Dividing Head Question

[wnchstrtnfldvlle]

I have been looking at the dividing heads that Precision Matthews sells, and thought of a question that I couldn't find an answer to.

Can you mill a part that's chucked up in the dividing head, while you turn it? Or can you only machine while it is locked in and stationary? Take the muzzle brake below, can those ports be machined by inserting the end mill then turning the crank to the other side then withdrawing the end mill? Yes, I know there are a lot of other variables to address with rigidity, and setups. This is just to give context to the question.

Just an example photo.


I could also just use my rotary table and then rotate the head of the mill to achieve the desired angle or create an angled setup with the rotary table. I'm just trying to figure practical and likely uses of the dividing head.

 

[markba633csi]

Yes you can turn the dividing head while milling
The part shown was probably made on a CNC machine

 

[mmcmdl]

I've used the 5C indexer for making brakes . It's limited to 15 degree increments but worked great .

 

[mmcmdl]

The part shown was probably made on a CNC

4rth axis on mill or lathe with live tooling would spit these out pronto .

 

[wnchstrtnfldvlle]

4rth axis on mill or lathe with live tooling would spit these out pronto .

Man, I wish I could go that route, but it's hard enough to justify the manual machines for a business venture that's not even past its infancy. lol.

 

[mmcmdl]

Man, I wish I could go that route, but it's hard enough to justify the manual machines for a business venture that's not even past its infancy. lol.

Especially when you can buy brakes for $20 these days . They're $20 because the cncs are spitting them out .

 

[wnchstrtnfldvlle]

For sure. Muzzle brakes aren't really going to generate much revenue. That was just to get my question across. My end goal is to build complete rifles. But, having the ability to machine matching accessories that complete the rifle package would be good. It will also give me the ability to flute barrels, as well as other items I haven't even thought of or discovered yet.

 

[mmcmdl]

I did gun work for 13 years for the gubmint . It was fun and very satisfying . Had to jump ship when the salary issue became an obstacle . This being the last .

Objective Individual Combat Weapon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[GeneT45]

I did gun work for 13 years for the gubmint . It was fun and very satisfying . Had to jump ship when the salary issue became an obstacle . This being the last .

Objective Individual Combat Weapon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

That must've been interesting. It appears to me that the program made huge strides in making rifles ugly and unwieldy. I'm surprised Beretta wasn't instantly in the lead, being true innovators in the field of ugly.

GsT

 

[mmcmdl]

That must've been interesting. It appears to me that the program made huge strides in making rifles ugly and unwieldy. I'm surprised Beretta wasn't instantly in the lead, being true innovators in the field of ugly.

In the aftermath of the ACR program, the OICW program began. There were two main contenders, one design by AAI and its companies, and the other by ATK (with H&K and other companies); ATK and H&K won. ( from the article above )

We had a nice looking gun that worked well . I made the gun along with the 20mm grenades . Someone on here bought the entire lot of prototype projectiles from me years ago and was going to make up a display . Aliant Tech eventually won the final contract based on their " spin technology " of the grenade . Not a good choice as they severely injured some APG employees . TomKro was working there at the time .

Mid 90s Top Secret Paperweights

What you are looking at is the evolution of the round that shoots around corners , otherwise known as the OICW. Objective Individual Combat weapon . Google for more info. Back in the 90s my crew developed this weapon . It was classified top secret back then and was way ahead of the times . I...

www.hobby-machinist.com