Dividing head

[Oompa LumpaParticipant @oompalumpa34302]

Following on from my successful Slitting Saw question I thought I would ask around as to the viability of various Dividing Heads. I just need something simple and I had looked at the type PF70 5C collet indexer but after reading a review or two I am not sure.
I am fitting the Indexer/indexing head to the table on a Chester Century Mill.

Thanks in advance for your replies.
graham.

[Oompa LumpaParticipant @oompalumpa34302]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Do you already have a rotary table? if not I would suggest one of these with dividing plates and a tailstock as the most versatile and useful.

[Oompa LumpaParticipant @oompalumpa34302]

Posted by JasonB on 21/10/2013 20:54:36:

Do you already have a rotary table? if not I would suggest one of these with dividing plates and a tailstock as the most versatile and useful.

Hi Jason, No is the short answer and after a bit of research I had thought this might be the thing to do but as I didn't know I thought it best to ask.
I have absolutely no clue as to which size to get either so I would ask for guidance in that too.

It is all very well buying stuff online, but often you have no idea as to how big (or small) the actual item is, unless you build one from cardboard first

graham.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

What mill is it going onto?

[Oompa LumpaParticipant @oompalumpa34302]

Hi Jason it is going on a Chester Century Mill. I have seen some (clearly Chinese) offerings from Chronos which look like they might fit the bill. This one in particular: **LINK**

Six inch does sound manageable, table is 180mm wide.

graham.

[WearyParticipant @weary]

Hi,

I have a Chester Century mill and use a Vertex HV-6 Rotary Table on it as an occasional dividing head.

Seems ideal for my usage = small modelling.

Regards,

Phil

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I'd suggest the 6" Vertex, or similar, with index plates, and tail stock, you probably won't need it every day, but you will appreciate it when you do need it. Ian S C

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I have the same as your link and My X3 table is about the same size. Works for me.

J

[Oompa LumpaParticipant @oompalumpa34302]

Well I called Chronos and spoke to Matt who was extremely helpful.
I am going to buy – bit at a time – the one I linked to above. It is not as smooth as the Vertex by all accounts but it works well. I apreciate you get what you pay for but this is a "big ticket purchase" and as I have said before, I cant buy everything at once. It will do the job and that is what is important to me, AND it gives me lots of versatility.

Thanks everyone for your invaluable bits of advice.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

You can always make the division plates you need initially using the table itself as the errors get recuced by the 90:1 reduction gear so will be good enough for most things. Just a bit tedious to make.

If you are into buy not make you could ask them for some compatible T-nuts. Probably too late to get them thrown in if you have placed the order,

[Oompa LumpaParticipant @oompalumpa34302]

Ohhh No – I work to the principle 'Nothing Good ever happened quickly'
I will be placing the order at the end of the week because it will be the Rotary table, a Flycutter and a Boring Head.

And I haven't yet asked that question!

graham.

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