Rotary Table Pallet

[jjr2001]

I needed to round over the end of the recuperrator cylinder mount for my Deck Gun.
I could have used the belt or disc sander but I wanted it more uniform than it would be using that method.
The 4" rotary table is just about perfect for the small table top mill and that is the machine I wanted to use.
Rounding over was a snap and worked without a hitch.

A new pallet was designed with a few accessories that would be useful for many more jobs in the shop. 5/8" thick and 4" in diameter.
An arbor was made with a 5/16-18 thread for the center hole in the rotary table and 1/4-20 thread on the top end for clamping.
Length was made to be just enough for the part I was making. I can always make another one longer at a later date if needed.
Bushings were made to fit the arbor and the inside diameter of the part I was needing to round over. Extra bushings were made as well.
The first picture also shows some "bite" clamps and T-nuts that were made for future use also.
The two straps were made with unequal sides and that makes them more useful than if they had equal sides.
All threaded holes are 10-32 and the 4 pallet mounting holes are clearance drilled and counter bored for 10-32 allen cap screws.
T-nuts are of course 10-32 (Sherline special) with a twist.
I offset the holes from each end of the T-nuts so they would fit just inside the 4" diameter of the rotary table.
When the rotary table is set vertical it barley clears the milling table so I shortened one end of each T-nut.

The "bite" clamps are made from brass round stock that I milled hex using a collet block. They are Mighty handy.
Counter bored .104" deep with a thickness of .187". These are pretty low profile and made for 10-32 eccentric screws.
The screws were just button head allen screws that had the heads offset by .015" in the lathe. Custom arbor used that is not shown.
The bite clamps work against the two straps and make a great way to hold parts on the little table.

DXF files are provided in case anyone wants to build one.

[DIYer]

Thanks jjr2001! We've added your Rotary Table Pallet to our Workholding category,
as well as to your builder page: jjr2001's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Rotary Table Pallet by jjr2001

tags: clamp, rotary table

[wizard69]

DXF files are provided in case anyone wants to build one.

pretty slick.

what rotary table was this made for? I noticed that it doesn't center on a central hole in the rotary table, is that the case or does none exist on this rotary table.

By the way great workmanship. It looks so good I'd be afraid to use it.

[JoeH]

Very beautiful work. Thanks for sharing. This gives me some ideas for the little 4" Grizzly rotary table I have.

[jjr2001]

pretty slick.

what rotary table was this made for? I noticed that it doesn't center on a central hole in the rotary table, is that the case or does none exist on this rotary table.

By the way great workmanship. It looks so good I'd be afraid to use it.

Thanks,
The table was purched on the bay a while back. No Name..Off Shore for sure but it works ok.
I see one at Grizzly is about identical: https://www.grizzly.com/products/Gri...RoCgAsQAvD_BwE
Thanks JoeH for pointing that one out, it looks identical to mine.

Centering is not a problem with a couple of adapters. One is 3/4-16 by 5/16-18 and it is used with my small threaded chucks.
The other arbor uses spacers and the new pallet to retain parts on the center of the table.
The table can be centered first using the "spuds" that are shown in one of the pictures.
The last picture shows a spanner nut that I just made using the 3/4-16 chuck adapter to hold a 3" 4 jaw syncro chuck. (chuck not shown).

Here are the pics:

Cheers, JR

[JoeH]

The one thing I dislike about my Grizzly table is the itty bitty handle. I may make something to replace it one of these days.

By the way, when making those offset low profile clamps. Is there a way to figure how much offset to use for the eccentric screws? Just wondered if I made some different sizes.

[jjr2001]

The one thing I dislike about my Grizzly table is the itty bitty handle. I may make something to replace it one of these days.

By the way, when making those offset low profile clamps. Is there a way to figure how much offset to use for the eccentric screws? Just wondered if I made some different sizes.

My little Sherline mill handles are even smaller than the one on the rotary table! I usually turn it by the outside diameter knurl anyway.
If I want to go fast then I use the speed handle. One of the speed handles was broken when I bought it. For $75.00 I was ok with that!
It was easy to extract the broken end and now I can put in a small allen if I want to but usually just have the one handle installed.

The way I see the offset for the eccentric bolt head is at about .015". I have enough throw to lock down any part. I made one with .030" and I was concerned that it would not "lock" so I stayed with .015. Even if the clamp is scaled up along with the bolt I think .015" is plenty. The key is the backup strap clamp. If you can make the backup clamps flush with the opposite side from the bite clamp then it will hold firm. Anyhow that is my take on them. Not very critical at all. Button head screws work fine but I think Low Head Socket Head Cap Screws would be best and that is what I plan to use for any new ones I make.

Cheers, JR

[Toolmaker51]

.015-.020 offset is sufficient for #10 & 1/4" fasteners. Based on that; marginally increasing the ratio for larger screws works too. To increase clamping 'range', instead of making increasingly offset screws; offset the hole in the bite clamp. Biased toward one corner, but asymmetrical yields, 2,3, or 4 distances from the screw centerline.

[ad1964]

Hi great looking pallet . Is it possible to get the dxf files for the pallet and clamps etc

[jjr2001]

Thanks TM, I did not think of offsetting the hole in the clamp but if my clamps don't have enough adjustment range for my next use then that is certainly a good option for increasing my clamping range. Each strap clamp would now have 12 settings. Thanks for the tip.

ad1964, I did not make any drawings in cad for the strap clamps and the "bite" clamps. The dxf files for the table are in the very first post and are at the bottom of the pictures in that post. Thanks for checking in.

Cheers, JR