My Indexer Table

[jim_vv]

I thought I would share some pictures of my indexer table. I have had my PRS Alpha 9648 with 8" Z for almost two years now and have never got around to mounting my indexer. Over the past few days I finally made the time to do so.

I wanted to get the largest turning radius that I could out of my indexer. Even with the 8" Z the indexer's 5 inch radius is not possible to achieve by mounting the indexer on the machine's table or side rails.

So, without cutting a big slot into my vacuum plenum I figured I had better figure out how to mount the indexer on the end of the machine.

After checking the limits of travel in the X axis I noticed that I could slide my side rails 3 inches to the left and still get all the way around my table without hitting any stops. This enabled me to move my spindle 5 inches past the end of my table. I then moved my control box down as far as I could.

These adjustments have now allowed me to mount the indexer with the center line in the X axis 5" from the edge of the table and the center line in the Z axis .25" below the table surface. From the tip of the live center to the inside of the chuck I measure 37".

I made the table out of two layers of 3/4" plywood laminated and screwed together (cut on the ShopBot of course). It is very rigid.

Now, I just have to figure out how to use the indexer
!


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[loriny]

that looks like a good idea. I will have to try get mine on now after seeing this.
Lorin

[khalid]

Very Good idea and very nice to implement....Looking forward to see some beautiful work..Many shopbotter here will help you to make you go on right track..

[myxpykalix]

You have a good idea there where you put your plywood together to make a channel for the aluminum plate. When i redo my indexer i'm going to follow that idea because mine is mounted in the X axis and by doing it that way and adding mounting holes (like shelfpin holes) all down the length I can quickly move it to do long columns or short.
It would be a lot less expensive then getting a 8' long aluminum channel.
If you would like to try some spiral toolpaths email me and i can make you some.

[cip]

Great idea Jim.

[jdervin]

I love the fact that you've got the center axis of the indexer in the same plane as the table surface.

[scottbot]

Jim,
That's fantastic.
Thanks for sharing.
I haven't installed my Indexer yet and will be borrowing heavily from your design when I do.

Scott

[mmason]

Thanks I was getting ready to buy one single track but this will save me some money. I do a lot of bed and nightstand turnings so my length changes a lot.

[jim_vv]

Gentlemen,

Thank you all for your compliments and to Jack and Mike for the files and support. Today I had to call ShopBot for support because the indexer would not respond to any B commands. They had mistakenly connected my indexer's driver to the A socket. Anyway, I have now "Air Cut" a couple of "Turning a Blank Round" files created in the Indexer Tool. The default .01 step over was reeeeeally slooooooow. I changed it to .2 and it seemed kind of fast. What step over and step down settings should I use for a 1/2" spiral cutter that will run fast, but safe (and easy on my 2HP spindle)?

Again, Thank You All.

JIM

[myxpykalix]

jim,
I have a prt alpha 120x60 so i can't guarantee these are the correct settings for your model but here are some values I have.

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[kg4mon]

Well, What does the first project look like? Pics man, we need pics!!!!!

[jim_vv]

Rick, thanks for your help yesterday and this morning. You want pictures? O.K. Here goes...I am sure that you all will be so impressed!


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This morning I turned my blank down to 3.5 inches. Let me know if anyone wants for me to send you my file
. I spent the rest of the day working on a customer's job and building a trough around my indexer table to catch all of the flying debris (what a mess this thing makes!). I hope to draw something up in ArtCam tomorrow and make my blank pretty. More to follow.

JIM

[myxpykalix]

When you travel in one direction it flys to the left when you travel in the opposite direction it flys to the right.

However you might try a piece of plastic on either side that is slanted (see award winning illustration).


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[kg4mon]

Just remember Jim when your making a mess, your making money. So bring on the mess!!!! My wife says if this is true then she will come over and sweep it up just for me to keep on making wood chips. I don't know about you but when I made my first round blank, I was pretty dawn proud.

[rb99]

How come you cannot use a modified dust foot?

RB

[myxpykalix]

When you are carving a flat surface the dust foot lowers to the flat surface and create the vacumn.
When you are using the indexer you have no surface to lower to, to create the vacumn, especially if you are cutting a thin baluster.
(refer to the award winning illustration)

[jim_vv]

I have thought about making a modified dust foot, but like Jack says, I think a lot of vacuum may be lost because it would be hard to maintain a good seal. Also, when turning a blank round with a 1/2" cutter a lot of big splinters come off as the corners are knocked off at first. I think that they would plug up the dust foot's opening. I may be wrong.

[rb99]

I remember there was a really small dust foot on the Gerber machines years ago. IT was a small loop right at the bit, with no hairs. It went completely around the whole bit. Perhaps something like that?

RB

[myxpykalix]

Have you ever heard the saying "let the chips fall where they may"....

If you really want a "lazy mans dust collector"
get two window shades, mount on either side of the carriage and pull down when in use and let the chips hit the sahde and fall straight down. lol.