Rotary powered welding table build.

[zzr1200]

Part 6...

Finished the end cap today which encloses and holds the bearings, main shaft together.

Tomorrow the plan is to weld the bearing housing into the main support beam and then build the main frame.

The motor speed controller arrived today, all I have to find now is a 110/240 volt to 24 volt dc power supply and possibly a worm/wheel quadrant if I'm lucky.

 

[zzr1200]

Part 7:

Slow progress today, cut the holes in the main cross beam, pressed in the bearing housing and then welded.

I now have to make a new extended output shaft for the motor/gearbox unit, fit the drive gear and mount the drive unit to the main beam assembly.

Mòre to follow soon hopefully, but this bit might take a while.

 

[zzr1200]

Part 7a update:

Started to look at the motor shaft and decided I had to install the motor/gearbox mounting before I could start to make the extended motor shaft.......... guess who's a numpty....

The main cross beam/pivot is 100 x 50 x 4 mm box, the easy way was to weld 2 pieces of angle iron (50 x 50 x 6mm) to the sides as per the pictures. This adds strength in the narrower dimension of the box section, plus provides solid mounting rails for the motor unit.

Then I refitted the bearing tracks, installed the main table shaft, now I can work out the position for the motor and drive shaft pinion gear and greasing of the bearings.

The next stage will take while I think.

 

[zzr1200]

Part 8:

Progressed a bit more today with the main cross beam, I turned the drive pinion support tube on the lathe, a nylon support bearing for the pinion shaft and drilled the holes in the main cross beam.

Tomorrow hopefully make 4 motor/gearbox mounting tubes and the pinion drive shaft to suit measurements.

Then followed up by welding the pinion support tube in.

 

[zzr1200]

Part 8a:

 

[zzr1200]

Part 9:

Yesterday I welded in the pinion support tube in, removed the reduction gearbox from the drive motor and stripped the gearbox.

Turned up 4 spacers to mount the drive unit to the main cross beam.

Then marked out the new gearbox output shaft and machined to size.

Old and new shafts side by side, including new spacer.

I have yet to mill the 2 keyways for the drive and driven gears, one evening during the week hopefully, family commitments today will curtail pĺay time today.....

And then the final parts layout for the modified gearbox.

The circlip which locates the shaft in the gearbox has been moved from one bearing to the other, the old shaft has a built in machined spacer, this has now been replaced with the black nylon spacer.

More to follow....

 

[zzr1200]

Part 10.

Only 5 pictures today, but progress.

Cut the upright support tubes for the main cross beam, drilled the pivot tube holes, also machined the main pivot pins and pivot pin support tubes to be welded into the uprights.

During the week managed to temporarily assemble the reduction gearbox and drill.the mounting holes, studding needs to be adjusted for proper length.

The mains 110/240 volt to 24 volt power supply, motor speed controller and 24 volt case fan have all arrived.

I believe I now have everything to complete the build just need the time and possibly the weather now.

PS. Oops forgot l need to get some 1/2" UNF CSK screws... just looking back through the pictures...could be fun to locate some me thinks.

 

[zzr1200]

Part 11.

I needed some 40mm x 40mm solid square bar, to make 2 pivot blocks for the ends of the main beam, but I couldn't find any so I welded some 20mm x 50mm x 90mm together and then drilled the pivot holes.
And then pressed the pivot tubes into the upright supports.

 

[zzr1200]

Part 12.

Slow progress today.

Drilled the plug holes for the welded plugs, cleaned and dressed the main beam pivot blocks then pressed them in to place. Followed by plug welding and seam welding the ends.

Then welded the pivot pin support tubes into the upright frame tubes.

 

[zzr1200]

Part 12a

 

[zzr1200]

Part 13.

I haven't been able to find a worm and wheel gear to control the table tilt, so I decided to use a holed quadrant instead.

I made the pivot pins for the main cross beam and the lock pin assembly, to control the tables tilt the other day, but I didn't bother updating the thread.

I have also cut the keyways in the modified gearbox output shaft, assembled the reduction gearbox and fitted the motor.

I've also been in the garage today so there's to follow.

 

[zzr1200]

Part 13a.

Drilled the hole in the upright support for the lock pin assembly, pressed in the outer tube and welded in place and installed the lock pin.

 

[zzr1200]

Part 13b.

In this post I'm going to digress a little bit, l needed to set up my rotary table on the mill to make the quadrant plate.

First job was to make an adaptor to locate the centre of the quadrant, a simple case of three different diameters one for the table hole, a collar to stop it dropping through and the diameter of the main beam pivot pin.

To set the rotary tables centre to the mills quill l simply use a bush and a machineable R8 arbor to locate and then lock the table.

 

[zzr1200]

Part 13c

Now to make the holed quadrant, moved the table over to the hole radius of 5.75 inches and drill holes every 15 degrees to allow for positioning of the rotary table at an angle.

That's it for today folks, more to follow another day.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Enjoying watching this progress.
Look forward to seeing it in action.

 

[Richard.]

Some beautiful machining there z.
That’s a properly made tool with such brilliant attention to detail. You’ll never buy one as well made as that.

 

[zzr1200]

Some beautiful machining there z.
That’s a properly made tool with such brilliant attention to detail. You’ll never buy one as well made as that.

Thank you Sir, I'll take that as a compliment from someone who has probably used a few and has seen more rotary tables than I have for sure.

In the words of DB, I'm only a mechanic than pi***s about with a lathe, mill n welder...

 

[Richard.]

I’ve used a couple but not really that many. I’ve seen plenty though and some are better than others.
Yours looks absolutely amazing. A very very well thought out and made positioner

 

[zzr1200]

Part 14.

Done a little bit more today to the quadrant, removed the excess unwanted metal and a bit of fettling with the grinder.

Tomorrow l might even start painting a few bits........with any luck...

Anybody used Wickes Metal Paint what's it like?

 

[RichardM]

Aldi have metal paint in at the moment (Belper does), which is good with a couple of coats.