# Why should I use/own a rotary table instead of a dividing head and what brand?



## HMF (Jan 27, 2012)

I have a dividing head for one day making gears if I can.

Why should I get a rotary table too? (they are very expensive), and what brands should I consider if I do?


Nelson


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## British Steel (Jan 27, 2012)

Hi Nelson, good to see you here 

My take on the difference is that a dividing head's subject to loads when locked (e.g. cutting gears, marking dials, milling hex heads) whereas a rotary table can take loads *unlocked*, for instance when cutting a curved slot in a milling machine, rounding the end of a bar or link - the rotary needs to have less backlash in both the worm and wheel and the axis bearing to assure enough accuracy.

I may, of course, be wrong - anyone else have opinions on this?

Dave H. (the other one)


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## skyraft (Jan 27, 2012)

Nelson,the index head is perfect for anything like a gear where you want to index,do some work,index again.With the rotory table you can do that too,but you can also turn the table with tool running and make curved slots on a radius and cam like surfaces.Some other stuff too.I don't own either,usually have them wherever i work.Not sure of brands.ralph


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## Old Iron (Jan 27, 2012)

Well I have both and they are Brown & Sharpe each one has its own specialty, So I think both are a necessary in a shop. I got both of mine off eBay when things were cheaper than now.

Paul


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## george wilson (Jan 27, 2012)

I think as rotary table with index plates and a tailstock might be a bit more versatile than a dividing head. You can use its flat table to clamp projects down on,like a face plate. You can add a chuck. You can still cut gear teeth with the dividing attachment. A universal index head can tilt,but a rotary table can too,if you mount it on a tilting table. Less rigid on a tilting table,but I like using the flat table better than other short comings it might have.


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## HMF (Jan 27, 2012)

So it can make curved cuts and cut curved slots.

Any specific brand, i.e. an import brand, that isn't too expensive just for a newbie to try out?


Nelson


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## george wilson (Jan 27, 2012)

A dividing head can cut curves,too,but the faceplate on a rotary table is more rigid. I have 3 rotary tables,but my original 6" one is just fine,and I can increase its faceplate's size by bolting on a larger plate of metal.

Probably Enco,especially,has a decent low cost table. BUT,if they offer a set of index plates and a tailstock,I'd get them,too. Asian stuff has the habit of changing,and you can't get parts.


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## Hawkeye (Jan 27, 2012)

I built my 7 1/2" rotary table to use either a crank dial (with vernier scale for 1/100 degree) or index plates. I didn't really know at the time that they were two different devices.

For light curve milling, I just found a simple 5" rotary table uploaded to YouTube by a cffellows that I think is really well thought out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am5774rnjtU  Well worth a look.

I used to bolt a long handle onto my 5 degree dividing table to do light curves on the mill.


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