Rotary table ID? And where to put spring washer?

[iconParticipant @icon]

I got this rotary table with a bunch of other stuff many years ago, when I got my milling machine. I took it apart a decade ago, thinking I’d put some graduations on the table and the handle. Well, life got in the way and I’ve only just returned to it. I’m pretty sure it was made by the previous custodian of the milling machine, from a set of castings. It’s not Reeves, Hemingway, CES or any of the usual suspects, I don’t think. Does anyone recognise it?

The only part I’m puzzled about is a random spring washer. This has an inside diameter that matches the OD of the worm gear shaft, but where would it go? Also, there’s no way of ‘preloading’ it by compression, so I’m not sure what purpose it would serve. The other possibility is the bolt holding the table, but the diameter is wrong for this – it’s slightly too large. Any thoughts?

 

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

Hi Icon

I can’t be sure but it looks very much like one built by a friend from castings supplied by Model Engineering Services, who sold the kits for Dore-Westbury milling machines and the Kennet tool grinder. My friend built the D-W mill and the special vice and rotary table from their part machined casting sets. might give you a starting point for some googling, someone out there may have a copy of the original build drawings and notes.

Model Engineering Services closed some time ago when the owner Mr Throp retired, I built a kennet grinder from a new old stock set of castings and materials, very good they were too.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Has the rotary table been perpetuated by Hemingway?

If so, they may be klind enough to tell you, or sell you drawings and assembly instructions.

Howard

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

To aid identification/elimination … this page on Harold Hall’s site has a decent photo of the C.E.S. tables:

http://www.homews.co.uk/page70.html

MichaelG.

[Clive Brown 1Participant @clivebrown1]

Here’s a table described as from MES castings. https://bristolmodelengineers.co.uk/gallery/tools/to9.htm.

Incidentally, I recall MES being owned by Ivan Law, I thought that Arnold Throp made some design engineering contributions, eg the milling machine, but didn’t run the business.

The Hemingway kits are based on the GHT design which is different from the OPs table.

[iconParticipant @icon]

MES! That’s the secret source. By the miracle of the Wayback Machine I found their original website: here. Mine is the RT2 – the one Clive has linked above is the RT3 –  “This table is rather unconventional as instead of a “Tee” slotted table the RT3 is fitted with a screwed MT2 mandrel to match that of the constructors lathe”.

MES were of course the home of the Quorn. I maybe have to accept that I’m never going to actually make one 🙁

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

Clive is quite right, Ivan Law ran MES, should have remembered that as I bought some parts from him to complete a part finished Quorn I bought, very pleasant and helpful chap. BTW I hated the Quorn, probably just me but after using a Clarkson at work I just couldn’t take to it. Spent a day sharpening one end mill and decided it wasn’t for me!, quite possibly in a minority of one here.

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