# 10" rotary table too big for my 9 x 40 inch table??



## lo7us (Aug 25, 2017)

I am progressing in my skills (and need for more tools) and am looking to buy a 10" rotary table (for $500)  So I have two questions:

1.) I know these can get expensive and this deal has a (servo?) motor attached (as well as the crank handles) - I like the older heavy cast machinery and this has a label of MOORS rotary table.  I have yet to examine the condition but if everything is in order, is this a proper price?

2.) my table is only 9.5" x 40" so clearly this will overhang the table... is this too big? I see the advantage of having a big table, so I am inclined to go big now than regret later. 


I do appreciate this feedback... this will be my evolution into work I find is better on my mill, and too large for my lathe. 

~John


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## Bob Korves (Aug 25, 2017)

I know nothing of the RT you are considering.  My mill has a 8x32 table and I use a 8" RT on it.  The RT is bigger than the table but the size is not an issue at all.  The 8" RT is also not too heavy for me to want to lift it (so far.)  A 10" RT would have been too heavy for me to want to lift it.  That is important unless you have and want to use a lift, crane, or whatever to put the RT in place.  In my experience, if a tool is too inconvenient to use, it never gets used, even when it is perfect for the job...


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## Dave Paine (Aug 25, 2017)

A friend asked me to help him move a 10in rotary table from his car onto the bench in his shop.  As Bob K. said it was very heavy.  We were able to move this the short distance, but it was far too heavy to move single handed.

I have a small 6in rotary table.  Easy to move around so I can store this anywhere.   If I had a bigger table, I would need to consider storing this close to the milling machine and at nominal table height.

This friend also has 8in rotary table.  I have lifted this.  Heavier than I would want to move around.


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## Karl_T (Aug 25, 2017)

I have a ten inch RT. Nice because you can mount a lathe chuck to it. With that servo, it could become a 4rth axis on a CNC mill.

Yep, got to find a way to handle the weight. i use die carts. great way to move all those heavy items around the shop.
http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/m...QpLa7HtOgyRiKhAF34Q1pQgWXen1JbpYaAn2MEALw_wcB

I did get it at an auction for a fraction of new list price.


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## Bob Korves (Aug 25, 2017)

Think outside the box.  You can put a 24" (or less ) top plate on a 6" rotary table to hold larger work.  Edit:  At least up to some size/weight limit...


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## richl (Aug 25, 2017)

If you need that size, than that is what you need... I have an 8" phase II on my 1800 lbs 9x49 mill. I keep it on one side and the 5" vise on the other. It's a nice size, though I think a 6" model would have been enough for me. I'm still able to move the 8" model, but I don't do it unless I have to , though part of the weight is a 6" chuck.

Sometimes the rt is set up vertical, other times laying down, it all depends on what I need it for. I would say I am using the rt about 30% of the time I am on the mill... I am a rookie, and I may/may not be using the rt to its best advantage.
 Otherwise, read bobs  post above,  it is really that basic. 

Hth

Rich


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## cathead (Aug 25, 2017)

My rotary table is a 12 inch and I use it on my 9x42 mill with no problem.  My only complaint is that it is pretty 
heavy necessitating using a chain fall hoist to mount it on the table.  So from that perspective, 
a 10 inch would be fine.


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## lo7us (Aug 25, 2017)

Wow, I appreciate the input I never considered the weight factor! I do have a hydraulic lifting table ( 1,000 capacity) Ha I was thinking I was going to put this on my motorcycle! By the descriptions, it sounds like this may way hundreds of pounds?? I do not "need" a 10" I just found one with a servo for $500 (Still not sure if this is a good value) But as I mentioned I do prefer the old school the USA made iron.  My mill is a Smith MD-409 (like an RF 45 with power feed axises). It only weighs 1,000 pounds!


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## lo7us (Aug 25, 2017)

Oh I just checked another forum and they weigh ~ 100 pounds not too bad. I restore vintage motorcycles and any part of the day I seem to have to hoist 100  pounds.  300 pounds is my max (transmission from an Audi) But as I mentioned I do have a lifting table.


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## lo7us (Aug 25, 2017)

Dam I just checked eBay and they are going $1,500 plus! U guess this is a good deal - overkill for my first RT but I'm thinking CNC in the future so the servo could be a bigger deal then


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## woodchucker (Aug 25, 2017)

lo7us said:


> Oh I just checked another forum and they weigh ~ 100 pounds not too bad. I restore vintage motorcycles and any part of the day I seem to have to hoist 100  pounds.  300 pounds is my max (transmission from an Audi) But as I mentioned I do have a lifting table.


Really , only 100 lbs for a 10" rotary table.  Sounds pretty light to me.


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## lo7us (Aug 25, 2017)

ya i will have to look at it to know


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## Bob Korves (Aug 25, 2017)

woochucker said:


> Really , only 100 lbs for a 10" rotary table.  Sounds pretty light to me.


Depends on the table.  A basic Chinese 10" RT is probably about 100 pounds.  An older American one might be twice that heavy or more, depending...


