Rotary table

[Roger HulettParticipant @rogerhulett83124]

Ref my previous post regarding cam milling.

Can anyone advise the best method of clamping the workpiece to the rotary table. I only have a small horizontal mill and there is insufficient space to mount a chuck on the table.The gear side of the piece is 6mm thick.To use a swan neck clamp would obstruct the slitting saw. The rotary table has a 2MT centre hole.

[Roger HulettParticipant @rogerhulett83124]

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

.

You could try a smaller variation of this. :-

Then use T nuts under it to secure to the table.

Nick

[HOWARDTParticipant @howardt]

I have used a 2MT blank. Milled two flats into the sides and used small clamps to hold this in the rotary table, its a !00mm one from ARC. Then I modified the end of the blank to have a centre location/clamp and an offset driving pin. It worked well. I was profiling 10mm thick.

Howard

[ZebethyalParticipant @zebethyal]

Clickspring shows a similar fixture plate for a rotary table on his site – I intend to make one at sme point in the near future:

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

It's not as neat, but some people recommend drilling fixing holes as an when you need them rather than setting them all out in a neat pattern.

I guess ultimately it's just down taste.

Neil

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 27/07/2016 11:51:27:

… some people …

.

Would they be the Swiss ?

[ sorry, that was rather cheesy ]

MichaelG.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

<mouse hovers ominously over delete button>

[NishkaParticipant @nishka]

I would have thought the mouse would like cheesy jokes!

[HOWARDTParticipant @howardt]

Added photo in album. Not glamorous but it did what I needed it to do. The top plate is made to be replaceable so I that I can use it for something else. The centre has a pin location into the MT with a tapped hole to hold the part.

Howard

[zuji mikoParticipant @zujimiko33021]

will ask here for advice ,

what is best small rotary table on cheap side ?

i watch on ebay and all around net but all of them are 150 + $Ł€

find some indian garbage for less but with post exp. it cost same

 

are they all in that 150+ price range (with chuck) ?

thanks

 

 

Edited By zuji miko on 29/07/2016 21:42:40

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

zuji miko,

If you want sensible answers to your otherwise reasonable question; you will need to tell us what you mean by 'small' … 80mm, 100mm, 150mm, or what ?

MichaelG.

[zuji mikoParticipant @zujimiko33021]

small that fit to sieg sx2 mill table ,i think 100mm will be ok but ??

[zuji mikoParticipant @zujimiko33021]

one with tilting will be great too ,,,

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi zuji miko, good rotary tables are not particularly cheap on their own, let alone with a chuck. however there are some budget ones that you may find suitable here **LINK** and also **LINK**

Regards Nick.

[Andrew HutchinsonParticipant @andrewhutchinson12802]

Hi Zuji Miko,

I have one of these on my X2:

**LINK**

If the link doesn't work it is just a 4" RT from KBC with a 2MT hole.

It is nothing special but it does the job. I bought mine from KBC when they were $130 CDN five or six years ago (ie they were affordable at some point in the recent past). For a chuck I've mostly used a Taig (peatol) 4 jaw independent chuck which was about $65 when I bought it ten years ago or so for my first real lathe. It is drilled through the front to bolt to the RT via the T slots and a bush I made for that particular chuck and RT. The table is counterbored about a 1/4" deep and this was way out relative to the table axis and the morse taper so I machined it to a better state and made the plug/bush at that time. Graduations are "wiggly". Table goes round, max TIR is about .005-7" in one dimension but I can't remember which.

For a somewhat more compact 4" rotab I don't think you can go wrong with the Sherline versions for new, relatively affordable and easily available. I've only twiddled the manual ones but I use the CNC with stand alone controller every chance I get. Other than the horrible connectors the kit is brilliant to use and the physical pieces are very well made given the price point. Most expensive machine tool thing I've bought new and worth every penny. If I had to pay what KBC wants for the one they're selling now or the Sherline manual rotab, I'd buy the Sherline one in a heart beat.

*FWIW I have a CNC ready version bought well second hand where the connector /messed up stepper shorted and killed the controller, and while it has replaced the KBC version at work, it is notchy on account of the stepper. If anyone is thinking of using a CNC one manually for long periods or good work you'll want to remove the motor and make a handle mount. I haven't gotten around to it yet

For workholding I use mostly lathe Chucks screwed onto the threaded insert or I clamp the taig 4 jaw as before. I've made a bridge piece with interchangeable bits that holds stuff needing rounded ends and a set of WW /8mm collet holders are underway at the moment. A .5X6" table top like shown above would be really handy.

Anyways enough of the advert, usual disclaimers. Either one works, one is much nicer to use.

Andrew Hutchinson

4" rotab collector

[Author]

Posts