Photos 1. & 2.—The faceplate with modified chuck adapter screwed in. Photo 3 shows the modified chuck adapter and attaching screw and washers. (Click on any photo to see a larger image.)
A fixture using all Sherline parts for making spoked wheels is a
snap. Parts Required:
Faceplate P/N 40070
10/32 x 1/2" SHCS with washer and lockwasher
Chuck adapter P/N 37090 (Comes with rotary table)
With chuck adapter inserted in rotary table using proper centering tools, drill and tap a hole dead center in the chuck adapter. Then screw on faceplate. All that is required is to drill a press fit hole in your wheel blank and secure it to the faceplate. No more worries about milling into the rotary table or setup fixtures in the way of your work, and if you mess up on your first light cut, you can reface the wheel without further setup; just screw it back on the faceplate and it's still centered. You can also true up the wheel on your lathe without removing your work from the faceplate.
The wheel blank is held to the rotary table using a 10-32 screw and washer in the center hole that has been drilled into the chuck adapter. Here the spokes of a wheel are being cut without using any additional clamps. The last photo shows the fixture chucked in the lathe. The unthreaded portion of the chuck adapter is held in the chuck jaws. (Click on any photo to see a larger image.)
If you feel that further lock-down to the table is necessary ( I've never had a problem), just clamp it down on the outside lip of the wheel without interference.
This takes less than an hour to produce, it's reusable, and the best part is the chuck adapter is still functional for any other uses you have for it, so you don't even need to buy another one because one comes with the rotary table. The photos above show how it works, and I hope this helps and prevents "buggering" up the best rotary table made for the price.
—Michael W. Klipp CPO US Navy ret.
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