Rotary table?

[Kram]

I'd like to get one, not sure what size, but I have about 74mm above cross slide to centre. I cant see any bigger than 4" like this, that dont waste centre height with an inch gap

The bigger ones have much better precision graduations. This is the only 5" I can find, might work mounted on side, and would let me use my chucks, and the hand wheel would not be on the wrong side... 6" will be too big.
www.warco.co.uk/rotary-tables-engineering-tools/302981-horizontal-vertical-rotary-table-hv5.html

 

[optima21]

I wouldn't be looking at mounting a rotary table directly on top of a topslide, as it will be difficult to set it up for height adjustment. instead I'd be looking at mounting it on a vertical slide like this (picked at random off the net). that way you get movement in 3 axis instead of 2 axis.

 

[Kram]

Yes I did think about that. Id need to change my slide setup to have less weight over hanging the bed. Im not sure if it would restrict me much, just means work needs to be rotated a lot more - but it could save a lot of effort finding the centre.

Im wondering if theres some advantage to having a small one, or If I would ever use it horizontally - most would be above centre height.

 

[optima21]

I know my lathe is smaller than yours ( mine is 65mm centre height), so Ive not tried to use a rotary table on it, but the following are still relevant.

if you use a rotary tablehorizontally for milling you might be limited by clearance for collet chuck etc....this is a 2mt er20 collet chuck and a 6mm endmill shown with a 100mm rotary table.

if you use it vertically and you just want it at centre height, you could machine the bore so that it runs true and then use a spigot in a collet chuck to align it at centre height and mount that on an angle plate mounted to the cross slide. the lack of height adjustment with a vertical slide will reduce its usability though.


once you know the centre runs true if you make any adaptors for it, just have a spigot to mount them on for a quick setup, this is the backplate I have to mount my 3 and 4 jaw chucks on

I've also got a 7" faceplate for use on the 100mm rotary table too.

before you get a rotary table you need to think about what you need one for and how you will use it. also if you are thinking about getting a milling machine in future, I'd wait until you got that first as a larger one on a milling machine will be more versatile.

 

[addjunkie]

When you use a rotary table, think what your going to machine, and then how your going o clamp it to the table.

I got a 4 inch one with my first mill, looked the part, but not much use in terms of size by the time i managed to clamp anything to it. Motorcycle yokes for example, try clamping one of them to a 4 inch rotsry table

My advice, get the largest you can use. And i agree with the commentts above about using bits and bobs machined to aid set up, I do this all the time when milling.