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## richl (Aug 25, 2017)

A phase II 10" comes in at 118lbs, no chuck and adapter. Put a 6"-8" chuck on and you are getting close to 200lbs if not over...
The 10" phase II goes for 449.00 at traverse. Servo and stepper motors are very affordable, arduino board go for less than 20.00... just a price point to work from.

Ruch


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## lo7us (Aug 26, 2017)

OK, I went and bought this BEAST it's a MOORSE 10 7/8 inch table that must weigh over 200 lbs!  It came with a NASA servo motor, I looked on eBay and saw was nearly identical selling for many time more than I paid... and I was shocked to discover how pricey this particular model can get.  Apparently, it's VERY precise. The machinist had other tables that weighed over 750 pounds!  So we used the fork lift to move it to my trailer and he added a pile of HARDINGE HC CHUCKERLATHE saddle parts that has a manual handle I may scarf and add to the MOORSE RT. I feel I am not worthy of this high precision tool (yet) and since it has a servo I am really tempted to look into a CNC conversion... but first I need to feel comfortable with manual operation.  Damn, I will be making a special take to hold this beast so I can use my hydraulic table lift to the Mill table. I will take photos once I get it mounted and identify how to reinstall the manual handle.


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## george wilson (Aug 26, 2017)

Leaving both a vise and a rotary table on your mill is a lot of extra weight to cause the table and the saddle it sits upon to wear faster.

Also,if you always use the vise in the same place on the table,it will cause the leadscrew to wear in one place. You need to move the vise about to avoid that.


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## uncle harry (Aug 26, 2017)

cathead said:


> My rotary table is a 12 inch and I use it on my 9x42 mill with no problem.  My only complaint is that it is pretty
> heavy necessitating using a chain fall hoist to mount it on the table.  So from that perspective,
> a 10 inch would be fine.



I also use a 12" RT on my Bridgeport KO.  I did, however, score a 16 x 16 inch hydraulic lift table for $100  (new $400).  I use it for swapping out the RT for my Starrett milling vise.  I also have used it to move my 18 x 24 x 4 inch pink granite surface plate.   It doubles as a portable tool bench and the adjustable height is a plus.


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## Silverbullet (Aug 26, 2017)

As machinist you'll find the easy way to move them. I built a rolling shelf to put all the heavy items on . I have an electric actuator I bought for a sliding door build on my sprinter van but it ended up being to short. It's rated for 375 lbs push or pull. I'm going to mount it to the bottom and make about a 20" jib crane using the actuator to lift across the shelving ,, less chance of tipping,,, it will have a thousand lbs roughly on it so I dint think lifting a couple hundred will tip it. Really it'll be under that I have a 10" rotary , 6" vises one with the rotary base, a Milwaukee magnet drill , other tooling , angles vee blocks . The normal . But I'm sure it'll work . My power door on the sprinter works great , they quoted me just thousands to convert at the place that installs paralyzed wheelchair lifts . Another item I engineered and installed on the side of my van. They wanted $6,000 to pay for the lift and install. I bought a new scratched and dented lift for under $300. Shipped . The door build parts for the power closer was about $400. With buying two actuators . The reason for two I didn't do the measuring myself it didn't show up till the install. But you can use a boat winch or a hoya people lift there like an engine lift but for people. There picked up on craigslist the manual ones are cheap. Easily mounted to the back of any machine .


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## lo7us (Aug 26, 2017)

These are very inspiring ideas. Since I see this a reoccurring issue. I'm going to the scrap yard and pick up some conveyer rollers and build a sturdy stand (to also be used to hold my Hossfild #2 bender) and use the hydrolic ram as an "elevator" to raise and lower heavy vices into the shelf of the Hossfild stand. Floor space is tight so I need to have multiple items I  the same floor space.  I'm noodling the details as I think k this through. However the first items are to connect the servo to a jog dial system.  Anyone done this? This should way I can use the servo but  control it manually (for now). 

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## lo7us (Aug 26, 2017)

woochucker said:


> Really , only 100 lbs for a 10" rotary table.  Sounds pretty light to me.


Oh man you are so ooooh so correct! It's easily wpp pounds of massive wight! 

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## woodchucker (Aug 26, 2017)

lo7us said:


> Oh man you are so ooooh so correct! It's easily wpp pounds of massive wight!


what is wpp?


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## cathead (Aug 27, 2017)

woochucker said:


> what is wpp?



It's likely a typographical error in my estimation. Apparently he meant 200 pounds.  If you
look at a keyboard you can see that the fingers were probably typing on the top row of letter keys.


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## woodchucker (Aug 27, 2017)

ahh, I thought it was a internet shorthand for something.  Thanks.


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## richl (Aug 27, 2017)

Fat fingers? That's my problem anyway


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## dlane (Aug 27, 2017)

Here's one I can handle


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## lo7us (Aug 28, 2017)

cathead said:


> It's likely a typographical error in my estimation. Apparently he meant 200 pounds.  If you
> look at a keyboard you can see that the fingers were probably typing on the top row of letter keys.


Yep typo thank you for the correction 

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## lo7us (Aug 28, 2017)

dlane said:


> Here's one I can handle
> View attachment 240622


That is great 

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