What Rotary Table?

J

jmltinnc

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Hi Foks,

I hoped to avoid resurrecting a question belabored so many times, but I must for I am hopelessly lost. I've trolled this domain and others looking for an answer and have only found answers that even I (a Newb) must reject, such as: using a 4' table as well as answers that were biased, not based on 1st-hand experience, or just derailed from the OP's question. Ugh. As my 1st project is to mill an adapter (4" x 1" flat-faced part to a 4" radius along the 4" length), I initially opted to use a boring bar to create the arc (stock is only plastic), but soon realize a RT will be essential for other projects and while perhaps not appropriate for this project (need a custom setup to accommodate the 4" radius); it will be used a lot. So here I go:

1) What is the largest practicable Rotary Table for a 7 x 27 X/Y table, ~6" Spindle to Column depth, and 14 1/2" max Spindle to table? My Mill is the Weiss VM25L (https://www.toolots.com/weiss-variable-speed-milling-and-drilling-machine-with-brushless-motor-c9165-vm32l-08.html/ng-frontend/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4cT-09jR-gIVkMCGCh2_4w-IEAQYBSABEgLiU_D_BwE/#/productDetail?id=35430&title=VM25L%207"%20x%2027"%20Benchtop%20Milling%20Machine%20Variable%20Speed%20100-2250%20RPM%20%201.5HP(1100W)%20Brushless%20Compact%20Mill%20Drill%20with%20R8%20Spindle), virtually identical to the Precision Mathews PM25MV (https://www.precisionmatthews.com/s...MIq6-BtZmi-wIVGYiGCh3KCwsmEAAYASAAEgKhT_D_BwE).

2) What features am I looking for in an RT? I don't know the difference between an Indexer, Indexing Plates, blah, blah... Totally Newb.

3) Why does it seem RTs have only 1 mounting tab?

4) How is a lathe chuck attached? I see 3 slot RTs that interface directly with lathe chucks, but they seem to be rarer than 4 slot. I'd like to avoid an adapter, but I think I have the X real estate for that (is that a correct statement?).

5) Any thoughts about VEVOR tables? It looks identical to a Vertex which seems to be a popular table.

6) Am I missing something?

Thank you in advance to your answers and thoughts. I invite corrections to my naming conventions or plan of attack. I am here to learn.

John
 
jmltinnc said:
Hi Foks,

I hoped to avoid resurrecting a question belabored so many times, but I must for I am hopelessly lost. I've trolled this domain and others looking for an answer and have only found answers that even I (a Newb) must reject, such as: using a 4' table as well as answers that were biased, not based on 1st-hand experience, or just derailed from the OP's question. Ugh. As my 1st project is to mill an adapter (4" x 1" flat-faced part to a 4" radius along the 4" length), I initially opted to use a boring bar to create the arc (stock is only plastic), but soon realize a RT will be essential for other projects and while perhaps not appropriate for this project (need a custom setup to accommodate the 4" radius); it will be used a lot. So here I go:

1) What is the largest practicable Rotary Table for a 7 x 27 X/Y table, ~6" Spindle to Column depth, and 14 1/2" max Spindle to table? My Mill is the Weiss VM25L (https://www.toolots.com/weiss-variable-speed-milling-and-drilling-machine-with-brushless-motor-c9165-vm32l-08.html/ng-frontend/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4cT-09jR-gIVkMCGCh2_4w-IEAQYBSABEgLiU_D_BwE/#/productDetail?id=35430&title=VM25L%207"%20x%2027"%20Benchtop%20Milling%20Machine%20Variable%20Speed%20100-2250%20RPM%20%201.5HP(1100W)%20Brushless%20Compact%20Mill%20Drill%20with%20R8%20Spindle), virtually identical to the Precision Mathews PM25MV (https://www.precisionmatthews.com/s...MIq6-BtZmi-wIVGYiGCh3KCwsmEAAYASAAEgKhT_D_BwE).

2) What features am I looking for in an RT? I don't know the difference between an Indexer, Indexing Plates, blah, blah... Totally Newb.

3) Why does it seem RTs have only 1 mounting tab?

