Winner A Dividing Head By Wayne

[wayne.inspain]

Hi Randall With those extra 4 holes I am able to tune the disc in to a local radio station, bit of a result hey !! I wish.

 

[wayne.inspain]

I decided to work on the sector arms today, I was wondering how to hold the two arms rigidly together and cause friction between the boss they fit on. They need to move as a pair but stay where you put them.

my solution was to chamfer the inner edges if both arms so as to clamp a tight fitting o ring.

The o ring has been stretched so it will fit on the boss.

The o ring is clamped between the two arms, they move as one and stay where you put them. I will make a brass washer for the bolt, and a collar to keep the arms from moving forward, although that might not be needed. The arms are too long because I want 125mm division plates and the one fitted is only 98mm. Tomorrow I will fit the 4 jaw chuck.

 

[wayne.inspain]

I couldn't wait till tomorrow, I wanted the chuck on today.

No messing with the chuck, I set up the spindle of the dividing head vertical in the mill clamped the chuck on top, clocked it in
and drilled through the chuck and in to the spindle flange. opened the holes in the chuck to 8mm counter bored with an end mill for 8mm allen head bolts,
threaded the spindle flange dedurred and bolted it on. Not that it matters much on a four jaw but for interests sake I clocked the chuck on the spindle and
there is 0.01mm run out, I was gob smacked. The indexing plunger is complete, the worm shaft spacer is on, the flat milled for the worm set screw. Spindle
locking bolt to do, far end plate to round off, and the graduations on the main barrel next.

 

[Randall Marx]

Looking great! I'm really enjoying the progress you are making on this project and love seeing the high-quality workmanship. Thanks again for sharing this with all of us!

 

[wayne.inspain]

Hi Randall Thank you for you reply. I am encouraged you are enjoying the progress I am making, not so sure it is the highest of quality but I am pleased with
it so far. I have not been able to progress as fast as I would like just recent, extra chores at home, you know how it can be some times. Should have time to do some tomorrow evening

 

[wayne.inspain]

Time has been a bit short just recent, but managed to do a few more things.

The spindle lock was from a 8mm shaft from a printer with off cut of 12mm pressed on the end cross drilled for the 6mm t bar to be pressed in. The other end
reduced and threaded m5. I will make a division plate over the week end if I can get some 125mm wide flat bar.

 

[wayne.inspain]

I thought I would show the tools I have had to start this project with.

I have not shown the lathe or the milling machine that has a vice and a clamping set, or the taps and dies and drills and bits of beer cans I cut up for shims!!
I had 5 pieces of 6mm by 6mm tool steel 3 of them you can see here the others have been cut up, and that was it.

 

[Mark_f]

Absolutely AMAZING. It looks great.

 

[wayne.inspain]

Hi, been recent not had much time for hobby work. Next task on the dividing head is to put graduations on the barrel, I made a degree wheel out of some aluminium sheet and a downloaded print I found on line and fitted it to the spindle of the lathe, mounted the barrel of the head in the lathe and used my thread cutting tool on it's side to cut the graduations.

I then made a little marker plate from an old brass name plate I found off an old bed. I drilled and tapped the main plate but broke the 3mm tap in the hole
and had to re-drill at the side, that is why the slots in the plate are not of equal length. I haven't put any numbers on the barrel, it is easy to count the divisions, I haven't got room any way!

I next wanted to use the head to see if it would do it's job, I decided to make a flanged nut for the indexing plunger. I turned the end of a piece of brass
bar to the flange diameter drilled and tapped it on the lathe, centered it on the four jaw on the dividing head then mounted everything on the mill.

The eagle eyed of you will see that the whole of the indexing assembly is on the other side of the dividing head, because every thing is symmetrical
it fits on either side. The dividing head ratio is 60 to 1 so each full turn of the handle is 6 degrees, 10 turns of the handle gives me 60 degrees for the sides of the nut. Removing backlash, tightening spindle lock between cuts, 6 cuts later

Parted off on the lathe and a bit of a clean up.

And this is with it fitted.

The thing works as it should and if I was happy to leave my spur gear in the head I suppose it would be about finished. But I am not happy to do that so next
up is to try and make a worm and wheel.

 

[thomas s]

Very nice Wayne great job.