Surprise! Instant Index Plates.

middle.road

Granite Stoopid...
H-M Supporter Gold Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2014
Messages
3,589
Well sort of.
I was watching one of Stefan Gotteswinter's video's of where he was rebuilding an import rotary table and he mentioned the index plate kit for it that he passed on.
Then something starting nagging me. Back when I bought my Index Mill some 20+ years ago it came with a 200mm import RoTab, and a couple of boxes and bags of miscellany.
One of the heavy vinyl bags got crammed in the back of a drawer and has been gestating there all this time waiting patiently for me to wake up and pay attention, and possible read a manual, maybe...
Walah:
1542908501730.png ( what are all them littl' holes for??? :grin:) Guess I'd better for find a reference.
 
Bear in mind that there are several different gear ratios used on rotary tables, this effects how you use those 'littl holes.
 
Those dividing plates are also usually hardened, and sometimes the mounting holes look good, but turn out to be an incorrect pattern to fit the dividing head. Spot annealing that area only might help soften just the area you want to drill, if you can't drill and countersink them as the plate is. Fit a new bolt pattern in between the old pattern, and leave the old pattern alone.
 
Personally, I have not seen the plates to be hardened ---- Or, you could go the other route and drill/tap the dividing head or rotary table to suit the plates ---
 
Personally, I have not seen the plates to be hardened
I have 2 sets of dividing plates, one set originally for a different dividing head. Both sets are hardened, a file skates, barely tries to cut. It would be very difficult to drill or countersink new mounting holes on them as they are. Another issue is that a new plate mounting screw hole pattern would need to be done accurately to make sure the indexing pin finds the holes all the way around the plate. I am pretty sure it can be done, just not necessarily a quick and easy job.
 
Hopefully these are the ones that came with the RoTab when it was purchased.
It'll be a while before I get around to checking them out.
Looking at units at vendors it might just be so.
 
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