Are most rotary tables like this?

[WobblyHand]

Just put my new Vertex HV-6 rotary table on the mill. If it is set to 0 degrees, should I have any expectation that the slots would run true to the mill table? They are rotated, about 3 degrees off. I have to rotate the table to 3 and about 18 minutes to indicate within a few thousandths. Is there a way to "calibrate" the table?

I know I can move the pointer a few degrees, but it isn't enough. I did try. Is there any other means to clock the table? The base (to stand up the table) is perpendicular to my mill table slots since I indicated it. Just checking if this is an ordinary angle offset, or not. It's not like they ship a beginners (new) user guide with these tables!

 

[woodchucker]

why would you want that? if you think about it, you would probably want it off by more than 3 degrees, you want the clamps to be out of the way of 0. But where is good??? who knows.

 

[WobblyHand]

why would you want that? if you think about it, you would probably want it off by more than 3 degrees, you want the clamps to be out of the way of 0. But where is good??? who knows.

In use, I guess you are right.

But right now I am trying to machine a fixture plate, and I have to hit the center of the slots. This is just for the tee-nuts. The offset is not even a nice number, like on an even number of degrees, which will make it harder (for me) to index. I can barely remember 0, 90, 180, 270, not 3 degrees, 18 minutes and 37 seconds, or whatever the heck it is. It also messes up the symmetry of the design More seriously, I need to redesign since the holes would end in the counterbores. A 15 degree offset would be grand, 3 and change degrees is not good. I see more design work ahead.

 

[Janderso]

I know the value of the fixture plate. I’ve made a couple.
The beauty of these sacrificial tables is you drill and tap wherever and whenever you need.
In my experience, I wouldn’t get too caught up with it. It seems like when you want a tapped hole to be….right…there. It isn’t, so I just make one.
$.02 cents worth.

 

[WobblyHand]

I know the value of the fixture plate. I’ve made a couple.
The beauty of these sacrificial tables is you drill and tap wherever and whenever you need.
In my experience, I wouldn’t get too caught up with it. It seems like when you want a tapped hole to be….right…there. It isn’t, so I just make one.
$.02 cents worth.

Thanks for the perspective. I was trying for it to not look like a disaster before I started. I do realize they do get improved and modified over time.

Well, have to come up with something manageable. There's no way I could index that many holes and not mess them up bad, if I don't stay on even numbers. Had wanted the fixture holes on 0 degrees, but they really don't have to be there. Or I could rotate the mounting holes slightly. Ok, something to think about.

Guess, the answer to my question is: yes, rotary tables do have some arbitrary offset, and it is up to the user to deal with it. And no, there is no way to clock the table. Having never had a rotary table, I did not know this.

 

[682bear]

I have just put a piece of tape on the table and used an ink pen to make a mark at zero...

That is pretty standard practice on the 30 inch rotary table we use at work.

-Bear

 

[cathead]

Can't you decouple the drive and then rotate the table to where you want it? On my table there is a handle to loosen
and then disengage the worm so the table is free to rotate. After the table is rotated to the desired position, one can
reengage the worm and tighten the handle.

 

[WobblyHand]

Can't you decouple the drive and then rotate the table to where you want it? On my table there is a handle to loosen
and then disengage the worm so the table is free to rotate. After the table is rotated to the desired position, one can
reengage the worm and tighten the handle.

There is something like that on my table. Think I have to remove the crank handle to access that. There is a little tee-handle to loosen. Then, if I understand correctly, there is a collar of some sort which rotates an eccentric to engage or disengage the worm. (That's how my dividing head works.) Hey, it's worth a try.

 

[Alcap]

I’m not 100% sure but is this what your talking about , around the 7 minute mark

. I have the same one as Joe Pi and fixed mine too

 

[cathead]

Loosen the "tee" handle and rotate the whole crank assembly clockwise to disengage.