sine milling table

gbritnell

gbritnell

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This is probably or should I say surely for some of the old timers on the board. Back when I worked in the pattern shop for the Ford Motor Co. we had 4 sine milling tables. These were from 12"x12" up to 24"x48". They consisted of a cast base with 2 vertical ears on the same edge. The ears were bored for a ground pin. Into the base was set a hardened plate onto which your stack-up of blocks were set to produce the desired angle.
The top plate had 2 corresponding ears that accepted the ground pin from the base (hinged at one edge). The top plate had T-slots cut into it and a hardened rod which was spaced to produce the sine feature. On the sides of the tables were 2 long slotted arms, on from the top and one from the bottom. When the sine table was opened and set to the desired angle the arms were bolted together to secure everything. We did some very large parts on these tables.
When I got my first milling machine (a round column Enco) I needed one of these tables so off I went to the tool store. When I explained what I wanted they said we have these sine tables (small) for layout or grinding but nothing like you describe. Ours are precision and have tapped holes in the upper plate for mounting whatever it is you want to grind or check.
I ended up with an Enco tool that is made from cast iron. It's 8"x10" and the base is semi-circular in shape. The top has a matching semi-circle machined into it so that it will rotate around the base. It does have T-slots in it. Over the years I made a vernier degree scale for it.
My latest project requires a lot of angles to be machined and so I have been using this tool for the job. In the course of using it I have discovered a lot of it's inaccuracies. (typical import stuff) They start with a good chunk of iron and then machine it crooked.
Anyway, this got me thinking about the old milling sine table that we used to use. Has anyone else ever seen the likes of what I've described?
gbritnell
 
Our model shop at ND had two or three of them. The tilted on two axis. Very handy for compound angles.

"Billy G"
 
Most of the ones I've seen were made by the shop using them. I also wonder if a tilting rotary table might not provide the same function for your job and be more versatile for your over all needs. They seem to be more available.

Tim
 
I have 2 of them. Used to have 3. I left the 12" X 12" at work,but have a 6x12" which is large enough. If it isn't,I have a Bridgeport tilting sine table that is larger than 12 x 12". It also has a vertical end on it about 3 or 4" high. This was made by Bridgeport.

I have no pictures. Similar to the link provided above.
 
If the Craigslist pic isn't what you are describing I would love to see a pic of what OP is describing. I think I've got a mental image but sometimes it's not what I'm thinking.:thinking:
 
Hi Kevin,
Here's a quick Cad drawing of what I'm talking about. The arms were mounted to the plates with studs and secured with nuts. At the intersection point of the arms there was a shouldered bolt with a nut and washer.
The upper plate was shimmed to the proper angle and the arms were closed together to form as much of a straight line as possible and then the bolt was tightened. We machined some very large pattern inserts with this setup.
gbritnell

sine table assy.jpg sine table assy rear.jpg
 
OK That's what I was thinking it was. A quick check on ebag showed several with drilled holes, but none with slots.
 
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