This is the working drawing for a little project I need and am making. I built an indexer a short while back and need a tail stock for it. I have all the parts rough sawed and will start machining next. The design is probably not the easiest way to make one, but it is made to utilize all pieces from my scrap box so the tail stock will cost nothing in parts or material to build.
The indexer body was made from some aircraft quality aluminum with a steel spindle and index plates. It works well and that aluminum is really tough stuff. It has already proven it can stand up to general machining ( I don't load equipment like this really heavy anyway), so I am using the same materials on the tail stock. The body is made of 1 inch aluminum plate and the support plates holding it are all 1/2 inch aluminum plate. The spindle is 5/8" drill rod and the tip will be hardened. I will have only .750 travel (.375 above or below the desired center height as this unit is dedicated to the indexer so more travel is not needed). the swing on the indexer is 6", so it will also work for my 6" rotary table.
Mark
In case you haven't seen the indexer thread, this is the completed indexer the tail stock will serve.
The indexer body was made from some aircraft quality aluminum with a steel spindle and index plates. It works well and that aluminum is really tough stuff. It has already proven it can stand up to general machining ( I don't load equipment like this really heavy anyway), so I am using the same materials on the tail stock. The body is made of 1 inch aluminum plate and the support plates holding it are all 1/2 inch aluminum plate. The spindle is 5/8" drill rod and the tip will be hardened. I will have only .750 travel (.375 above or below the desired center height as this unit is dedicated to the indexer so more travel is not needed). the swing on the indexer is 6", so it will also work for my 6" rotary table.
Mark
In case you haven't seen the indexer thread, this is the completed indexer the tail stock will serve.