# Large Rotary Table Refurbish



## Glmphoto (Oct 20, 2013)

First let me say this is my first thread so if I mess it up....Sorry  I am refurbishing an 18 inch rotary table I picked up at an auction about 5 years ago. This is what I found as the table brake. I cant imagine anyone having to tighten it that much and not seeing a problem.   I made a new one with an old bolt (see pics) and socketed the brass brake to keep everything centered. Any comments or suggestions appreciated.  Best Regards


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## RandyM (Oct 21, 2013)

Yeah, let's see this behemoth. That thing must be gigantic. What does it weigh? Nice job on the stop. :thumbsup:


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## jmhoying (Oct 21, 2013)

Glmphoto said:


> First let me say this is my first thread so if I mess it up....Sorry  I am refurbishing an 18 inch rotary table I picked up at an auction about 5 years ago. This is what I found as the table brake. I cant imagine anyone having to tighten it that much and not seeing a problem.   I made a new one with an old bolt (see pics) and socketed the brass brake to keep everything centered. Any comments or suggestions appreciated.  Best Regards



Looks like a nice job with the repairs!  I had an 18" Troyke U-18 table weighed 360 lbs.  Sold it and picked up a 12" Phase II.  I haven't finished the repairs yet, but it looks like the brake bolts of my 12" are messed up like yours were.

Jack


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## Maxx (Oct 21, 2013)

Nice job!

I have an old 12" that was Made in Michigan on one of the benches that I started going over about 6 months ago.
You may have motivated me to get back at it, Thanks!


Maxx


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## RandyM (Oct 21, 2013)

HOLY Smoke! you guys play with big stuff. I think my 8 inch rotary is heavy enough. It's been able to handle everything I throw at it so far.


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## Glmphoto (Oct 21, 2013)

Thanks for the thumbs up. I don't know the weight exactly but its far more than I can lift. Its one of those things you would swear is glued to the floor when you grab hold of it. I was at an auction some years back. A LARGE tool shop went out and they sold everything off. It was a give away really. I got this table and another larger one for 20 dollars. My poor truck was loaded down coming home.

So I have added some pics here to show the project so far. Let me say up front I am sorry for the pic quality. I was using my cell phone and got some blurry pics.

#1  This is pretty much how it has looked for several years laying about my shop. I you look to the right behind the dial you will see a broken casting piece. I have the piece that broke off. I broke it one day when I was moving it and it bumped against another heavier rotary table. I guess something has to give. It really burns when its your own fault. LOL.  I have repaired the break and will make another post of it if anyone is interested.

#2 This is what I saw when I finally got it opened up. It was stuck pretty good but hanging it and tapping then setting it down and repeating seemed to finally coax it out. I was surprised to see a quarter inch of water (coolant I assume) laying in it. It was a total rusted up disaster.

#3 looking into the base you can see at rear right the pocket in the cast where the work and shaft lived. Also front left the location where the brake came from. 

#4 Looking up at the bottom of the top you can see the bearing surface and the wheel teeth. These teeth are part of the cast. This just looks horrible.

#5 A close up shot showing the weight bearing surfaces, the rotary bearing surfaces and the water line on the webbing. Looks like a quarter inch or so evaporated over the years. The bottom is actually a quarter inch of water and rusty goop.   

#6 The worm and shaft as removed. The worm is brass. Away to my sand blast guy. 

#7 The castings back from sand blast. This guy I use is fantastic. He cleans thoroughly and uses different media on all machined areas. No black beauty ever get used so nothing is actually cut. I use him for all my machine restore projects.

#8 Bottom of top casting with paint on. I always paint all surfaces that aren't normally seen bright red. I have been asked why several times. I guess there is no practical purpose. Its a signature move I suppose.  On the far right and far left there are 2 holes in the weight bearing surface. to the left of the rotating bearing surface where the red meets the grey there is another hole. These are oil holes to deliver oil to theses areas. There are drilled galleys from the edge of the table that lead to these points.

#9 Finally the bottom casting in paint. The dripping on the way areas will come off when I give the a quick polishing. The outside is now painted machine grey and came out nice. Next time i will post some pics of the cast iron repair and then the worm shaft needs straightened or maybe a new one altogether.

Well thanks for the interest.

Best Regards


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## RandyM (Oct 22, 2013)

She is cleaning up real nice. What are you gonna use it for? Any projects on the docket?