4) How is a lathe chuck attached? I see 3 slot RTs that interface directly with lathe chucks, but they seem to be rarer than 4 slot. I'd like to avoid an adapter, but I think I have the X real estate for that (is that a correct statement?).

5) Any thoughts about VEVOR tables? It looks identical to a Vertex which seems to be a popular table.

6) Am I missing something?

Thank you in advance to your answers and thoughts. I invite corrections to my naming conventions or plan of attack. I am here to learn.

John
Click to expand...

Here is my poor ignorant opinion... having had similar size mill in the past.

1: Buy inexpensive 4 or maximum 6" HV rotary tables.

2: Get the indexing plates, even if you dont know squat about them now. It's easier than getting them once you discover you need them. They make setting up to machine features such as hole arrays faster and easier.

3: material and strength constraints?

4: chucks bolt on via slots with tee nuts

5: buy from local or regional seller if you want better support. Shars for instance. The Rts from vevor canada are limited and lack features like indexing

6: I dont think so

Your welcome
 
I should add the following...

You can attach a precision tool steel indexing bar to the bottom of the RT so that it is precisely aligned with the mill table tee slot. In addition to speeding set ups, this bar helps resist rotational forces so that you need less holding power from the fewer mounting points.


There should be a few youtube videos showing how to make this modification... I'm adding the feature to one of my spindexers for the mill
 
Consider your needs- for example do you want to cut gears? Although you can cut gears on a rotary table I believe it's more convenient to use a dividing head and tailstock instead
Also keep in mind large rotary tables are heavy- you might need a hoist to lift a 10" one by yourself- certainly you would for anything larger
-M
 
Thanks for replies.

I am trying to grasp one main thing here and I guess I got greedy and asked too many questions. I am full of questions and a few other things...

Maybe I am wrong, but I think a 10" RT on a tabletop mill is too big for its table and too heavy for the mill. Again, you folks are the experts on that issue. If we take weight out of the question and consider only the area I have to work with I think I can resubmit my question as what is the largest RT I can have given my sliding table size, throat, and Z?

Thanks,
John
 
I have a PM25MV and use a 6" rotary table. I made an 8" diameter fixture plate. A 6" RT is as large as you can fit on that size table. An 8" is a lot heavier and taller. The larger fixture plate is because you run out of room clamping stuff.
 
WobblyHand said:
I have a PM25MV and use a 6" rotary table. I made an 8" diameter fixture plate. A 6" RT is as large as you can fit on that size table. An 8" is a lot heavier and taller. The larger fixture plate is because you run out of room clamping stuff.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the size recommendation. So, I am inferring even if I affixed an index bar underneath the table to fit in a T-slot the overhang of the RT over the table is a no-no. Is that fair?

John
 
jmltinnc said:
Thank you for the size recommendation. So, I am inferring even if I affixed an index bar underneath the table to fit in a T-slot the overhang of the RT over the table is a no-no. Is that fair?

John
Click to expand...
I don't know how to answer that, simply because I'm not positive what the bar looks like. In machining, everything is fair if it works, and you don't die. You might get things to fit on the table, but you may not be able to use a drill chuck, for instance, because you ran out of Z. This happens especially with long shanked reamers. I run out of Z with the RT, or I run out of Y. Anything that increases the height reduces the Z of the parts you can machine.

More importantly, what are you trying to do, that you think you need a big RT? Might be another way to do the operation in question.

Your mill, like mine, is not a big one. That's a fact. It has a limited work envelope. I have already bumped into those limits, but most of the time there is a workaround. If you want to use bigger cutters, or oversized tooling, or large rotary tables, you might want to consider a bigger, more capable machine.
 
Thank you for your clear answer. Maybe I am from the bigger is better attitude (but I really do know better)? Actually, I want to leave nothing on the table (no pun intended), so wish to go max as I can. I know that just about everything on these smaller mills is about the Z. The difference between a 6" and 8" RT height is about an inch. I ignorantly thought with 14" of Z to spare I could get away with it.

I stand corrected and thank you.

John
 
I hear often people have large rotary tables and they sit collecting dust
 
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