VN Need Advice On Dividing Head For Vn 16

B

Bob V

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Hi,
I have a VN 16 mill I bought last spring and have been tooling it up for hobby and farm work-- with much help from this forum.
I also bought a lathe and will be chambering some rifle barrels in the near future.
I need muzzle brakes on the barrels I will chamber-- and it has occurred to me recently that I will need a dividing head to go on my VN 16 to drill the holes in the muzzle brake. I can turn the brake and it's threads on the lathe, but will need the mill (I think!) with a dividing head to drill the holes accurately spaced around the brake, perpendicular to the bore of the brake and barrel.
The entire brake is only about 2 inches long, and has maybe a dozen holes in it. If I understand a dividing head, it will index the location accurately to drill these holes through the center axis of the brake.

I know almost nothing about dividing heads-- so questions:
1) Do I need a "Van Norman" brand DH since I have a Van Norman mill-- or does this not matter.
2) I certainly won't be doing anything helical-- so can I buy a DH that is not power fed off the mill?
3) for the brake project-- what's the best way to set this up?-- chuck, collets, 3 jaw, 4 jaw?
4) I've been told Van Norman makes both vertical and horizontal DHs-- can someone tell me the difference between the capabilities of each?

Sorry about the long post/lots of questions-- but even though I will be chambering a barrel soon, it won't be any use to me until I make the Brake!!
Thanks in advance,
Bob
 
you can most likely get away with a spin indexer . That would be cheaper . Colletes in that will hold up to 1 1/8" and they have chucks that will hold larger.
 
DV --Thanks!

Can you tell me if spin indexers are "brand specific" i.e. does a Van Norman Mill require a Van Norman spin indexer?
Also, if it is not brand specific-- are the methods of attachments of a spin indexer the same with different mill tables-- T-slot?
Do the T-slots for an off brand spin indexer have to be the same distance apart in order for the spin indexer to fit my mill table?
Thanks again,
Bob
 
Bob V,
Check the slots on the table of your mill. You want the largest T nut that your slot will accept. Larger T nuts take larger bolts.

Nothing wrong with spin indexers if that's what you want. Completely depends on what you intend to do with her short and long term. Check out: http://www.hobby-machinist.com/thre...how-does-it-differ-from-a-dividing-head.4781/

Vertical or Horizontal? Depends on what you want to do. Based on what I'm understanding from your post and other comms a vertical is preferable for your current needs.

Daryl
MN
 
Thanks Daryl and David,
I did a little more reading on the web (including the link you sent-Daryl) and decided to get a Spin indexer off eBay for 88 bucks-- don't really know the quality but a lot of this one had been sold on eBay, and it has a tail stock. As David said, it appears to just be clamped to the table. I bought some cheap 5C collets and I'm pretty sure I can make this work-- just a matter of drilling/milling/reaming gas ports in the brake and I think the index will work fine for this purpose. I'll leave the dividing head for later!
Thanks for all the input.
Bob
 
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