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## Glmphoto (Oct 22, 2013)

I have a Hendy lathe. 1945. I need a larger steady rest than I currently have. I have a pipe flange 1.25 thick and 17 inch dia that I intend to start off with. Thought it would be nice to use the table for that. I am gonna have to figure out a chain fall or some such in front of my mill to lift it up with. I built a triangular shaped shelf behind the mill that I can raise table up or down to different shelves and slide my accessories on and off, but this rotary table wont fit on the shelves. I will come up with something.
Thanks for taking the time to look over my post.

Best regards


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## jmhoying (Oct 22, 2013)

Glmphoto said:


> I have a Hendy lathe. 1945. I need a larger steady rest than I currently have. I have a pipe flange 1.25 thick and 17 inch dia that I intend to start off with. Thought it would be nice to use the table for that. I am gonna have to figure out a chain fall or some such in front of my mill to lift it up with. I built a triangular shaped shelf behind the mill that I can raise table up or down to different shelves and slide my accessories on and off, but this rotary table wont fit on the shelves. I will come up with something.
> Thanks for taking the time to look over my post.
> 
> Best regards



For my rotary table, I built a rolling cart for it at a convenient height that the mill table can be matched to.  Then I just slide it on and off from the cart to the mill and back.  I haven't had any trouble, but a small strap or chain to lock the table and cart together might be a good idea during the transfer.

Jack


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## Glmphoto (Oct 23, 2013)

Thats a good idea... Thanks for sharing.


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## itsme_Bernie (Oct 23, 2013)

Glmphoto said:


> Thanks for the thumbs up. I don't know the weight exactly but its far more than I can lift. Its one of those things you would swear is glued to the floor when you grab hold of it. I was at an auction some years back. A LARGE tool shop went out and they sold everything off. It was a give away really. I got this table and another larger one for 20 dollars. My poor truck was loaded down coming home.
> 
> So I have added some pics here to show the project so far. Let me say up front I am sorry for the pic quality. I was using my cell phone and got some blurry pics.
> 
> #1  This is pretty much how it has looked for several years laying about my shop. I you look to the right behind the dial you will see a broken casting piece. I have the piece that broke off. I broke it one day when I was moving it and it bumped against another heavier rotary table. I guess something has to give. It really burns when its your own fault. LOL.  I have repaired the break and will make another post of it if anyone is interested.



I got my shaper home and cracked half the belt housing off all on my own!  It happens.  




Glmphoto said:


> #8 Bottom of top casting with paint on. I always paint all surfaces that aren't normally seen bright red. I have been asked why several times. I guess there is no practical purpose. Its a signature move I suppose.



I think that's a great method.  I think it would help if you were ever troubleshooting a machine and wanted to know what you were looking into- you ok'd then know where you are looking!  It would be red!  


Bernie


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## Maxx (Oct 23, 2013)

Glmphoto said:


> #8 Bottom of top casting with paint on. I always paint all surfaces that aren't normally seen bright red. I have been asked why several times. I guess there is no practical purpose. Its a signature move I suppose.


I do the same also but the color may not be red.
This is where I stopped about 6 months ago and haven't painted the inside yet.


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## Glmphoto (Oct 23, 2013)

Maxx  Thats gonna be really nice table.... hope to see more of it as it get done.   Thanks

- - - Updated - - -

Bernie.... Its a horrible feeling when you break a casting. Especially if its a break that you know you cant fix. I was lucky on this one and was able to jig it and braze it.  Thanks for the comment...


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## Maxx (Oct 23, 2013)

Glmphoto, does yours have any bushing like the brass/bronze one mine has?
Yours looks like cast on cast.
BTW, mine is adjustable.
Mine also has/had 30+ years of crud on it from the professional machine shop I got it from.


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## Glmphoto (Oct 23, 2013)

This is the fix for the casting I broke. If anyone has suggestions for better methods I am all ears.

1 This is the broken part. It was a clean break so its different than a crack. A crack suggests the pieces haven't lost there relationship to one another. A break is another ball game. This is the lever that brings the worm into mesh with the wheel gear.

2 This is the jig I made to hold the parts during brazing. Turned a slip fit for the large bore on a piece of scrap. Held the 2 parts together at the fracture line, Measured, scratched head, eyeballed, measured again, then cross drilled for a stake and made a clamp bolt hole. Gotta be able to get the part off the jig after Brazing right? LOL
Turned a small shoulder on the stake and threaded the end. 

3 Now the small piece is captive on the stake. The large piece is captive  on the body and they can be moved about to get alignment then locked in  place.

