6 or 8 inch rotary table

[Paul in Oregon]

Thank you all for your responses to my earlier post on the CDCO rotary table. A couple of you suggested that a 6 inch might be too small and I should consider the 8 inch model . My question now is will the 8 inch fit on a 6 x 26 knee mill? Thank you Bill Pace for the Enco info. Paul in Oregon

[A.K. Boomer]

An 8 will hang over a little fore and aft but that should not be a problem, its well worth it to go the extra size as even the 8's get cramped.. iv got a 8" by 36" table and an 8" RT that fits perfect.

As someone else has already stated - check into the phase II, the 8" horizontal is actually a free ship from enco... but if you go the hor./vert. then you have to pay shipping..

[Paul Alciatore]

Most of my work on the RT has involved:

A) Center the table under the spindle and zero the X/Y collars. Lock down the X or cross feed: it usually remains locked for the rest of the job.

B) Center the work on the table.

C) Offset to the radius of the desired circle with the Y feed and drill or mill.

D) Rotate by X degrees and drill or mill. Repeat this step as needed.

Thus, if it fits on the table and clears the column when centered, it is usable.

[JCHannum]

The 8" is a bit large for the 6X26" mill tables, but not so large as to be awkward. It is what I have on my Rockwell, and I feel it is about the best size for them having tried as large as 10" & 12".

I have not needed one as yet, but I have material on hand to make a sub-table if it is needed to hold larger parts.

If finances permit, I would suggest an 8" horizontal/vertical table, with tailstock and dividing plates.

[SGW]

As others have said, a little overhang fore and aft won't hurt. I've got a 9" dia. rotary table, and my mill table is 7" wide.
I think an 8" r.t. on a 6" wide mill table would work okay.

[Peter Neill]

Another thing to consider with a rotary for a 6x26 is the spindle to throat distance.
I have a 10" rotary table that was too big for the 626 I used to have - the coolant spillways on it meant that it wouldn't centre under the quill as it was about 1" too big on diameter.

Of course I could have used it mounted on the nearest t-slot rather than the centre one of the 3, but this would have put it grossly off balance and without any support over 50% of the base.

It's a perfect fit on the Bridgeport now, just bloody heavy to lift on and off!

There's a picture of it here next to a 4" vice for comparison.

http://www.btinternet.com/~p.neill/10inchRotary_Table.jpeg



Peter

[Carld]

I suggest you get the largest table that you can adjust the mill to cover. The reason is that it is very hard to clamp work on a small table. I have even resorted to using bar stock in the Tee slots to extend the clamps out past the table edge because the work covered most the table. Imagination is your greatest asset so use it.

[mklotz]

The best accesory I made for my 6" rotary table was a sacrifical 8" diameter
plate, liberally festooned with holes tapped to accept my clamps.