Indexer not what I expected

[cybor462]

Just got an indexer as I have many small parts to drill as well as other parts to mill the ends where I need to go 90* each face. So I thought this 5C collet indexer would work.
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?P...&PARTPG=INLMK3
Now this was a special at Enco which came with a full set of collets for 179.99
I then saw the 5c chuck 3 jaw scroll chuck and thought this would be a real treat. So I got that to use with the indexer to hold parts that will not fit in the collets. I thought I made a good choice.
After looking at the indexer I think I made a bad choice with it. I did not notice it did not have any mounting holes so it needs to be clamped to the table. Also it is horizontal only. I did not know it was a cheap 30 dollar part. I thought at 179.00 the indexer would have been more of the total cost but the collet set is where the bulk of the price is.

Lesson here....... Don't assume!

I will send the indexer back and get the Phase II

Am I thinking clearly or do you guys have another suggestion?
The phase II looks much better.

[Jim Caudill]

Every choice has its pro's and con's. I have had one of those indexers for years, but rarely use it. I have several of the Hardinge HV4-5C indexers as well as a Hardinge dividing head. The HV (horizontal/vertical) indexers are what I reach for first when I have to do large division indexing. I can put a chuck directly on the nose of a couple of my indexers and skip the 5C chuck business. You might want to look into one of those on ebay or look for a deal on the import knock-off of the same. Drilling is fine but you want to watch out for chatter when trying to mill in these.

[cybor462]

Which H/V do you have? I was thinking on the Phase II
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?P...&PARTPG=INLMK3
Do you think chatter would be an issue with this model?

[J. R. Williams]

Cybor
I have a similar unit but I took time to machine the base to have parallel sides. This allows the unit to be placed in the vise and ready to use without time consuming alignment when it is clamped down. Installing a key way on the bottom is another option but a difficult machining project. My unit required carbide tooling to cut the base as ithas several veryhard spots in the cast iron.

JRW

[cybor462]

I thought about setting up a key and or slots to bolt it down but I decided it would be foolish to tear into it as it is so cheap it may not be worth the effort. The Phase II H/V looks much heavier and it is already setup with mount holes and keys for each. It also has 24 divisions compared to the 10 this one I now have, has.

I will do more research to see which will really work for me.

[lazlo]

Just got an indexer as I have many small parts to drill as well as other parts to mill the ends where I need to go 90* each face. So I thought this 5C collet indexer would work.
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?P...&PARTPG=INLMK3

I will send the indexer back and get the Phase II
The phase II looks much better.

I went through the same thing Cybor -- I bought the $28 no-name indexer, and the base wasn't flat, the shaft wasn't bored parallel to the base, and I could barely fit a 5C collet into the throat.

I sent it back and got a Phase II, which cost $20 more, but it's a lot better made.

Just a warning: the Phase II doesn't have mounting holes on the base either -- you have to drill them yourself. The Phase II also is horizontal only, just like the no-name.

It sounds like you really want one of the horizontal/vertical spindexes, like this one:

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?P...&PARTPG=INLMK3

[Bill Pace]

I did what JRW did, squared up the sides and mount it in the vise, and have have had several quick & simple indexing projects that it filled the need nicely. I already had a set of 5C collets so I just got one of the $30+- indexers and consider it well worth that...

Phase ll RT's are very nice, ---- my 8" is just really smooooth/tight....and its purty too, nice paint, crisp index marks......

[oldtiffie]

Deleted/erased-out

[DR]

Which H/V do you have? I was thinking on the Phase II
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?P...&PARTPG=INLMK3
Do you think chatter would be an issue with this model?

Shop around, ebay, auctions, etc, get the real thing, a Hardinge indexer. You shouldn't have to pay any more than than that junk from Enco.

[lazlo]

Shop around, ebay, auctions, etc, get the real thing, a Hardinge indexer. You shouldn't have to pay any more than than that junk from Enco.

I wish.

Hardinge Indexers go for $250 - $500 on Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=270141953705
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=120135927271
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=260133281714