Tilt Body Indexer

[Hopsteiner]

This is a new project I’m working on. In the first photo, I’m turning a large 5 1/2 inch piece of schedule 40 pipe. With the overhang, I’m turning slow and taking light cuts to true up the pipe. In the second photo, I’m cutting a piece of railroad tie steel, I found While hiking. It’s “mystery” steel but it’s thick enough for the end caps. In the fourth photo, I’ve pared down the steel to turn an interrupted cut. Going slow. In the fifth photo, I’m taking a facing cut. In the last, one of a pair of end caps almost finished. This will be a long project with many pieces. The plans are not original to me. I will be making some modification to suit some hardware I have. The plans are from a 4 part series in Home Shop Machinist, May-June to Nov.- Dec. 2001.

 

[Hopsteiner]

In the first photo, I’m counterboring the 6-32 Allen bolt holes in one of the cover plates. There are two of them. In the second photo, I’m spot drilling with a “body size” drill in the rim. In the last photo, I’m drilling the rim holes with a tap size drill, 1inch deep. The tap for 6-32 is a High speed steel tap. Tapping 8 holes this small with anything other then HSS would break. Carbon steel tap from Home Depot would be disaster.

 

[Hopsteiner]

These are photos of the completed “body” of the Indexer with the plates installed. The tap set is a Snap on blue point set, HSS with adjustable dies which I picked up at a “ thrift shop”.

 

[Hopsteiner]

I just finished making the pivot points on the Indexer. I made them out of stainless, my metal of choice. In the first picture, I’m removing the burr after counterboring, gives a nice look. The plans called for a press fit and the welding on the inside, but I decided to press and then drill and tap instead. Worked great, I could draw in the pivots with the screws. In the second photo, the holes have been drilled and tapped with the aid of the turned piece. In the last photo, the pivots have been mounted. And we have what amounts to a glorifled “coffee can”. This will hole the worm gear assembly. More to follow. I will next be building the frame out of railroad “mystery steel”. Did I mention I‘m cheap.

 

[deeferdog]

I'm probably the only one here who doesn't know what a tilt body indexer is so I'll ask. What is a tilt body indexer? Great looking work by the way, from one cheapie to another. Cheers, Peter.

 

[Hopsteiner]

I probably should have shown a picture of what I’m building. I’ll do that now. It’s a four part series that caught my mechanical fancy. I may never use it when it’s done, but it looked interesting and I had some of the main gears.

 

[Hopsteiner]

In an aside, my son had the pleasure to visit your great country last year. He enjoyed it every much.

 

[Cogsy]

I'm probably the only one here who doesn't know what a tilt body indexer is so I'll ask. What is a tilt body indexer? Great looking work by the way, from one cheapie to another. Cheers, Peter.

You were just the only one brave enough to ask - I had no idea either. It appears to be a dividing head by another name...

 

[deeferdog]

I'm following this with great interest in the hope I can work out what it does, how is the word "Tilt"relevant? Glad your son likes Oz, I enjoyed the US. Cheers, Peter.

 

[Hopsteiner]

The spindle that will go through the large canister perpendicular to the pivot axis will allow you to cut bevel gears, etc, on an angle. it will make a little more sense when I get the canister mounted on the frame.

 

[a41capt]

I remember seeing those plans when they were published and thought it’d be a bit of a challenge for me as a newbie home machinist. This’ll be fun watching you tackle the job, ain’t it fun being a scrounger?

John

 

[Hopsteiner]

Not according to my wife! As with any project, take it one step at a time and build on that. I always try to think things through in advance of doing them. Doesn’t always guarantee no mistake, but it helps.

 

[Balta]

Does anybody knows how to get these plans? Must of the projects I rally like seem to be in past issues. Getting all four of these issues does not look feasible.

 

[Soundguy]

Have you tried contacting Home Shop Machinist /village press (1-800-447-7367 or [email protected]) asking how you can get those reprints?