Author Topic: Irritating things - My Vertex Rotary Table - Why ??? (Read 5427 times)

picclock · « **on:** January 28, 2011, 11:05:27 AM »

My 6" Vertex Rotary Table.

Why does the freewheel pin extend above the plane of the table and hit the work ? Why does the fixing point only allow 1/2 engagement of the clamp nut ? (Meaning that I always have to add an additional clamp - sigh)

Hey Vertex are you listening

That feels better already. Think I'm gonna take me an angle grinder to that pin

picclock

Bogstandard · « **Reply #1 on:** January 28, 2011, 12:07:53 PM »

1) If you look at the sleeve the pin is located into, you will find two grub screws, and by slackening them off, you can rotate the pin holder so that it doesn't foul any more. Your vernier adjustment sight lines will end up in a slightly different place. BTW, if you need to do any accurate indexing at all with the RT, you shouldn't be retracting the worm anyway. In many, many years of use, I think I have only ever retracted mine a couple of times until recently, when I gave it a strip down and mod. Even when outside clocking, I turned the handwheel., much more accurate.

2) You have a choice, a very heavy RT where they thicken the vertical baseplate to allow a full depth fitting, or by fitting an extra lug where you won't have the option of vertical mounting. You should do as everyone else does and has done for more years than I care to remember with Vertex RT's, make do with what you've got.

I will say one thing though, the Vertex is easy to mount, some others are a lot worse.

Boga

AdeV · « **Reply #2 on:** January 28, 2011, 12:30:08 PM »

Quote from: bogstandard on January 28, 2011, 12:07:53 PM

I will say one thing though, the Vertex is easy to mount, some others are a lot worse.

It's true - my Jones & Shipman 12" rotab falls over every time I try to mount it vertically, they forgot to include any flat surfaces

I DO have a 12" that will mount vertically, but the rotary bit falls out if I do that 'cos it's got no back (underside) support...

raynerd · « **Reply #3 on:** January 28, 2011, 02:31:13 PM »

Piclock - one of those grub screws John mentioned is shown on your photo. I also fall into this trap and though it was a PITA until I figured out it`ll spin around.

madjackghengis · « **Reply #4 on:** January 29, 2011, 09:44:59 AM »

Hi Piclock, I'd have to go with John on this one, keeping the screw engaged makes for an ever more accurate table, if you are careful and don't force it, because constant use, with careful keeping in adjustment means you are always averaging the bearing of the scew on the gear, and making it both smoother engaging, and more evenly engaged. I don't ever dis-engage mine except to clean and or adjust it.

cheers mad jack

picclock · « **Reply #5 on:** January 30, 2011, 06:48:32 AM »

I normally work with it engaged (cos otherwise it won't work

). But for some jobs its a lot quicker to disengage it to rotate the work, especially if the angular position is not important (just cutting curves you know

).

Either way the fact that the pin is 1.5mm longer than it should be is a piece of manufacturing nonsense - with no good reason for it not to be made to the correct length

. I thought it might unscrew but it appears it was held in with an adhesive as it just popped out. Its 5 mm so I may tap the hole and make a 6mm lever, or more likely just cut it off and stick it back. Removable is good but its on borrowed time until I lose it

.

The mounting at the end just lacks machining. There is plenty of material that could be removed to make it work properly (I suspect the way the designer intended before the 'lets save a fortune and not bother to machine that' brigade took over). I'll probably correct that with an angle grinder after I've finished this job. You could even argue that only having half the hold down nut engaging is a safety issue .. .

picclock

Bryan · « **Reply #6 on:** January 30, 2011, 11:03:21 PM »

I just made a shorter pin for my 8" Vertex. I think it was a 1/4" thread, but could have been M6, I forget. 5 minute job. I also rotated the scale to be easier to see in the vertical position, since that is how I'll be using it. Again, very easy to do.

I guess this constitutes a de-lurk. Hi.

John Stevenson · « **Reply #7 on:** January 31, 2011, 03:45:48 AM »

I always regard my tools as just equipment and if they need modifying to suit me then so be it.
I have no problem in drilling a hole in a brand new lathe to hold something on that suits me, I know the flat earth society probably won't agree with me but who's to say they got the design right in the first place ?

John S.

picclock · « **Reply #8 on:** January 31, 2011, 03:58:56 AM »

Hi Bryan

Welcome to the group

.

Not sure I'm really qualified to say that since I'm fairly new here, but if you've been lurking for some time you'll know that there are a lot of very good and knowledgeable engineers here, always willing to help out or discuss any issues.

Hope the weather in Aus has improved since the floods we all saw on the news. I'm in the UK and its freezing at the moment.

So don't be a stranger

picclock

Ned Ludd · « **Reply #9 on:** January 31, 2011, 08:30:38 AM »

Hi JohnS,
Quite agree, equipment is sold for a "general" purpose but you want it for a "particular" one, so you are quite right to alter it to suit your needs.
Just what's wrong with the Flat Earth Society, it looks flat when I stand on a beach and look at the horizon?
Ned

MadModder

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