count numbers something to get their teeth into....  Dave

[steamer]

Hi
 those index plates look good  the CNC machine must have helped .
John

Yes it did    saves the price of a stamp set too.   My machine is 4th axis capable....but my wallet isn't at the moment.   I've also found no need for a rotary table anymore.    So that's been sold off as well.    8 inch table was too big anyway.....Iron gets heavier with age.

[steamer]

Hi
 those index plates look good  the CNC machine must have helped .
John

Yes it did    saves the price of a stamp set too.   My machine is 4th axis capable....but my wallet isn't at the moment.   I've also found no need for a rotary table anymore.    So that's been sold off as well.    8 inch table was too big anyway.....Iron gets heavier with age.

Many gears in my near future...I'll be using all three of them!   It's the only reason I got this head.    I'm trying to refine and unify my tooling to make tasks easier to do.
Dave

[PJPickard]

That looks great! There was actually one of those n the consignment area at Cabin Fever this year. Is that the one you got?

[steamer]

No got this one off ebay.      It looks.like an Ellis but is not.   My research makes me believe it's a Hardinge.

[Jo]

  I've also found no need for a rotary table anymore.    So that's been sold off as well.    8 inch table was too big anyway.....Iron gets heavier with age.

Only 8"  ... we have a big one  at 12" but then again we need it as we don't have CNC 

We do have a roller skate for moving them around and getting them up onto the machine work table

Jo

[Krypto]

Is that little Hardinge still a 40:1 gearing ratio?  I know some of the small ones are only 4:1.

[steamer]

Is that little Hardinge still a 40:1 gearing ratio?  I know some of the small ones are only 4:1.

It is 40 to 1.   So standard B&S plates

[steamer]

Alright!   I finished off the accessories I wanted for the vise mounted dividing head including some work arbors, a draw bar wrench and driver, a dedicated screwdriver to change index plates, three new index plates, an auxiliary lathe spindle to accommodate the rather odd 1.319-12 spindle thread of the dividing head.   The auxiliary spindle (Morse taper 3 on one end and 1.319-12 on the other with a chuck register that matches the dividing head spindle) lets me turn parts in the lathe in a chuck, and then transfer the chuck to the dividing head without taking the part out of the chuck.    This maintains concentricity as I spent some time matching the chuck registers on both spindles to the back plate.   The dividing head also takes 3C collets so shares that directly with my Southbend.   I also made a wood storage tray for all the parts including a covered compartment for some small wrenches, so the shop elves don't run off with them.     Lastly, I built up a new shelf for most of my mill tooling/fixturing,  It's nice to have it handy at arms reach with everything needed to use it.next to the mills.   Very happy with the set up!  I can set the dividing head into the mill vise about as fast as I can open the vise, and everything I need is right there....no hunting for the missing item! 

This was a lot of work, new index plunger, plates, repairs, accessories.   Makes me appreciate Don's and Samc88 and their great threads for his GHT versatile dividing head.   

[Kim]

That's a very compact and elegant storage system for your tooling, Dave!   
You should be happy with that!
You'll enjoy using it for years to come.  A very good investment! 
Kim

[Admiral_dk]

Completely agree with Kim - a very nice setup and storage     

Per

[Roger B]

That's a fine set of toys (tools)     

[steamer]

That's a fine set of toys (tools)     

Thats the fixture/dividing head/boring head/paralles/and straps shelf.....measureing is on another shelf about the same size....but I've been gathering this stuff for 30 years....and when I find a nice piece....almost invariably used, I snap it up

Dave

[Don1966]

Nice setup Dave you have done it justice buddy. It sure makes things a whole lot easier when you gave the right tool.


Don

[GWRdriver]

[snip] I've been gathering this stuff for 30 years....and when I find a nice piece....almost invariably used, I snap it up. Dave

Nicely done Dave.   

And that's how I've found my best bits.  First comes education, . . you have to know what you are looking for and what the fair market for that item is, how much it should cost, and be willing to pay it.  Sometimes the "bargain" is the opportunity to buy what you've been looking for (or stumbled across) at all.  Often it takes quite a while to find the jewel amongst the gravel, so patience is required.  I found my RTable and DHead, both jewels, after years of looking and making do.

Now all I have to do is figure out how, eventually, I'll manage to lift them to the mill table!   

[steamer]

I've been looking for a.3c dividing head that I could drop in the vice for some time and I got a good deal on this one.   I have a BS1 DH and a HS5V 5C indexer for bigger stuff but they are really big for my mill
Dave