Thread: Overkill on a Pin Spanner

Nice work
Its not overkill, at least you know you'll never have to fix it again!

I like your indexing head, very simple and clever. How did you drill the indexing holes accurately though? (i presume you don't have a rotary table if your using your indexing head)

Ewan, Honestly, now doing some work.....

Originally Posted by Ueee

Nice work
Its not overkill, at least you know you'll never have to fix it again!

I like your indexing head, very simple and clever. How did you drill the indexing holes accurately though? (i presume you don't have a rotary table if your using your indexing head)

Ewan, Honestly, now doing some work.....

Ewan
Thanks for your reply.
I made the dividing head in apprenticeship days, in 1960.
Talk about overkill, everything we did at that time was overkill.
The body of the dividing head is all hardened & ground. As is the spindle holding the 4 jaw "Burnerd" chuck, hardened & cylindrical ground. The spindle is supported in a Phosphor Bronze bearing,scraped of course, both internally & on the end faces to mate correctly.
I drilled the index holes using a centre drill in a beaut new "Maho" mill using an original dividing head to drill all the holes. The baseplate was also made to divide it into readable degrees.The indexing pin is spring loaded, & it was hardened & then cylindrical ground. A mounting rod holds the dial indicator. The set up can be spun from the rear, to use as a cylindrical grinder for small parts on a surface grinder.
Yes, they were very good days, I would like to turn back time
regards
Bruce

HI,

Very Nice Work. The Dividing Head You made is very Impressive. Bruce the DTI Holder in the Photos did You make it as well or Buy it ?.

That's some beautiful work Bruce and I don't think it's overkill at all.

I just wish we made useful tools in todays apprenticeship

You are just showing off with those 4 holes.

I too like the indexer. Can we have some additional detail photos please?

My grinder had a nut on it that wobbled as it was screwed on. It wasn't a Hercus nut. I made up a new one and made the spanner at the same time using the rotary table. From memory I used my little Sherline chuck to hold the parts. Has your Sherline rolled up yet? I made my spanner to fit from the front to allow for fitting cup wheels.

BT

Originally Posted by welder

That's some beautiful work Bruce and I don't think it's overkill at all.

I just wish we made useful tools in todays apprenticeship

Andre
Sometimes, I feel like contributing in some way, for todays Apprentices, with a practical hands on School with all of the facilities & top equipment, it could be done.
The money wasted by governments could be redirected in that direction I believe with astounding results. Another thought to achieve doing your own work, is to have a chat to your teacher, about a project you have in mind & get marked on that project as it proceeds.
This is the approach I took rather than make stuff that was to be thown in the bin.That way The Tech College experience became a lot more interesting & challenging, & the teacher also gets a bit more involved.

Also I was thinking of the talk I had with your father at the restaurant in Vic on the Sat evening. I mentioned to him that I had recently built a 1932 Crystal Radio, & then realised he was a whizz on this electrical radio stuff.
Please let him know that I have now ordered from the USA an AM Antenna Tuning Kit to accompany my Crystal Radio Set in getting a bit better reception & selectivity.
When it comes to this "sparky"stuff I do get lost, but find it fascinating.
regards
Bruce

Can I offer a suggestion? If you happen to have a set of letter stamps, stamp that nut “L.H”
Probably not an issue for you guys that just work alone in your own shops, but it never ceases to amaze me, how many of those nuts I see that have had the living suit case beaten out of them in the clockwise direction.

Regards Phil.

Originally Posted by steran50

HI,

Very Nice Work. The Dividing Head You made is very Impressive. Bruce the DTI Holder in the Photos did You make it as well or Buy it ?.

Thanks Stewart for your interest.
The holder was also made at that time, (we made everything we could). It is machined from a rod of 3/8th " dia Silver Steel hardened, tempered & polished holding a 3/4" square block drilled & reamed, with a 1/4" dia piece to hold the Dial indicator.
The Indicator is a Starrett "Last Word" indicator I purchased (used) from the USA recently, on Ebay. I like Starrett stuff of that era.
To get this era in context, one must understand as 3rd year Apprentices we were paid $14 per week. It was not much even then, so there was not much left to purchase anything.
Example, My first weeks pay went "totally" to purchasing a 0 to 1" micrometer, it cost $12. I still have and use that micrometer, & its accurate.
All good
regards
Bruce

Originally Posted by Machtool

Can I offer a suggestion? If you happen to have a set of letter stamps, stamp that nut “L.H”
Probably not an issue for you guys that just work alone in your own shops, but it never ceases to amaze me, how many of those nuts I see that have had the living suit case beaten out of them in the clockwise direction.

Regards Phil.

Good idea for me. Great idea for Bruce because he will start forgetting before I do which way the nut unscrews!

Nice job Bruce, I am wondering if the handle will be strong enough over time, but being silver steel is might be.

The 5inch industrial style hand grinders have a pin spanner with 2 pins and are made out of flat bar, I wonder if they would fit as well.

I too would be interested in seeing more of that indexer, looks like a nice unit.

Dave

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

Good idea for me. Great idea for Bruce because he will start forgetting before I do which way the nut unscrews!

Bob
Laughter is the best medicine
Thanks.
Bruce

That little 4" Burnerd is screwed directly to the spindle by the looks of it. Rules out the fitting of a 3 jaw I imagine. Would you have considered a threaded nose on the spindle and backplated chucks?

BT

Me three: Tidy work Bruce. And I've never seen an indexer like that. Deserves a thread of its own I would think.

Originally Posted by Anorak Bob

That little 4" Burnerd is screwed directly to the spindle by the looks of it. Rules out the fitting of a 3 jaw I imagine. Would you have considered a threaded nose on the spindle and backplated chucks?

BT

Bob
I can recall asking the "Superintendant" of the apprentice section, about the choice of a 3 jaw or 4 jaw, & he suggested for accuracy, long term the 4 jaw would be best.
It would have been more convenient over the years to have had a 3 jaw, & that would have satisfied the bulk of operations performed.
The chuck fits onto the hardened & ground spigot of the spindle & is held by the 4 Unbrako screws. To keep the height to a minimum this seemed the best plan at the time.
The 4 jaw has been fine but it does take a little time to set up workpieces.
I think if I were making it again, collets could have been considered, but that would entail internal grinding,etc.
regards
Bruce