Old Brown & Sharpe 10" dividing head

[Old Iron]

I have the same Brown & Sharpe Dividing Head. I had up loaded the manual in PDF to the old forum, Don't know why it didn't make it here.

I don't know if I still have it because my shop computer got hit by lightning. I'll look on my CDs and see if I can fine it when I get time. Right now the shop is in a mess every thing on one side is setting in the middle.

Paul

 

[8ntsane]

Mike, and Paul

Thanks for the infro

 

[OldMachinist]

Ken, please do let me know if you find the dead center.

Paul, I have a copy of the manual that comes with the import reproductions of these heads. If you have a copy of the original B&S manual I'd like to see that.

Thanks Guys.

 

[OldMachinist]

I did a little more work on the dividing head. I brazed the broken quick index plate.
Bolted it down to a fixture plate to make sure all the index holes would line up after brazing.




Back side got machined flat so I could flip it over and braze the front side.







I made new #12-32 screws for the regular and quick index plates. You can't buy #12's in that pitch anymore. The ones for the quick index plate were oval heads and the other ones were flat heads.







Next part of the project will be to make the new pop up oilers.

 

[4GSR]

Oldmachinist,

I haven't had any luck finding that dead center. I have one more place to look, in the attic. It's still fairly warn down here in South Texas to climb up in the attic right now. First really cold cold front that makes it down here, I will get up there and look.

 

[OldMachinist]

Thanks Ken I understand not wanting to get up in a hot attic. I have several places I won't go until it cools down because of the heat.
Don

 

[joesmith]

Does the unit have B & S id plate somewhere? I have a universal I bought 5 or 6 yrs ago and have never used. It looks like yours and I have 3 plates and a 3 jaw chuck that each jaw adjusts like a 4 jaw.
I do not have the bars and gears. I have found no identification anywhere. I also got a couple of extra index plates that don't fit this machine. If I live long enough I hope to use it some day.
Joe

 

[OldMachinist]

No ID tag on mine either. Several manufacturers have made dividing heads of the same design but they used a different more common spindle thread like 2-1/4" X 8 TPI. Mine has a 4 1/2 TPI spindle thread that as far as I know only Brown & Sharpe used. Another thing is the little guard over the gears behind the index plate. The newer reproductions don't have this guard.

 

[joesmith]

Don, Thanks for the info. I just checked mine. The headstock spindle is 2 1/4" x 4 1/2 tpi. It must be a B & S?? I also located 3 dividing plates and the tailstock and about a 7" 3 jaw independent chuck. I found an extra old tailstock but it is for a smaller index head. I also cound 2 extra dividing plates that are about 1/2" larger i diameter and 1/8" thicker. I don't have the headstock center either but do have one on the tailstock. I planned to make the center and some adapters to MT3 on my SB 10. I have had good luck making tapers using the taper attachment.

i a j1 Bridgeport that I plan to mount this dividing head and a 8" rotary table. I use my 9x42 Enco for milling most of the time because it is in better condition and has dro's.

I have been using a HF 8" rotary table that has an index plate mainly because it has a MT3 center. It has done fine for simple indexes(bolt heads, faceplate holes etc.) I have made mt3 adapters for several of my smaller chucks. I can make a bolt blank on the lathe and move it to the rt without resetting the work. Very convenient.

BTW that is a nice job on the plate repair.

Joe

 

[4GSR]

Oldmachinist,

Your dividing head is definitly a Brown & Sharpe. It is exact to mine in detail except for the index arm, which yours is off centered, mine was on center. Mine came off of a no. 2 mill that last patent date was around 1910-12. It worked perfect on my No. B & S mill from about the same time period. B & S made many variations of this dividing head over the years. All I can say yours is very old, probably produced before the 1930's if I had to guess. We got a cold front coming, I'll try to get up in the attic early next week and see what I can find.