DIY degree rings

[Doc]

For Christmas I treated myself to a 5" rotary table, I have never used one but it wasn't hard to set up and get it correctly positioned on the milling machine. It came with a MT2 adapter to connect my Myford chuck which was handy.

The reason behind the purchase was to engrave degree circles to my DocMount and RocketMounts. I have never owned or used a rotary table before so had to get my head round the mathmatics involved but soon found out I needed a 20 hole division plate.

After a few practice runs on scrap material and a practice using a pencil instead of the engraving tool I was ready to go.

Firstly I done  36 divisions of 10 degrees for this I needed 2 turns and 10 holes, next was 72 divisions, so 1 turn and 5 holes, and finally 360 divisions which meant 5 holes of the 20 hole plate.

A little clean up in the lathe was next to remove the sharp metal left over from the engraving process.

Then finally some metal polish to clean it up. 

All in all I'm pretty pleased for a first attempt. The 10 degree and 5 degree lines look really good, the degree marking a little haphazard. In future i might do 2 degree graduations instead. I also found out I need better quality engraving bits, the cheap ones from amazon or E-bay are not that great and I broke 4 doing this. 

Next to stamp some numbers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 13, 2022 by Doc

[monkeypig]

Those engraving bits from Amazon or eBay are ment to turn at tens of thousands of rpm, and when running at that speed they do work well. I use them in my CNC router. What may work better for you if you can lock up the quill of your mill is a 60° chamfer tool (obviously with the mill spindle not turning) and using that to scribe the index lines. HSS is better than carbide as that can shatter.

Working out what plate to use when dividing can be a bit daunting at first but it soon becomes easier, just make sure you get the brass finger things set to the correct number of holes. I once ruined a part setting them one out, you only do that once!!

[Doc]

1 hour ago, monkeypig said:

Those engraving bits from Amazon or eBay are ment to turn at tens of thousands of rpm, and when running at that speed they do work well. I use them in my CNC router. What may work better for you if you can lock up the quill of your mill is a 60° chamfer tool (obviously with the mill spindle not turning) and using that to scribe the index lines. HSS is better than carbide as that can shatter.

Working out what plate to use when dividing can be a bit daunting at first but it soon becomes easier, just make sure you get the brass finger things set to the correct number of holes. I once ruined a part setting them one out, you only do that once!!

Thanks Monkeypig.

I've found some chamfer tools on Cromwell tools so popping down soon to pick some up.

[Doc]

This one is loads better, it looks neater and is a lot more accurate. I have used the following tips from cromwell tools. https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/hand-tools/engraving-tools/7400058-a5-standard-points-pkt-5/p/BUR5041615E. They seem perfect for the job.

I have decided to go for 2° graduations so 180 divisions.

Just ordered a set of 2.5mm stamps so now have to figure a way to make up a jig so the stamping is straight.