Dividing Head designed by LH Sparey.

[hopefuldave]

Peter, that sounds feasible, I'd already made a few drawingsalong those lines...

If I take off the rear spindle bearing cover it leaves two nice machined, drilled and tapped surfaces where I could mount the dividing attachment, but the diameter of the wormwheel wouldn't clear the changewheel housing so I'd have to fit a long (8" or so) extension to the back of the spindle - I guess that a hollow extension would allow me to use an extended drawtube and my collets, but it would need to clamp the outer diameter of the spindle.

As the worm and wheel would be pushed so far back, I think it'll need a support bearing so... I'll have to get a foundry together and make a nice cast aluminium housing

I suppose once I'd gone that far, a mount to set it on the boring table would be a pretty simple addition....

[Pete49]

I was looking to make this dividing head and have his book so had another look at the plan boy its a pain with older eyes . Tried to enlarge it to A4 with a little success but would prefer A3 size. Is the plan itself available? I will try Mrs Google later but thought I would ask the collective first.
Pete

[mattinker]

I've recieved the "The Amateur's lathe" and I'm very pleased with the contents!

Rob,

 I've been through the book and I can't find any references to why the "1/8" ribs" are there. Can I get away with just a thicker casting?

Pete,

As you have the book, there is no reason why I shouldn't send you the scanned and enlarged plans that I have made. PM me if your interested.

Regards, Matthew

[DavidA]

Pete,

You could photograph the plan and save it in jpg format on your computer.

Then use your photo editor of choice to enlarge the bits you need to see.

I have Picasa 3 which does this up to about 400%/

I don't think you would be standing on anyones toes if it is for your own use; particularly as you have bought the book.

Dave.

[Rob.Wilson]

I've recieved the "The Amateur's lathe" and I'm very pleased with the contents!

Rob,

 I've been through the book and I can't find any references to why the "1/8" ribs" are there. Can I get away with just a thicker casting?

Pete,

As you have the book, there is no reason why I shouldn't send you the scanned and enlarged plans that I have made. PM me if your interested.

Regards, Matthew

Hi Matthew ,,,,,,,,I am pleased your pleased with the book 

The reason for the 1/8 ribs is that it is a smaller area to machine ,as only the faces would be machined , instead of machining the hole face of the casting flat , remember this was built without a mill and more than likely filed flat , then the machined/filed rib face would be used as the bolt down face for doing the 1 3/4 banjo bore . That way the bore and anything mounted to the rib faces would be parallel to each other .   

Yes you could go for a casting without ribs it would make no difference  ,just make it and 1/8 thicker .


Cheers Rob

[mattinker]

Rob,
I thought it must be something like that. I'm re-dimensioning everything, as I work in metric.  I want it to be usable on both my lathes, shaper and my milling machine. So it won't be much like the plans!

Regards, Matthew

[Pete49]

DaveA thanks for the hint. once again a simple method.

Rob did you buy the base casting for the shaft or did you fabricate it? As for the 1/8 ribs I carved my piece out of some 10mm flat I had.
Now trying to sort out the base. Oh what fun this is beginning to be
Pete

[Rob.Wilson]

Hi Pete


My main body  is screwed together from bits of mild steel (pre welder days), basically I machined up individual parts , screwed them together and then finished off the machining as if it was a casting , If you follow my drift .

I can take a few photos if you like .

I hope your going to share your dividing head build  that goes for you too Matthew 


Cheers Rob

[mattinker]

Rob,

the dividing head is in the planning stage.

The things I want to show are a small drill bit attachment for the Clarkson and my MKI.5 Clarkson conversion, back to three phase and two speeds, toothed belt drive.

About six months ago I was finishing up the small drill sharpener, I went to try it and the magic smoke escaped. To capture the smoke was to difficult, so having a three phase magic smoke container, I've been slowly making bits to make it work. Saying all this should galvanise me into action, all I have left to do is wire the work light, mount the new (to me) relay and finish the toothed belt adjusting split cotter. I might not be able to hold back on the castings for the dividing head! Serious questions to be answered, ZA12 or Wheelium, how do I make the hold down holes fit all my machines there has to be a logic I can use!

Regards, Matthew

[stefang]

Nice piece of kit you made!

I went right over to amazon to order the book ;)

Stefan

[stvy]

Dave,

You could fit a gear of your choice to a mandrel secured in the back end of the spindle, and then fit the dividing worm and plates as needed on a carrier to fit your lathe.

That is how the GHT dividing attachment was fitted to the 254 lathe.

BR

/Peter

<edit> One-hand editing etc, etc ...  </edit>

Peter,

I am interested in some simple head stock dividing solution so I can engrave scales work pieces held in the chuck on my boxford IS11.30. Can you provide any further reference to this solution? Any articles or pictures etc? I am a beginner and a picture will greatly help.

Thanks,
Steve

[PeterE]

Dave,

You could fit a gear of your choice to a mandrel secured in the back end of the spindle, and then fit the dividing worm and plates as needed on a carrier to fit your lathe.

That is how the GHT dividing attachment was fitted to the 254 lathe.

BR

/Peter

<edit> One-hand editing etc, etc ...  </edit>

Peter,

I am interested in some simple head stock dividing solution so I can engrave scales work pieces held in the chuck on my boxford IS11.30. Can you provide any further reference to this solution? Any articles or pictures etc? I am a beginner and a picture will greatly help.

Thanks,
Steve

Hi Steve,

I made the following thing when I was in the same situation as you. Please see the following thread: http://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,5691.0.html There is no drawing but I think you can make one to fit your machine.

Best I can do at the moment.

BR

/Peter

[stvy]

PeterE,

Many thanks. Your project has been great food for thought.

Thanks,
Steve

[Andrew Wildman]

This is a rather rubbish foto of my version of the same dividing head. The head is made from scrap from the local scrappie. It is made from machined weldments rather than castings and all done on the lathe as at the time I had no mill.  The bit being machined is an anti backlash nut for my CNC mill.

[Andrew Wildman]

Better picture

[Pete49]

Isn't it amazing. Robs post generated at least 4 new builders and  and a few that use them and out they come. Gotta love this forum  My MT2 cutters arrived today so I can finally finish mine Been watching DB's videos and nice job he is doing too
Pete