A tool gloat, and a little help needed, vertex rotary table

[michigan doug]

I ran across an 8" vertex rotary table for a good price ($50), never used, still has the cosmoline on it, extra bits still packed in the plastic bags, etc. But, somebody dropped it. This caused some damage, so I got it as a basket case, which leads me to my questions. First some pictures:

Here's the whole unit:



Here's the damaged part, the cast iron sleeve that the worm shaft runs in. You can see where the casting broke off. I don't have the missing piece:



The shaft itself was also bent, with about 0.035" of runout. I got the shaft straightened out so that it has less than a thou runout, so that's not an issue now. Here is the steel cap that should cover up the cast iron sleeve:



Here it is "installed":




Continued on next post due to photo limitations

doug

[michigan doug]

And now the second half...

Since I got it as a basket case, no instructions etc, I'm not quite sure what the purpose of this piece is:



I think it must install between the crank handle/degree wheel, but it's not obvious how it would do that, or what it's purpose is? That's my first question really. Does that have some function when you use the dividing plates? (which I don't have, but which are still available and I will order soon.)

My second question is, there is supposed to be a vernier scale that allows me to read down into the 10 second range (I think), and I don't have that. Where and how would that attach. I could fake something that would work, but it would be nice to know how it is supposed to work and fit and attach. Here is a photo of the gap where it would have to go on, somehow...:



Here's a pic of the accessories that came with it, some spacer plates and a faceplate:



It's missing a few screws. Anybody know if they would be metric or english fasteners? I should get one of those ID plates with threaded holes. My pitch gauge says the smallest cap screw is 36 tpi and has a major diameter of 0.1534. I don't have a metric pitch gauge so I'll hoping somebody will know before I order some cap screws.


Thanks in advance,

doug

[Barrington]

Tiffie posted a manual for one like this a while ago:-

http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/threads/32932-Vertex-Super-Spacer

There are a few diagrams which might help.

Cheers

.

[lbhsbz]

I have that same unit. I'll check it out tonight and see if I can help.

[IanPendle]

Hello,

I have a similar Vertex table, but no easy access to it at present. I think that the missing/broken off bit has a small lever protruding sideways which allow you to rotate the worm gear in and out of engagement (then locked by the clamping screw with the cross pin). Because some of it is missing, the collar in your photos three and four, with two small 180deg opposing screw holes, has nowhere for the screws to screw into. The "missing" length is why the graduated hand wheel has nothing to butt-up/tighten against. Hope this makes sense.

Ian.

[michigan doug]

Thanks for the help. I knew the brain trust would have some useful information. The broken off casting does still have the vestiges of two threaded holes, and I could cast some steel reinforced epoxy onto the end of the casting and machine that down to fit whatever I need, if deemed necessary.

A couple pictures of a non-broken unit, right around the area where mine is broken would be awesome.

Thanks in advance,

doug

[Jaakko Fagerlund]

M4 screws. Vertex is from a metric country.

[flylo]

Great Score Doug & YOU SUCK!

[daryl bane]

Since you are going to have to make some pieces anyway... I have the same unit and found the fore and aft slop of the handwheel/wormshaft engage unacceptable. There is plenty of room in there to install proper thrust bearings on that shaft and that makes for a very nice feel with zero backlash. I also scraped in the table/chuck to base, but that's another story...

[michigan doug]

Coming from you Eric, I take that "YOU SUCK" as high praise indeed.

OK, all metric, that makes things easier.

Wow, I just looked up the retail on that sucker, as new. Almost a thousand bucks. I had no idea I sucked so much.

Thanks all!

doug

[browne92]

Yup. You suck. And since Sir John hasn't chimed in yet, I'll throw in a "Clumsy Bastard" for whoever dropped it.

[zimma]

In the absence of any pictures from anyone else, I can chip in with some pictures of an HV-8, which although not the same unit, is similar in construction around the handle and dial. I took a photo of it with the dial removed so you can see whats beneath the handle.

You should be able to see the pictures here

[philbur]

The 8" Vertex RT has fore and aft (axial) as well as radial backlash adjustment for the worm shaft and axial backlash adjustment for the excentric shaft housing assembly. At least mind does.

Phil

Sinc I have the same unit and found the fore and aft slop of the handwheel/wormshaft engage unacceptable....

[philbur]

Your RT is actually a super spacer and it would appear from your photos in comparison with zimmas photos and my 8"Vertex RT that the design of the assembly in the are under discussion is somewhat different. So possibly you need somebody with an 8" Vertex super spacer, which might be more diffcult to find.

Phil

[lbhsbz]

I'll get you some pictures in about 2 hours when I get home from work tonight.......Gotta go out to the shop anyway to set up my new Kurt D688 vise that arrived today :-)