Group Project: Dividing Head - Organization and Design

Id love to join but i dont have my main machines running yet. All i have is a little watchmakers lathe. Is it possible to get the plans if this works out so i could make my own at some point?
 
Eventually there will be small knobs and handles that need to be made.
 
Sorry I have been away from the thread. Busy week. I am a little under confident about jumping into this. I may watch this one from the sidelines and jump in later if that is OK. Sounds like you guys are planning multiple copies?
I was thinking about the base; whomever tackles this probably needs to own a boring head to make the holes for the trunion (I do not.) I suppose this could also be done on the lathe with a big 4 jaw. Also, I don't think it would hurt rigidity to have the base as 3 pieces. (2 sides and a base) Then you could stack the two sides and cut the trunion holes with perfect alignment. That also gives you some freedom in changing the mounting points for the base to fit specific table slots. You could just re-draw one flat part. Just some thoughts.
Do we have a more current drawing? Has anyone ever taken apart a standard BS1 dividing head for ideas?
Robert

Edit: I found this
 
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I finally got around to reading through the original thread, though the names @Shotgun is using is a little different? Anyway, I can make the base!

1 thing I have the ability to do thanks to a large shaper (if the bottom is thick enough!) is to cut some keyways in the bottom to put in T-slots, if we think that is valuable.

I also have both a boring head AND a large lathe, so I can do the end plates, but if they are the parts I'm thinking, isn't 1 end plate currently the same part as the base?
 
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ErichKeane said:
I finally got around to reading through the original thread, though the names @Shotgun is using is a little different? Anyway, I can make the base!

1 thing I have the ability to do thanks to a large shaper (if the bottom is thick enough!) is to cut some keyways in the bottom to put in T-slots, if we think that is valuable.

I also have both a boring head AND a large lathe, so I can do the end plates, but if they are the parts I'm thinking, isn't 1 end plate currently the same part as the base?
Click to expand...

Currently, yes one end plate is part of the base. Made from a single piece of heavy angle iron. The material I have is 6x6 angle that is3/4" thick. The Auxiliary Base (and, yes, I did make up some of my own names, 'cause I didn't know that the proper ones should be), the Auxiliary Base could be bolted to the outside of the Main Base when the Trunnion holes are cut. Also, I did draw slots for clamping, but I really don't know what the range of T-slot sizes could be, so they were very much a SWAG.

@Brento Would your watchmaker's lathe (I'm sorry that I don't know what that is) handle making the Worm Crank? If you look at post #74 of Mark_f's thread, the worm crank and indexing pin look like small detailed parts. Much of it could also be made from aluminum stock. Now I'm going to go research what a watchmaker's lathe looks like.

1) Drawing (@Flyinfool)
2) Worm, Gear (@Shotgun )
3) Spindle Shaft (@erikmannie)
4) Trunnion and Bearing (@ttabbal)
5) End Plates
5) Base (@ErichKeane)
6) Worm Crank with Sector Arms
7) Index Plates (@Ianagos)
8) Chuck/Front Index/Backing Plate, Spindle Lock with Indexing Pin
 
Shotgun said:
Currently, yes one end plate is part of the base. Made from a single piece of heavy angle iron. The material I have is 6x6 angle that is3/4" thick. The Auxiliary Base (and, yes, I did make up some of my own names, 'cause I didn't know that the proper ones should be), the Auxiliary Base could be bolted to the outside of the Main Base when the Trunnion holes are cut. Also, I did draw slots for clamping, but I really don't know what the range of T-slot sizes could be, so they were very much a SWAG.

@Brento Would your watchmaker's lathe (I'm sorry that I don't know what that is) handle making the Worm Crank? If you look at post #74 of Mark_f's thread, the worm crank and indexing pin look like small detailed parts. Much of it could also be made from aluminum stock. Now I'm going to go research what a watchmaker's lathe looks like.

1) Drawing (@Flyinfool)
2) Worm, Gear (@Shotgun )
3) Spindle Shaft (@erikmannie)
4) Trunnion and Bearing (@ttabbal)
5) End Plates
5) Base (@ErichKeane)
6) Worm Crank with Sector Arms
7) Index Plates (@Ianagos)
8) Chuck/Front Index/Backing Plate, Spindle Lock with Indexing Pin
Click to expand...
Ok, let me know what we want, a 6x6 3/4" angle is likely a touch on the harder side to acquire, but I can see what is available locally.

One thing we can do with the key is to choose a 'small' size, then use offset/adjust keys (I don't know what they are called, but they are bigger on the bottom than the top).

Alternatively, I could do a 'made to order' based on what everyone wants.
 
erikmannie said:
How many units are we fabricating?
Click to expand...
We're up to 6 participants so far. The goal is for everyone to end with their own dividing head.

@ErichKeane If you can't find material that will work as the base, we can swap out. I have material to make two bases sitting on the shelf, and I can get another 15ft if I want it. Worst case is, I could ship you the acme rod, hob and fixture I made for making gears. I'm good either way.

What the "keys" you are referring to?
 
This is why I mentioned that I will need to confer with each person about the part(s) they are making so I can taylor the design and drawings to work with their material and machines as well as fit up with everyone else's parts. There are many features that can be easily changed but may also affect other parts that can be easily changed to match.

The keys are removable tabs on the bottom of the unit to bump against the slots in the table for alignment.
 
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