Weld positoner/rotary table

admin

Looking for ideas on building a rotary table/ position that I can fit onto my welding table. My thought is to build something like a lazy susan, perhaps foot operated.  Any suggestions Thanks in advances.r.
Reply:Never herd of such a thing??? hmmm Cool idea got any pics of one?
Reply:I have a 4 jaw lathe chuck welded to a lazy susan type bearing base. It worked fair for what I needed it to do. I need to work on a better rotary ground, but haven't needed to use it for awhile, so it's not on the priority list. I just turned it with one hand while miging with the other. In theory it works, in reality it works so so.I know I shot picts of it awhile back, but can't find them on the comp right now. I'll try and see if I can't dig them up.
Reply:Welding positioners are handy for welding circular assemblies and such.  There are dozens of 'em on the market, they are available in all sorts of sizes with capacity ranging from 100 lbs to many tons.  Pictured here is a benchtop model from Atlas Welding Accessories.http://www.atlaswelding.com/atlas_we...ositioners.htmThey can be expensive to buy new, but they can be frequently found on $-Bay for less.  Bidding typically runs up to the high hundreds in the final few seconds.  It would seem simple enough to rig one up from parts. I think getting a motor/gearbox combination that had both adequate power (not much, really) and good speed control (the hard part) is the biggest challenge.  I don't think you would want to rig up your angle grinder motor for this.   -  Although it seems to me that there is such a contraption using multiple gear boxes pictured somewhere in this forum.-MondoMember, AWSLincoln ProMIG 140Lincoln AC TombstoneCraftsman Lathe 12 x 24 c1935Atlas MFC Horizontal MillCraftsman Commercial Lathe 12 x 36 c1970- - - I'll just keep on keepin' on.
Reply:What I'm thinking of is less expensive, may not be as versatile but should go round in circles.  I think something that could go in a receiver on the table with the rotary (might use s backing plate from lathe) that would have a ground and bearings so it will rotate easily, then make it so I can give it a nudge with my knee or other appendage. I will draw a picture and post it up here for input.
Reply:in the back of my mind i intend to make a rotary tig table designed like a potters wheel--foot-operated.not todays project tho.
Reply:WeldBead, RiceBurner, I saw this idea somewhere on one of the welding forums, thought it was pretty neat.  I don't remember where, though, sorry .....The guy had taken an old car rim and split it, leaving one section with the lug holes.  He then used a rear axle and spindle to make a post, bolted it to the split rim for a stand, and then welded a metal plate on top of the axle.  There was a round plate at the bottom he could turn with his foot, and the whole thing was set up so he could sit down and weld around posts, hands free and his foot turning the spindle as needed.  I'm sure some junkyard scrounging would get all the parts you needed, even for a drop-in receiver style.
Reply:Originally Posted by SpyGuyWeldBead, RiceBurner, I saw this idea somewhere on one of the welding forums, thought it was pretty neat.  I don't remember where, though, sorry .....The guy had taken an old car rim and split it, leaving one section with the lug holes.  He then used a rear axle and spindle to make a post, bolted it to the split rim for a stand, and then welded a metal plate on top of the axle.  There was a round plate at the bottom he could turn with his foot, and the whole thing was set up so he could sit down and weld around posts, hands free and his foot turning the spindle as needed.  I'm sure some junkyard scrounging would get all the parts you needed, even for a drop-in receiver style.
Reply:I like Weldbead's Potters Wheel idea.   Two others that come to mind are an old grinding wheel treadle or even a sewing machine treadle  You would just need to rig up 45° miter gear adapter and some sort of speed reducer to get it to turn r e a l   s l o w.-MondoMember, AWSLincoln ProMIG 140Lincoln AC TombstoneCraftsman Lathe 12 x 24 c1935Atlas MFC Horizontal MillCraftsman Commercial Lathe 12 x 36 c1970- - - I'll just keep on keepin' on.
Reply:I've started cutting and melting some parts together I will keep you posted, mostly anything I ever do is overly complicated, overweight and over budget. Its is not going to be motorized, just one ******* hole power.s.r.
Reply:I went to a shop where they rebuilt automotive torque converters that used a couple of these for welding torque converters back together.  I have wanted one since.  I was thinking about building one with an electric motor and a gear reducer.  www.surpluscenter.com has a bunch of stuff and their prices are not to bad.
Reply:Just a thought- a BBQ rotisserie turns pretty close to the right speed-or can be belt-geared to do so.I am working on using one to chainsaw cordwood blocks to rough-cut them for lathe work.A foot pedal salvaged from a sewing machine would be a handy addition.Get the BBQ motor from the free ads, get the sewing machine from the junk store.
Reply:I recently tried a rotisserie from a bbq.. it was a failure.. Even with 3" diameter pipe on the plate, it still spun too fast to get a good weld on.Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Reply:Originally Posted by BrainfarthI recently tried a rotisserie from a bbq.. it was a failure.. Even with 3" diameter pipe on the plate, it still spun too fast to get a good weld on.
Reply:I have almost completed the mount for the table. I have to ground the it so it doesn't go through the bearings on the axel for the rotating shaft. I'll post some pics tomorrow as I get closer to getting it done.
Reply:I did try a light dimmer, but the motor would just stop rather than slow down.Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.
Reply:They way I understand it is that a light dimmer and a fan control are different somehow.Not all motors can be slowed down the same way.