# Looking for oddball dividing head plates -- 4" diameter



## Piscator (Jan 19, 2015)

Hello! I recently bought an old dividing head, a "Yamatokoki" brand, "News" model. I read somewhere that it might be the company that became Yuasa. Appears to be a BS-0 clone. Anyway, there is no tailstock with it and only one of the dividing plates, the "B" plate. I'm trying to find the matching "A" and "C" plates but don't see any on the bay that are that diameter.

Anybody have any of those kicking around?

The center height of the dividing head is right about 4"--I suspect it is 3.937" because there is a Shars model tailstock that is that height. I do not have it set up to achieve that precise a measurement, however, so I can't say for sure. I would also be interested in a matching tailstock.

Any information on the dividing head would be appreciated, even if you don't have any spare parts for it.

Thanks,

Rick


----------



## Jim2 (Jan 19, 2015)

I've been watching the 'bay for a tailstock myself.  I'm pretty sure I've seen one that had "News" written on it.  I didn't know what it meant at the time, but I think you've explained it with your post!

Jim


----------



## Piscator (Jan 19, 2015)

Jim2 said:


> I've been watching the 'bay for a tailstock myself.  I'm pretty sure I've seen one that had "News" written on it.  I didn't know what it meant at the time, but I think you've explained it with your post!
> 
> Jim



Hi Jim--I've seen that one, but unfortunately it's a 5-incher. Dang.


----------



## samthedog (Jan 20, 2015)

You may not be able to find the original plates but these can be made if you have a friend with a dividning head / rotary table and the plates with the hole ranges you need. It's a lot of drilling but it gets you familliar with a dividing head and is not a very complex job. Just make sure you take it slow as one mis-drilled hole and the plate is ruined.

Paul.


----------



## atwatterkent (Jan 20, 2015)

I have a "C" plate that is 4" dia. but no other markings on it. I have a matching "B" plate, also, but you have one of those. What center hole dia. and bolt pattern do you need.


----------



## george wilson (Jan 21, 2015)

I made this brass dividing plate with nothing more than a Starrett divider,hand spacing around and adjusting till I had the correct # of holes in each row. Pretty soon,I got so I could just tighten the divider a teeny bit,and within 2 or 3 tries,could make the next row of holes. Then I drilled shallow holes with a PUMP DRILL,and later on drilled them deeper with a drill press with a small lathe center drill in it.

I cut circles on the blank disc in the lathe before commencing dividing operations.

The main thing you need to do is do some research,and find out the number of holes you need in each row of holes in the blank plates. I was working with a 90 to 1 ratio,since this attachment was made for a rotary table.


----------



## Reeltor (Jan 21, 2015)

george wilson said:


> I made this brass dividing plate with nothing more than a Starrett divider,hand spacing around and adjusting till I had the correct # of holes in each row. Pretty soon,I got so I could just tighten the divider a teeny bit,and within 2 or 3 tries,could make the next row of holes. Then I drilled shallow holes with a PUMP DRILL,and later on drilled them deeper with a drill press with a small lathe center drill in it.
> 
> I cut circles on the blank disc in the lathe before commencing dividing operations.
> 
> The main thing you need to do is do some research,and find out the number of holes you need in each row of holes in the blank plates. I was working with a 90 to 1 ratio,since this attachment was made for a rotary table.



George,

Everything that I've seen of your is just outstanding.  Real quality craftsmanship :thumbzup3:


----------



## herbet999 (Jan 21, 2015)

george wilson said:


> ..Then I drilled shallow holes with a PUMP DRILL,and later on drilled them deeper with a drill press with a small lathe center drill in it...



Pump Drill? is that like a push drill?


----------



## george wilson (Jan 21, 2015)

I was working in costume in Williamsburg at the time,and had to use 18th. C. tools.  A pump drill is a tool that is thousands of years old. Clock makers used them. An advantage with them is you can tilt them to bring a hole back on center,so very accurate work is possible with them. They are not for very deep holes,though.

More pictures of the dividing attachment,and some pump drills I have made. You wind the leather thong up on the vertical shaft,place the flat bit on the punch mark,and pump up and down. You can drill very slowly to make sure the drill is exactly on the punch mark at first. Then speed up.


----------



## OldMachinist (Jan 21, 2015)

Maybe contact Shars and see if you can order the plates you need.


----------