4 Alignment looks good to me.

5 The crack is ground away and it becomes apparent why the jig is needed. 

6 Parts brazed. I did loosen the clamp bolt completely on the large bore because I was afraid if the jig expanded from heat it might crack the cast.

7 and 8  After a little blending I think some paint will hide my sins.

Thanks guys


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## Maxx (Oct 23, 2013)

Interesting fix.
One thing I would have done different would have  been to drill to install 2 pins first but from the looks you still could  do it if strength might be an issue.


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## Glmphoto (Nov 9, 2013)

Maxx said:


> Glmphoto, does yours have any bushing like the brass/bronze one mine has?
> Yours looks like cast on cast.
> BTW, mine is adjustable.
> Mine also has/had 30+ years of crud on it from the professional machine shop I got it from.



Sorry I didnt see this question earlier...... Yes Mine is cast on cast. A very nice fit as well.

Yours???

- - - Updated - - -

Maxx....Also I like the way your table can be set up on edge like a dividing head. Very nice


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## Maxx (Nov 9, 2013)

Glmphoto said:


> Sorry I didnt see this question earlier...... Yes Mine is cast on cast. A very nice fit as well.
> 
> Yours???
> 
> ...


If you look just above the edge of the ruler you can see mine has an adjustable bushing/bearing.

I'm getting closer to being done with harvest here so I may actually find some time to get back on mine soon.
It's taking up too much of my work space as it is being in pieces. :lmao:


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## xalky (Nov 9, 2013)

I just bought a huge rotary table too. See my thread starter here: http://www.hobby-machinist.com/show...ht-this-huge-rotary-table-but-it-needs-fixin!

It's a beast.

I'm gonna follow your lead and watch you very closely as to how your going about restoring your beast.

What are you gonna do with yours when your done restoring it? 

Marcel


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## Glmphoto (Nov 10, 2013)

Maxx said:


> If you look just above the edge of the ruler you can see mine has an adjustable bushing/bearing.
> 
> I'm getting closer to being done with harvest here so I may actually find some time to get back on mine soon.
> It's taking up too much of my work space as it is being in pieces. :lmao:



I see the bushing. Very nice.  I am not familiar with an adjustable bushing. by what means does it adjust?


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## xalky (Nov 10, 2013)

First off, GLMPHOTO, what can we call you besides your online alias? 
I've never taken one of these apart before.
Is there just one bolt thru the side holding the table top in place? Does the worm shaft come out before or after the plate is removed?


Marcel


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## Maxx (Nov 10, 2013)

xalky, on mine it table was held on by a large nut on the bottom you can see it in the pic next to the table.
I did pull the worm gear out first.


Glmphoto, I'll try to get some pics of the adjust soon but as I recall there is a screw on one side that forces the gap to close on the other side the bushing has a slit down it.


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## Glmphoto (Nov 10, 2013)

xalky said:


> First off, GLMPHOTO, what can we call you besides your online alias?
> I've never taken one of these apart before.
> Is there just one bolt thru the side holding the table top in place? Does the worm shaft come out before or after the plate is removed?
> 
> ...



Marcel...... On my table there is a ring underneath with 6 bolts holding it to the table. Once removed the table comes straight up out. You gotta get it up on its side and see if its a nut or a ring I guess. Be careful. I blocked mine up on 6x6 wood blocks and removed the ring then pulled the table up with a jib crane. It didnt come out at first try. it took some careful persuasion but it finally came apart. Mine didnt turn prior to dis-assembly , however, like yours does.
Let me know if you want any pics.
Everyone calls me Bear

Thanks

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Maxx said:


> xalky, on mine it table was held on by a large nut on the bottom you can see it in the pic next to the table.
> I did pull the worm gear out first.
> 
> 
> Glmphoto, I'll try to get some pics of the adjust soon but as I recall there is a screw on one side that forces the gap to close on the other side the bushing has a slit down it.



Maxx.... I will look forward to a pic or two of that bushing. Sounds interesting.


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## xalky (Nov 10, 2013)

Thanks. I just picked mine up and I have a ring with flush allen screws. That oughta get me started.

Thanks


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## Maxx (Nov 10, 2013)

Glmphoto said:


> Maxx.... I will look forward to a pic or two of that bushing. Sounds interesting.


Here ya go this pic tells it all without taking it apart more which I don't plan on doing.


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## Glmphoto (Nov 11, 2013)

Maxx said:


> Here ya go this pic tells it all without taking it apart more which I don't plan on doing.



Maxx,
 thanks for the pic.   I never saw anything like that before. Very cool
Thanks again


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