Homemade Rotary Table

[Astro]

Homemade Rotary Table
I needed a rotary table to machine circular sections of parts on my milling machine and to drill holes equispaced on a PCD. I had a right angle drive wormbox with an 80:1 reduction, so I figured if I could somehow fix a clamping table to the driven axis then I would achieve what I needed. During my search for suitable plate steel I came across a flywheel from a soil compactor with 80 teeth. This would at least enable me to use divisions of 80. (2,4,5,8,10,16,20) A little restrictive but better than what I had.
First job was to machine both sides of the wormbox, which I did by using and end mill and clamping the driven axis of the wormbox to my milling table and rotating the box by hand, (very carefully I might add).



Next was to machine the top and bottom plates to be a precise fit onto the box and to integrate the flywheel under the top plate.
The 10” diameter plates were at the limit of my lathe’s capacity and some care was needed with toolpost placement at times. The pitched holes were all carefully manually marked and drilled as I didn’t have a better method at this stage.






I made a sub-top plate and axle to attach the top plate to the driven gear, machined tee-slots into the top plate and made tee-nuts to suit. Unfortunately I don’t have any photo’s of these items.
I made an aluminium drive handle with speed holes manually pitched, and a 3 position division locking mechanism. 1stposition- engaging the root of the tooth, 2nd position- straddling the tip of the tooth, 3rd position- fully retracted.






I enjoyed making this table and continue to enjoy using it, and just recently I have acquired another rotary table which has 360 degree divisions with accuracy in minutes and seconds, so this now allows me to cover all possible divisions.

[baskarz]

Very nice!
Where did you get the right angle worm box?

[Altair]

Nicely done Astro. Thanks for showing us how to build one with little machining required.

Al

[Astro]

Very nice!
Where did you get the right angle worm box?

I picked up the wormbox from a garage sale in my neighbourhood. An ex-engineer was selling up his life's collection. Hunt around, I'm sure you'll be able to find one

[kbalch]

Thanks Astro! I've added your Rotary Table to our Machining category, as well as to your builder page: Astro's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Rotary Table by Astro

tags: machining, mill, rotary table

[DIYer]

Great work, and post detail, on that rotary table, Astro. Thanks!

[jere]

Nicely done! I have a couple of self propelled lawn mower gear boxes that I have been hunting for something good to use them for

[kbalch]

Hi Astro,

Very nice work! Your Rotary Table is the 'Tool of the Week'!

You'll be receiving one of our official HomemadeTools.net T-shirts:

Just let me have (via PM) your details (size, color choice, and mailing address) and we'll get things processed directly.

Congrats!

Ken

[kbalch]

This thread has been moved to the Must Read subforum. Congrats (and thanks) to Astro for making such a valuable contribution!

[Gary A. Wills]

Thanks for showing the way you made yours, I've been going to make one now I know I will . Mainly because I can't afford the ones they sell, I can get a 60-1 reducer for thirty bucks, have a nice 8" faceplate, can get starter ring gear from an old mower engine. Even have a nice piece of 1/2" plate to make the bottom. Yupp ya helped me past my whys and should I . Thanks