Dividing Head Handle

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Dividing Head Handle

This topic has 9 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 12 April 2014 at 09:21 by john fletcher 1.

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7 April 2014 at 16:52 #17357
Oompa Lumpa
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@oompalumpa34302
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7 April 2014 at 16:52 #149160
Oompa Lumpa
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@oompalumpa34302
I know, sounds like the beginnings of one of those improbable tales – the Horses Head Handle……

Anyhow, back to the plot. As some may remember, I have recently acquired a Dividing Head and yesterday did my first job with it. I also read the article in Issue 215 of MEW talking about the Dividing Head.

Now, it is pretty apparent that the spring loaded winding handle is something that can cause a bit of aggravation – because the handle is spring loaded, a moments inattention cause the point of the handle to catch the scissors, nudge them a hole or two and help you produce some scrap!

Talking to a colleague about this very problem a couple of weeks ago, he seems to remember a modification to the spring loaded handle where you could lock it in the "out" position. Naturally he cannot remember where he saw it, but does anyone here know of such a modification? I would be very interested in doing such a Mod.

graham.
7 April 2014 at 17:23 #149161
Howard Lewis
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@howardlewis46836
A late friend made such a sleeve for his Rotary Table, and kindly, one for me.

Basically, he turned and bored a brass bush with the ID a few thou larger than the shank of the handle, and long enough to hold the handle back in the fully disengaged position.

He then milled away one side of the "bush" so that it would fit over the shank of the handle and hold the handle back to prevent the locating pin contacting the fingers.

Not very well described, but the finished product is a deep U shape in section.

You could even bend one from a strip of sheet steel, or aluminium, of the required width.

Just pull back the handle, drop the "sleeve" into place on the shank of the handle, and release the handle. The spring will hold the sleeve in place.

As the Haynes manuals say, "Removal is the reverse of the above"!

Howard
7 April 2014 at 17:25 #149162
mick
Participant
@mick65121
Most industrial dividing heads have a bayonet fitting that allows the sprung loaded location to be held clear of the indexing plates while rotating the crank handle, sadly not included on small hobby versions.
7 April 2014 at 17:37 #149166
speelwerk
Participant
@speelwerk
It is most irretating if the scissors are moved and you loos count, I use a small allen key placed in a hole next to one of the scissors arms to block movement of them or to know where to go back to when they have moved. It is little extra work but if you make a mistake its is much more work. Niko.
7 April 2014 at 18:15 #149169
Saxalby
Participant
@saxalby
Graham,

Here is how its done on the Vertex DH.

You pull the index pin out and as you start to turn it the peg (just visible inside the handle) drops into the cross slot. A quick twist to the right and the pin locates in the plate again.

Regards Barry
7 April 2014 at 19:30 #149174
Neil Wyatt
Moderator
@neilwyatt
Shouldn't that be an 'orses 'ead 'andle?

Neil
7 April 2014 at 22:26 #149186
Nobby
Participant
@nobby
Hi
On mine when I pull the handle back I insert a c shape collar behind the the adjustable rotating bar and under the sprung loaded handle .
Nobby
10 April 2014 at 14:03 #149469
Oompa Lumpa
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@oompalumpa34302
Very grateful for all the replies and although the C shaped collar is the simplest solution I happen to have (I have no idea why or from where) a spare handle for the Divider so I am going to modify it as per Barry's photograph above. Turns out mine is a Vertex but an early one so maybe that's the reason for the lack of modification on mine.

graham.
12 April 2014 at 09:21 #149646
john fletcher 1
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@johnfletcher1
I have a Vertex rotary table bought about 20 years ago. I soon modified the spring loaded handle for the same reasons others have mentioned. Before removing the handle from the rotary table I marked the plunger shaft in two positions. 1, when it was in location position (fully extended into a hole). 2, when it was fully clear of the dividing plate and scissors legs. I then removed the handle and dismantled it, carefully driving out the pin at the end of the knurled handle, as I intended to use the pin again. This released the spring loaded plunger and clearly exposed the marks which I had previously made. I next drilled a hole on the mark towards the end from where I had removed the pin and tapped it 3mm. I mounted the knurled handle in the milling a machine and made two 3mm longitude slots in it, about 90˚ from one another. One slot long enough for the sprung loaded plunger to fully enter a plate hole, the other to restrict the plunger so that when rotating the handle the plunger pin is clear of the scissor legs. When I re assembled the handle I screwed in a 3mm cap head allen screw into the tapped hole and its worked well over the years. In use I pull out the knurl handle against spring tension and twist it one way or the other left for fully in. right for clearance

I haven’t a photo but hope my description is understandable.Ted

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