24 division Spindle index

[catndog]

I have gone from a very old lathe into something a little more modern. Can anyone tell me in laymans terms what a 24 division spindle index is or does?

[wheelinround]

check this site out http://www.ornamentalturners.org/

edit also found this old thread with some great pics of other stuff you can do http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=10707&highlight=turning+pencil

[petersemple]

Basically, it allows you to turn the spindle a prcisely measured amount with regards to the headstock. I have mostly seen it used along with a router, but I suppose there are other uses too. Imagine you have turned a balustrade, and want to rout out a decorative channel on 4 faces of the turning. You can lock the spindle, and rout one channel with a sled above the lathe. You then turn the index mechanism the correct number of "clicks" for 90 dgrees, and do the next one - repeat for 4 channels. You have 4 channels routed at precise intervals on the turning.

Peter

[China]

Indexing can also be handy for making spoked wheels etc.

[weisyboy]

basicly it means the lathe spindle can be locked at 24 diferent evenly spaced intervals.

handy for doing barley twists and the like

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

It should be obvious from the above replies that Indexing is only useful when the lathe is turned off... it turns the lathe into a 24 position vice.

So... if you ever get one and value your lathe, for God's sake remember to disengage the pin before you hit the lathe's ON button! :;

[Gil Jones]

Check out this site...in the "Downloads & Misc" part.
http://www.smithart.us/index.htm

[catndog]

Fantstic. You have answered my question perfectly. Many thanks to all.This forum is great for uninitiated like me.