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Dividing Head v Rotary Table question

I've got a very study Richmond 5" dividing head that I've converted to run on the very useful Divisionmaster (designed by Tony Jeffree, sold by Lester Caine). A 5" dividing head is a hefty lump and the problem that I've encountered is that if I use the dividing head with a tailstock to support longer jobs there's very little milling table left for the workpiece.

I was contemplating converting my 6" rotary table to a stepper drive and using that as the dividing head with a suitable tailstock. This will free up about 12" of milling table. If I replaced the dividing head entirely with a converted rotary table are there any downsides?

Thanks

Charles

Reply to
Charles
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The answer is obvious Charles - get a bigger milling machine. Simples !!!!

AWEM

Reply to
Andrew Mawson

Buy a little dividing head, by the time you have set the rot table up as a dividing head, cobbled up a tailstock you will be in the same mess you are now. Or as has been said, buy a bigger mill.

Peter

Reply to
Drawfiler

oNLY THE FACT THAT YOU CAN'T TILT AND ARE ALWAYS WORKING PARALLEL TO THE BED. Another disadvantage is that caps lock often gets stuck.

John S.

Reply to
John S

Since it's a Maho with a universal table then there's no disadvantage.

A bigger mill is not what I want or need!

Thanks

Charles

Reply to
Charles

Once you have the DivisionMaster you don't need a dividing head. So I don't see any downside ... only the upside of not miss counting rotations on the dividing plate. And converting the rotary table is relatively easy ...

Reply to
Lester Caine

I've had trouble with cutter clearance when cutting lengthwise splines on a shaft with an upright rotary table.

jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

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