Help me get this rotary table apart please

[Bone Head]

Know a bit about using one, but never took one apart. So my advice is assuming old oil or grease may have solidified over the years.
Get a tub you can set it in. Put a couple of scrap pieces in the bottom of the tub to set the table on. Once it's in the tub dose it liberally with "Ed's Red"; a 50/50 mix of auto transmission fluid and kerosene. Let it soak a day or so, then dose it again. A few days of this should loosen any semi-fossilized gunk.
This will not cure your dilemma. It'll free it up a bit and make dis-assembly easier. I'll further guess there's some chips or such where they shouldn't be.
Good luck and don't pick a tub that leaks.

 

[Threadkiller]

It looks like there's a table lock to the left of the crank. If it was me, I would remove it and look inside while turning the table. Maybe there's a setscrew that shows up.....

Thats a good idea, thank you. Theres actually two locks, one on either side of the table.

IIRC, on my 12" Phase III, both locking handles have to be removed... they ride in a groove on the bottom of the table. The nut has to be removed under the table, and the worm gear that is attached to the handle shaft has to come out. Then the table just slides out.

I'm thinking that capscrew has to be completely removed... not just loosened... it seats in a groove on the handle shaft to retain the shaft. With it removed, you should be able to turn the handle and unscrew the worm from the gear on the table... it might be best to do this before the table locks are removed, so you can lock the table while the worm is threaded out.

I'm just guessing here... based entirely on how I remember taking mine apart... but it's been a few years...

Good luck...

-Bear

Sorry if i was unclear on that, I have completely removed the cap screw, after removing i did try to lock the table and thread out the work but it wouldnt work. The handle would spin on the shaft and after i tightened it, it wouldnt budge and then it started overpowering the locks.

I would expect to find a retainer on the bottom in the form of a plate or lock ring that holds the table. Removing it should permit the table to be separated. The table lock would have to be loosened or removed as well. The worm shaft should be able to come out of the housing when cap screw is removed.

There is a nut and a locking ring on the bottom of the table. I took them out but nothing budged and i was a little nervous to start tapping with a dead blow as I didnt want to bend the worm or anything. Figured id consult the experts before i did anything i might regret.

Know a bit about using one, but never took one apart. So my advice is assuming old oil or grease may have solidified over the years.
Get a tub you can set it in. Put a couple of scrap pieces in the bottom of the tub to set the table on. Once it's in the tub dose it liberally with "Ed's Red"; a 50/50 mix of auto transmission fluid and kerosene. Let it soak a day or so, then dose it again. A few days of this should loosen any semi-fossilized gunk.
This will not cure your dilemma. It'll free it up a bit and make dis-assembly easier. I'll further guess there's some chips or such where they shouldn't be.
Good luck and don't pick a tub that leaks.

thats a really good idea. Im sure its just gunked up in there from sitting for probably a decade or two.

Thank you all for the replies. Ill try to get some more pictures tonight of the bottom and such. I dont know if ill get around to trying again to get it apart tonight though.

 

[RJSakowski]

The table should just lift off the worm once the retainer is removed. In fact, you might have to remove the table first to clear the worm for removal. From your description, it doesn't look like you have the ability to disengage the worm. Unlike modern manufacturers, I doubt that the manufacturer used any kind of devious key to prevent disassembly.

 

[Larry$]

I think Bear & RJ are correct. At any rate the worm has to become free of the table gear. My Vertex RT has a lock on the worm shaft that allows an eccentric ring on the hand crank to move the worm away from the table gear w/o needing to remove the worm shaft.

 

[Threadkiller]

The table should just lift off the worm once the retainer is removed. In fact, you might have to remove the table first to clear the worm for removal. From your description, it doesn't look like you have the ability to disengage the worm. Unlike modern manufacturers, I doubt that the manufacturer used any kind of devious key to prevent disassembly.

I havent had a chance to try yet. I will report back once i find out.

I think Bear & RJ are correct. At any rate the worm has to become free of the table gear. My Vertex RT has a lock on the worm shaft that allows an eccentric ring on the hand crank to move the worm away from the table gear w/o needing to remove the worm shaft.

I was looking for some kind of feature like that as ive seen the newer tables that do that but this one is fixed.

 

[682bear]

Can you provide more pictures of the table?

Specifically, a picture of the other side opposite the handwheel, a picture of the flat end (which would be the bottom if the table were standing vertical), and a picture of the bottom as it sits in the pictures in your first post.

Is there a lock that locks the handwheel?

I'm sure we can figure this out... it has to come apart somehow...

-Bear

 

[Threadkiller]

I will get some later

 

[Threadkiller]

Here’s some more pictures…sorry for the delay

 

[Threadkiller]

First picture is on the other side of the table opposite the crank handle, 2nd is the bottom if you stand the table up in the vertical position, the rest are self explanatory

 

[682bear]

Is there a set screw in either of these two holes that might retain the worm screw shaft?



If so, it may be a double set screw... two in one hole, so if you remove one, check the hole to see if there is a second one.

There may be a dowel pin in one of those holes with a tapped hole in the end of it to pull it out instead of a set screw.

I believe you said you removed the collar from the bottom... did you also remove the 4 flathead screws and the round plate under them?

-Bear

Edit: I went back and read your first post, I see you did remove the 4 screws...