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  1. #1
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    Default Rotary table for O mill

    Hi All

    I have an Uncle that showed me some incomplete rotary tables for the O mill that he had purchased from Hercus when they were selling off their remaining parts many years ago, they are missing the worm drives and all of the parts for the handle and dividing plate but they have the body, table , driven worm ring and the bottom retaining plate.

    My question is, would there be anyone out there that has one of these that they would be willing to lend me at some point so I could make the missing parts for them, preferably in Adelaide.

    Cheers Steve
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  2. #2
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    Interesting project Steve. I haven't got a Hercus R/T but would be willing to help nut out what the parts would look like - one of my dividing heads is probably about the same vintage and the handle looks similar to your pic. The worm is probably just a matter of measuring and working through some ratios.

    Michael

  3. #3
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    Adelaide
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    Default

    Thanks Michael

    I was going to grab one next time I see him and see what is actually involved, I do have a small dividing head in the shed, I was thinking about working out some details off that, try to work out and transpose the dimensions in to something that would work, just need to work out the ratio I guess, I would assume maybe 90:1 might be the right one for that, handles and the dividing plates are an easy part to make, it's always easier when there is one to copy.

    Steve

  4. #4
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    Oct 2001
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    ACT
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    one of the hercus rotary tables would be nice.

    according to the manual, the ratio for the rotary table was 80:1 and quote that it was twice the ratio of the dividing head

  5. #5
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    Adelaide
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zsteve View Post
    one of the hercus rotary tables would be nice.

    according to the manual, the ratio for the rotary table was 80:1 and quote that it was twice the ratio of the dividing head
    I read in a catalogue for the 0 mill these used the same plates and handle as the dividing head so they might be reasonably easy to finish off, I should be getting my hands on these soon, it seems a shame for them to be stuck in a container not getting used.

  6. #6
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    Default

    The rotary table base, table, gear and retaining plate, They seem to be for the 2 slot tables with the bolt spacing.
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  7. #7
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    Nov 2008
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    Perth WA
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    I might be able to help you Steve. Back in 2005 Steve Durden sent me some No.O parts and included was a base casting and a worm spindle for the rotary table. With the exception of the worm and worm wheel, the division plates and the ball handle, I made the missing parts. The worm and worm wheel were purchased from HPC Gears in Chesterfield, England. I had previously purchased the gears for the little Hercus dividing head from HPC and they worked and still work well.

    When I made the table it was based on a low resolution catalogue photo in which the slots appear to stop short of the centre bore. I subsequently found out that they run into the bore which would be far more convenient than stopped slots.

    I have never used the indexing attachment on the table. The ball handle is far easier to use to rotate the handle than the spring loaded detent on the indexer. The collar is graduated in two rows to provide nine degrees in two revolutions. I have a six inch Vertex rotary table that I very seldom use. The little Hercus has proven an invaluable accessory on both my mills.

    IMG_20191124_142603881.jpg IMG_20191124_140525761.jpg IMG_20191124_140338013.jpg IMG_20210506_130815583.jpg IMG_20210506_141245762.jpg

    Bob.

  8. #8
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    ACT
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    Thanks for the pictures Bob,

    Any chance of pictures of the left side where the locking mechanism is? (I assume its similar construction to the dividing head with a split cotter type lock)

    I assume it also has an eccentric mount for the worm wheel? does that go all the way through or is it only supported from the front side.

    Cheers

  9. #9
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    Oct 2011
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    If you can't manage it on your equipment if I had the dimensions I could probably do the worm for you...

    Michael

  10. #10
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    Aug 2015
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    Adelaide
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    Default

    Thank you Bob, I was working off of the catalogue pictures as well, not the easiest way to work it out but when thats all there is then thats the best we have.

    Thank you Michael, that is very generous of you, I have never needed to machine a worm spindle so help would be appreciated, I know our lathes at work are capable of cutting worms but whether they have the tooling for cutting it is a different story.

  11. #11
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    There is a couple more close up photos of the body, for some reason a few of the better pics would not upload.
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  12. #12
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  13. #13
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    Norwood-ish, Adelaide
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    Beaut pictures as always Bob. Just looking at the worm - not very big! Still, I have a ratio for that circular pitch so cutting is not an issue.

    For those who haven't cut worms before, it's not that much different from cutting a thread. The main change is that Pi is involved, so the pitch is something odd. In this case 0.1309", which works out to 7.64 tpi. Unless you have a flash lathe with these things built in, it usually means change gears - in my case 56:66 to change what the QC gearbox thinks is a 9tpi thread into 7.64tpi at the tool.

    Michael

  14. #14
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    Oct 2001
    Location
    ACT
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    Thanks for going to the trouble taking that apart and photographing, thats awesome.

    While what you bought is 80:1, any idea if the worm/worm wheel is the same DP as Tinkerer77s parts? not a lot of space inside there, could be the same?

    any idea on the amount of offset on the eccentric for the worm? doesn't appear to be a lot, guess it just needs to be enough to disengage.

  15. #15
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    Nov 2008
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    Perth WA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zsteve View Post
    Thanks for going to the trouble taking that apart and photographing, thats awesome.

    While what you bought is 80:1, any idea if the worm/worm wheel is the same DP as Tinkerer77s parts? not a lot of space inside there, could be the same?

    any idea on the amount of offset on the eccentric for the worm? doesn't appear to be a lot, guess it just needs to be enough to disengage.
    Steve,

    I'm pretty sure I would have discussed the issue of gearing of the table with Steve Durden at the time and 24 DP fits, 20 DP is too big, an 80 tooth wheel has a PCD of 4.000". The bore of the table is only 3.5"

    The dismantling came at a cost. When I reassembled the thing I was trying to position the eccentric to provide the minimum of backlash without binding. The 1/4" screw that secures the eccentric clamp tore out the cast iron . My fault because the screw should have been longer. Anyway there was sufficient material between the bottom of the threaded hole and the base to enable the drilling and tapping of a through hole and the fitting of a proper screw. Just something to be aware of.

    IMG_20210715_160034802.jpg IMG_20210715_161713991.jpg IMG_20210715_162935355.jpg IMG_20210715_165632306.jpg

    I said to Steve 'Tinkerer" that I would measure and draw the eccentric and the shaft for the worm.

    BT

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