# Indexing the spindle on a 9A - need some advice and/or suggestions



## Canuck (Mar 23, 2014)

*Indexing and locking the spindle on a 9A - need some advice and/or suggestions*

I'm trying to port a paintball barrel using my 9A.  I'm comfortable using the compound to space the holes out lengthwise but I'd like to be able to rotate and lock the lathe spindle to accurately index the workpiece.  I don't have a rotary table or spin indexer - not that these would be very helpful with my table-top drill press...

I ported one barrel today using a 4-jaw and the level on an adjustable square to give me 45 degree separation - hand-holding the chuck was not ideal but it was all that I had at my disposal.








Does anyone have any experience with this type of requirement and what kind of solutions did you come up with?

Thanks



PS I realize that this might be a question for the GENERAL MACHINING -- QUESTIONS & ANSWERS -- GET HELP FAST HERE! thread but it could be lathe-specific so I thought that I'd try here first...


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## Halligan142 (Mar 23, 2014)

Figure out how many holes you want around the barrel.  Measure the circumference of your chuck.  Divide that distance into however many holes you'll need.   Get a long piece of tape and mark out that distance. I.E  6" chuck has a circumference of 18.84.  Say you want 8 evenly spaced holes so you'll want 8 marks @ 2.355" from each other.  Wrap that piece of tape around your chuck making sure it is nice and straight.  Rig up a pointer of some sort using a scribe and a mag base or something similar.  Line it up with a mark on the tape and mark or drill your hole.  Rotate to the next line etc.  Poor man's indexer )


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## martik777 (Mar 24, 2014)

http://www.cgtk.co.uk/metalwork/divider

Use either the wheel or linear scale - great for indexing


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## Canuck (Mar 24, 2014)

Great suggestions, thanks.  Now I need to come up with a means of locking the spindle at any given point - not with the back gears...


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## martik777 (Mar 24, 2014)

Tension up the belt. I have cut gears this way and it doesn't move


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## Canuck (Mar 25, 2014)

martik777 said:


> Tension up the belt. I have cut gears this way and it doesn't move



I'll give this a shot.  Thanks.


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## RRitz (Dec 15, 2020)

Cut a block to go from the ways up to a chuck jaw that will hold the jaw level.
That will give you 3 equidistant holes, move to the other way for 6.
A four jaw chuck will get you 4,  clamp a jaw width bar crossways between the jaws for 8.
Leave the jaws open enough to put a long bar across the face held down with a bungee for hands free.


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