The Rotary Table I've Been Waiting For

[verbotenwhisky]

I used to be able to lift 100 lbs plus, but no more due to age and back trouble; the solution is a jib crane or tram rail such as I built over my lathe and mill using barn door track and a horrible freight winch.

Barn door track.... what a great idea, I had been thinking trolley beam but those tracks are heavy enough to hold up a few hundred pounds.... Thanks for that solution.

 

[Janderso]

Ruskies? Troyke is a USA brand. I had one many years ago, good USA iron.

Well slap me silly. I somehow thought they were made in the old USSR

 

[Janderso]

I used to be able to lift 100 lbs plus, but no more due to age and back trouble; the solution is a jib crane or tram rail such as I built over my lathe and mill using barn door track and a horrible freight winch.

That Gorton you sold me is heavier every time I use it.
Works great though.

 

[MrWhoopee]

Well slap me silly. I somehow thought they were made in the old USSR

You may have been thinking Trotsky.

 

[Larry$]

That Gorton you sold me is heavier every time I use it.

The reason I went with an 8" and an aluminum top plate of 11" diameter. My back can't take 100#s anymore.

 

[hotrats]

Barn door track.... what a great idea, I had been thinking trolley beam but those tracks are heavy enough to hold up a few hundred pounds.... Thanks for that solution.

Mr PragmaticLee did a video on his adaptation.

 

[Janderso]

You may have been thinking Trotsky.

Oh thank you, I’m sure that’s it.

 

[projectnut]

Like others I started with an 8" rotary table. It didn't take long to figure out there were times when a larger table would come in handy. To that end I once again visited a local used equipment dealer. Before I got halfway through the door he said "I have something I think you might be interested it". We walked into the warehouse and sitting there on a shelf was an Index brand 12" rotary table. It had to be pre 1974 because that's when Wells bought the company and changed the name to Wells-Index.

I looked it over and trying not to look too excited asked what he needed for it. When he said $100.00, I couldn't get my hand to my wallet fast enough. Like most things it needed a good cleaning, and a little oil, and then it was off to work. It weighs 125 lbs. so it's not something I'm going to be carrying across the shop on a daily basis.

To make it easier to move heavier items around the shop I purchased a cable hoist several years ago. It mounts on a trolley attached to a central I beam. I can lift things from the floor to a hydraulic cart then move them around the shop. The table can be adjusted to bench or machine height then the tool can be slid off the cart to the appropriate workplace.

Here's a hoist similar to the one I purchased. Mine has a little different color scheme, but essentially, it's the same machine.

https://www.northerntool.com/products/strongway-electric-cable-hoist-880-lb-single-line-capacity-1760-lb-double-line-capacity-38-19ft-lift-4584162

Here are a couple pictures of the rotary table as it looked when I purchased it back in 2019. It weighs 125 lbs.

 

[Suzuki4evr]

You will be sorry later if you don't go for it now.

 

[MrWhoopee]

You will be sorry later if you don't go for it now.

That's exactly the logic that convinced me to marry my first wife.