Rotary table questions

[verbotenwhisky]

I have often wondered how well these adjustable angle plates work. Good to know yours works well. What brand is it?

I want to say it is a vertex but I could be caught in a lie there, I'll look and provide the exact answer. I have used it a number of times and it does a good job. I have a digital angle gauge that I bought at Home Cheepo, I think I spent 20 bucks for it and I can set it on my table, zero it out then set it on the angle plate/table (its magnetic) and adjust the plate until it reads the angle I am after and it is a pretty accurate method for cutting an angle in flat stock. I'll shoot a picture and post it tomorrow....

 

[Dabbler]

@verbotenwhisky I have one also, but mine has a worm gear - it takes more setup, but is really rigid, and infinitely variable. I love using mine!

 

[Larry$]

I have often wondered how well these adjustable angle plates work.

I've got a cheap Chinese 7x10" Angle plate. It took a bit of work to get all the surfaces parallel. The tilt gears work nicely. The scale is hit or miss. doesn't matter, I use a Shars magnetic electronic angle scale that works great. I haven't had it very long but has worked well when needed. I did put the locator blocks on the bottom so there is no time spent aligning it with the mill table. I'm glad I got the larger one because the clamps take up a fare amount of space.

 

[ltlvt]

I want to say it is a vertex but I could be caught in a lie there, I'll look and provide the exact answer. I have used it a number of times and it does a good job. I have a digital angle gauge that I bought at Home Cheepo, I think I spent 20 bucks for it and I can set it on my table, zero it out then set it on the angle plate/table (its magnetic) and adjust the plate until it reads the angle I am after and it is a pretty accurate method for cutting an angle in flat stock. I'll shoot a picture and post it tomorrow....

Thanks. I also have the digital angle block that is Magnetic. I paid double from Shars and seems everybody else sells the same one just under different brands for half the price. I have several different protractors both digital and old school manual. The magnetic digital is my go-to. Like you said zero it on the table and the rest is great. I've even used it to take measurements on the mill and then taken it over to the Sheet metal brake and bend the perfect angles. One time I put a new battery in it and it keep messing up Finally I took the battery out and measured it with a meter and it was only 7.5 volts. Brand new Duracell. I now keep my batteries in one of these with a battery tester that comes with it. So now I test batteries before putting them in my digital tools. Good set up tools are the icing on my cake.

 

[stupoty]

View attachment 477147

@verbotenwhisky I have one also, but mine has a worm gear - it takes more setup, but is really rigid, and infinitely variable. I love using mine!

I have one of them , I removed the worm gear as it was always in the wrong position for me to adjust the angle using it.

I found it better than the very basic tilting vice I had.

Stu

 

[Larry$]

I removed the worm gear as it was always in the wrong position for me to adjust the angle using it.

?? The funky crank handle mine came with seems to work fine for adjusting the worm/worm sector. There is very little slack and the locking bolts hold well, at least they have never failed me. I did cleanup the crank handle thinking I'd make something nicer. Another someday project.

 

[verbotenwhisky]

I'll shoot a picture and post it tomorrow....

Well I cannot substantiate its pedigree, I bought it from Bass Tools locally and it has been a very good tool, useful and rigidity is not an issue. It is a 10"x7" and does not have a worm gear, knowing what I know now, I would not buy one of the smaller units, it weighs about 25 or 30 pounds so handling isn't bad.

 

[ltlvt]

Well I cannot substantiate its pedigree, I bought it from Bass Tools locally and it has been a very good tool, useful and rigidity is not an issue. It is a 10"x7" and does not have a worm gear, knowing what I know now, I would not buy one of the smaller units, it weighs about 25 or 30 pounds so handling isn't bad.

View attachment 477205

View attachment 477206

Thanks Whisky

 

[stupoty]

?? The funky crank handle mine came with seems to work fine for adjusting the worm/worm sector. There is very little slack and the locking bolts hold well, at least they have never failed me. I did cleanup the crank handle thinking I'd make something nicer. Another someday project.

With the location of the slots on the mill the crank bumped into the table and caused issues, it did work the tilt nicely though. I still have the parts.

Edit - sometimes the closeness of the tee slot nut slots and the clamp the angle nuts is quite tight, only annoying thing about it for me


I made some small clamps for it also as everything I had was to big.

Common issue I bump into , is that Tee slot the same size as anything else I have ? yeaahhhh naaaaa

Stu

 

[verbotenwhisky]

Thanks. I also have the digital angle block that is Magnetic. I paid double from Shars and seems everybody else sells the same one just under different brands for half the price. I have several different protractors both digital and old school manual. The magnetic digital is my go-to. Like you said zero it on the table and the rest is great. I've even used it to take measurements on the mill and then taken it over to the Sheet metal brake and bend the perfect angles. One time I put a new battery in it and it keep messing up Finally I took the battery out and measured it with a meter and it was only 7.5 volts. Brand new Duracell. I now keep my batteries in one of these with a battery tester that comes with it. So now I test batteries before putting them in my digital tools. Good set up tools are the icing on my cake.

I like that, are those rechargeable? or is it just a good storage solution?