Mounting a spin indexer on a small mill.

[DavesWimshurst]

Carl,
There's a million reasons to use the internet :hDe:
Dave

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Vernon...we're talking beer after all.

There's a million reasons to use the internet

:big:

Thanks for reminding me Dave. Seriously. I don't know what it is but I'm always saying to myself..."Oh yeah! I can look it up on the net!" A lot of times I post the questions and then remember...and then go look. Maybe I'm too focused on replying...for me, it's a lot like the person I'm talking to is in front of me.

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Time again for the Spindex.

Have angle grinder. Will grind.

First some questions. I put the Spindex on the mill table so I could think about it. I want to do two things. One is to square and narrow the base so it fits in my vise. The other is to make 4 slots so I can clamp it to the mill table.

I think the first job will be to square and narrow. I'll grind down close to where I want and then put it in the mill and end-mill it the rest of the way.

Now about the slots. From the side? Or from the ends? A helpful member gave me a clue that I should drill the ends of the slots...and then slot. Not sure I even need to slot. Thoughts?

In looking at the Spindex sitting on the mill table I realized that my clamping bolts are too big. Because the table is so narrow, the bolts end up near the vertical support. The two bolts from the clamping kit for the rotary table would fit but I have only two. (Some one is going to say make more.) Even so, I suspect there's no room for a washer. Is it needed?

[EDIT: Stop reading now! The following can only get you into trouble. Thanks Joe.]
Another thought...I'm wondering why I can't make the parts for the mill engine by using the rotary table on its side. (But that's beside the point.)

 

[joe d]

Time again for the Spindex.

Another thought...I'm wondering why I can't make the parts for the mill engine by using the rotary table on its side. (But that's beside the point.)

Zee That's just crazy talk. You NEED the spindexer. Keep going down that road and you'll be questioning the need for a second mill or lathe. Just stop that. Somebody's S.O. might read that... there are th_rulze !

Joe

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Joe...I edited my post. ;D


So we go...

Used the band saw instead of an angle grinder (thanks Vernon)...

Bonus...I got two chunks of cast iron...0.5 by about 0.6 by 4". Yay. No idea what can be done with them.

Then set it up and started milling. I must have been pretty straight in the bandsaw...within two passes at .005 I was half way across.

Done with one side...

Other side went the same way.

Went a whole lot better than I thought it would. Got a much better finish too but can't say why.

At this point I can clean up the edges and use it in the vise. But the vise takes away just over 2" of height. So I need to slot the base so I can clamp it to the vise table.

Only have two bolts and T-nuts that fit though. I'll have to see about getting/making(snicker) more. I don't think there's room for washers.

Now I have a brand spankin' new angle grinder with no use for it. Hm.

 

[zeeprogrammer]

So this is what I'm talking about...
Left bolt/nut is from clamping kit. Right one is from rotary table mounting kit.
Left is too big. Right one is close.

Pay no attention to that divot in the table. That was the work of a prior idiot who couldn't measure. (Don't say it Marv. :big A guy at work says it's proof the mill was used. Yeah...by an idiot.

 

[mklotz]

It seems to me that a lot of faffing about could have been avoided if you had simply drilled and tapped the bottom of the Spindex and mounted a piece of plate (say, for chuckles, 1/2") to the Spindex.

Sizing that plate to fit the vise would have been easier than mounting the Spindex on its side in the mill. Said plate, allowed to extend out from under the Spindex base, could then be drilled as required for mounting to the mill table.

Plus, with this arrangement, shims between the plate and the Spindex could be used to take out any misalignments of the Spindex axis to the bottom of the plate.

When you start using that Spindex in anger, be certain to always tighten the spindle lock before starting to machine lest thy part and the spindle be pulled outward, thus messing up your cut. DAMHIKT. In fact, I made a lock screw with a short handle on mine so I could lock it without using a tool - but we've covered that advice elsewhere.

[Please notice that I didn't say anything about the metrically challenged Dummkopf who assaulted the table with his Bohrer. Hmm, the German term for the tip of the drill is Bohrkopf and the word for measure is messen. Perhaps we should term this miscreant a 'schlechtmessen Bohrkopf'. Was denkst du daran? Technical stuff always sounds so much better, so much more authoritative, in German.]

 

[John S]

Marv,
My technical German is reserved to" Der titsufloppen mit der handucranken" which I am lead to believe is to ask directions to the nearest brothel ?

John S.

 

[Blogwitch]

Zee,

Cap headed bolts.

Blogs

 

[mklotz]

My technical German is reserved to" Der titsufloppen mit der handucranken" which I am lead to believe is to ask directions to the nearest brothel ?

Du sprichst Deutsch wie Spanisch Kuh, John but no matter. German brothels have very high standards. Spare yourself the walk.

["That's the neighbourhood gone.............Sigh", indeed.]

 

[John S]

Du sprichst Deutsch wie Spanisch Kuh, John but no matter. German brothels have very high standards. Spare yourself the walk.

["That's the neighbourhood gone.............Sigh", indeed.]

LOL.

John s.

 

[zeeprogrammer]

There's a Spindex in here somewhere. Just had it. I know it was here.
Guess that's what happens when you 'faff' around. :big:

[Please notice that I didn't say anything about the metrically challenged Dummkopf who assaulted the table with his Bohrer.]

Ah but you did anyway. (And drat...I guess I should've used metric.) I wish my German was better. Particularly sad given my background. Oh...and where were you a few days ago when I needed you?! Faffing about?

I like the idea of the plate. But I'm wondering...if I'm going to drill the Spindex base...why not just drill through and clamp to the mill table? No plate then.

