Winner A Dividing Head By Wayne

[Downunder Bob]

I thought I would show the tools I have had to start this project with.
View attachment 132730
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.

You have done well Wayne. Obviously well experienced at machining, possibly even formally trained. That is quite a project. You'll have earned a beer or six and a rest when it's finished.

 

[Downunder Bob]

Hi Thank you all for your comments, they are as always very encouraging and inspirational. I am not sure over all whether 60:1 or 40:1 is better, 60:1 you have to turn the handle more but 60 seems to divide into 360 better. I think the big deciding factor that really sways the decision for me is that I didn't have a 40 tooth spur gear!!!

You can make one now if you want one.

 

[Downunder Bob]

wayne,be careful. Those ground HSS cutters are not accurate to use as parallels. If you measured them(which you may have already done),you will find out that they can be several thousandths different in size. Even the small ones can be quite different in their sizes.

A far cry from the good old days. During my apprenticeship in the early 60's we often used square HSS tool bits as parallel bars quite often, they were pretty reliable up to .0005". Of course for greater accuracy we did use toolmakers parallel bars .
Mind you we only had the best Quality Fagersta Brilliant from Sweden. I still have a box of them from back then , still in the original blue box. Also have some Carboloy AR6 78B cemented carbide bits. As these tools are over 50 years old now I'm hoping they don't deteriorate with age.

 

[Lornie McCullough]

Hi Wayne in Spain.... read the whole thread from beginning to end in one sitting. Excellent work, and very inspirational!!

I look forward to your future projects.

Lornie

 

[Round in circles]

I've spent just over two hours of my life reading this thread from start to finish ....on of the best investments I've made for a while Wayne , thanks for the posts & pictures .

Now , how do you reckon I can built my home made mill using only a 10 inch throw 1943 ( ish ) Sphere / Atlas thread cutting back lathe & tooling similar to yours ,plus a multi mode welder set & two pieces of bent string . ?