Lathe Indexing Fixture

[LMMasterMariner]

Hi guys,

This is just addition to lathe chuck brake, but both combined make perfect tool.

Consists of the following parts:

- Lathe Chuck Brake (already described)
- Indexing disc
- Bar
- Indexing pin
- Locking piece

Indexing Disc
=============

It is actually brake / indexing disc as it has 2 purposes.
Making of that disc is described in my post 'Lathe Chuck Brake' and drilling
of the holes on it was done as follows:

1. Brake / Indexing disc was mounted onto lathe chuck with three 8mm bolts.

2. 5" four jaws scroll chuck was mounted onto 6" rotary table. TIR 1/100 mm.

3. Both chucks were connected with perfectly straight 22 mm s.steel round bar.
TIR at lathe chuck = 2/100 mm, which is almost negligible for this project.

4. First I drilled inner circle of holes (24 holes) with 15/64" drill and afterwards milled
holes with 1/4" end mill. Then outer circle of holes (30 holes) was done the same way.

With these 2 rows of holes I have the following divisions: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 24 and 30.


Bar
===

Made from 30 x 5mm stainless steel flat bar; two bars connected at 90 deg angle.
Guider for indexing pin made from 15 mm s.s. round bar, drilled with 1/4",
one end threaded with M12 thread and screwed onto flat bar.


Indexing pin
============
Made from S.S. 8mm round bar. Partly turned to 6.35 mm


Locking Piece
=============
Made from steel 10mm bolt. Head of the bolt was milled in order to fit behind the brake block.


And the most important for the end:
Chuck brake keeps chuck fully locked in desired position.

Regards
LMMasterMariner

[DIYer]

Thanks LMMasterMariner! We've added your Lathe Indexing Fixture to our Measuring and Marking category,
as well as to your builder page: LMMasterMariner's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Lathe Indexing Fixture by LMMasterMariner

tags: indexing unit

[Ralphxyz]

I liked the brake but now this has really got my interest,

"With these 2 rows of holes I have the following divisions: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 24 and 30."

Boy do I have a lot of catching up on my math, luckily I have a rotary indexer but I still can picture needing more division as I imagine I will eventually want to
make some gears.

Thanks for posting, more distractions to be thinking about.

Ralph

[Frank S]

That spindle brake is fast becoming as handy as pockets on a shirt

[Ralphxyz]

I have some brake disk from a Nissan and a 12x36 Craftsman lathe I wonder if maybe I could...

Damm, the poor lathe has been sitting outside my shop for the past six months and is likely to set there for another year if I do not stop letting myself
get distracted with these projects that keep popping up.

But at least this one I would have to get the area in the shop finished so I could bring the lathe in to do the work on it.

I really like the indexer function, I am just starting working with a lathe so I do not know about the brake but I can see where that might be a benefit.

Ralph

[Frank S]

Ralph if you noticed in the video the brake also served to further secure spindle by removing any possibility of movement in the indexing arm
I can foresee gear cutting on this lathe with the addition of a mill and since the brake is controllable in the amount of applied braking force, with the proper fixtures even helical gears

[LMMasterMariner]

Ralph,
I have 6" rotary table on my milling machine for cutting gears. Also have 2 sets of involute gear cutters modules M1 and M1.5. Half of the sets actually, from #5 to #8, so I can cut from 26 teeth to rack. Also purchased R8 arbor for these cutters. Indexing fixture on my lathe will be used mainly for rifling grooves inside barrels once I complete my lathe/rifling machine project, which is postponed for some better times.
Regards
LMMasterMariner