Anyway...the problem I'm having is drilling. Not enough Z in the mill. I'd have to do it with a hand-held. My drill press is too small and too crummy. And we both know what happens when I drill.

I wanted to mill the sides of the base so it would fit in the vise. The Dummkopf thinking it might be handy sometimes not to have to remove the vise. (I don't always listen to Dummkopf but he does try.)

So I'm thinking of getting some drill bits and cutting them short with...with...the angle grinder!

Thanks all.

 

[PhiberOptix]

So I'm thinking of getting some drill bits and cutting them short with...with...the angle grinder!

you can buy short drill bits

http://www.imperialsupplies.com/grp261.shtml

I do not know this company it was the first in the list when I gogle searched for short drill bits

Regards
Andy

 

[mklotz]

Oh...and where were you a few days ago when I needed you?! Faffing about?

Sir, gentlemen never faff! Only ugly old mechanics from Nottingham faff, though, truth be told, they do it rather well. Besides, you're supposed to puzzle stuff like this out when you do the design analysis. Then you come up with those ALL CAPS dicta in your shop notebook:

IF IT'S TOO DIFFICULT TO DRILL HOLES IN THE PART, DRILL THE HOLES IN SOME EASY PIECE AND ATTACH IT TO THE PART.

Anyway...the problem I'm having is drilling. Not enough Z in the mill. I'd have to do it with a hand-held. My drill press is too small and too crummy. And we both know what happens when I drill.

That's the beauty of the plate idea. All you need to do is whack two threaded holes into the base so you can screw the plate fast with (counterbored) SHCS. Lay out the holes, punch 'em through with a hand drill and run a tap in.

Leave enough slop in the plate holes so you can align the Spindex axis to the plate edges when it's installed.

Make one dimension of the plate narrow enough to fit in the vise and the other dimension long enough to project out enough to allow drilling holes for bolting to the mill table.

Oh, the short drills are called "screw machine drills"...

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=890-9242&PMPXNO=4362773&PARTPG=INLMK32

Save your angle grinder for making artworks from bed frames. (Ever tried to drill or hacksaw a bed frame?)

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Sir, gentlemen never faff!

Ah. Well then that just leaves us to determine if... :big:

IF IT'S TOO DIFFICULT TO DRILL HOLES IN THE PART, DRILL THE HOLES IN SOME EASY PIECE AND ATTACH IT TO THE PART.

A very good tip. Thanks.

All you need to do is whack

And the German for the technical word 'whack' is? (You've got engineering blood in you...you know what it means when some one says...'all you have to do is' :big: At work I immediately triple the quoted time.)

Yeah...if I go this route I should buy the 'screw machine drills'. Whacking (there's that technical term again) off a bit of shaft from the drill bit doesn't help...it's still too long and now there's nothing to hold.

Well enough faffing about...I'll 'denken' on this but in the meanwhile I have a Spindex I can hold in a vise...time to get back to the mill engine.

Thanks Marv. Great fun. And great help too.

Andy! Thanks. I looked at the site. It looks like it caters to middle-men. 5 in a package and no price.

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Spindex spindex...who's got the spindex. Ah! Here it is...

Success!

Thought I'd have a go at milling the slots. So here's the setup...

Making the slots isn't critical. Wanted to be near center. Wanted to be as level as I could. For a lark I used the level to check in Y. X was a little off but I didn't care.

Didn't go well at first. Was milling from the column side. Horrible sounds. Chattering. Whole table was being pulled in.

Tried the other side...same story.

Talked with a friend about it. (Initials are VM...a big help...both technically and mentally.) Thought about other ideas. (Gave people a chance to harass me :big: I mean...suggest valuable alternatives.) Seriously...very good ideas and help.

Getting late tonight...thought I have another go with the original thought anyway. It went well. Both sides. The only thing I can think of is that I brought the bit down as close as I could. It might have been another 1/8 inch but that seems to be enough to stop the chatter. Milled easily.

I milled dry and while I milled I had a vacuum cleaner going. That helped a lot to keep things clean and the dust out of the air.

Now I just need to deburr and do a little filing.
Then I'll have a Spindex. Yay!
Now I have no excuse. Yay!

Almost forgot to see if it works. That could've been sad...

And there's enough slop to square it. (And the Spindex could actually move a bit more towards the column. I'd rather have a washer in there but at best it'd have to be...uh...un-round.)

Blogs...thanks for the tip on the SHCS.

Wife took my camera. Permanently. But gave me hers. Seems to be okay.

Happy guy. I can go to work tomorrow.

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Rats. Not having a washer in there really bothers me.
Maybe I can put a pocket in...just for the washer.
Or maybe there's enough room to put a washer if I trim off a bit of it.

Well I'll think on it. Let the harassment begin...I mean valuable suggestions. :big:

Ah...that's probably not going to come across right...but you all know what I mean.

 

[arnoldb]

Good going Zee

Quick 'n dirty:
Clamp a washer in a bench clamp and file it to a 3/4 moon shape.
Or nip it up in a vice-grip pliers and grind it to said shape on the bench grinder.

Or more elegant:
Counterbore a suitable pocket - if you have enough spare "meat" on the indexer body and can reach in to do it.

Regards, arnold

 

[John S]

Sir, gentlemen never faff! Only ugly old mechanics from Nottingham faff, though, truth be told, they do it rather well.

Less of the old please......

John S.

 

[winklmj]

Reviving this old thread I got the same indexer and a 5c collet set from Santa. That thing is huge on the X2 mill so I'll be doing something similar to make it easier to mount.