Indexing Wheel

[Matt Newton]

I got an indexing wheel for Christmas. It comes from Iron Fire LLC. Does anyone know how to use one? I figured out how to set it up, but now what. Are there some books or tutorials out there for patterns? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Steve Hayes]

It's something you won't use that often but when you do you will love it. I had the need to drill 3 holes for legs on a turned item. I have the Oneway drill wizard and the two work great together. I don't know of any plans for it's use. Think of Tinker toys and the evenly drilled and spaced holes.

[Peter Hay in Aus]

I got an indexing wheel for Christmas. It comes from Iron Fire LLC. Does anyone know how to use one? I figured out how to set it up, but now what. Are there some books or tutorials out there for patterns? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Matt vague question replies will flow if you provide the centre hole size, how many holes in the outside of the disk, what purpose you have in mind, the machine you choose for it, why you bought it in the first place? Yes I do know how to use it do you intend to fit it outboard or inboard?

The purpose of an indexing wheel is to allow selected spacing or intermittent spacing on a machine such as a Milling Machine or Lathe etc. It will be necessary to affix it to a shaft, have some means of locating an adjustable pin in the various outward holes in line with the row you choose to use. Your choice is governed by the number and spacing of the holes. To assist you when locating holes you will need to indicate somehow on the disk a starting point and spacing is fraught with error unless you have some means of accurately counting or marking the segments you choose. I will look for and post what I do for using such a disk on my Pen Wizard to illustrate my point.
Regards Peter.

[Matt Newton]

Sorry about the vagueness of the question. The web site for the wheel is www.ironfirellc.com (http://www.ironfirellc.com) This will give you a pic of the wheel. My dad bought it for me because he thought it looked cool. Now I just need to find out how to use it.

[Peter Hay in Aus]

Matt, Back again the shiny black disk is drilled and mounted in line with the existing disk fitted to the machine, I mini drilled holes above the main disk,cut mapping pins,glued using CA glue coloured pins to indicate spacing for particular purposes. Hope this illustrates just one application of an indexing plate albeit used with another index plate.

Regards Peter.

[Peter Hay in Aus]

Matt I used your reference to Ironfire I gather it is around 6.30 pm in New Hampshire and they have never heard of Australia and dont allow me for sure to register with them claiming my Address is invalid, because I dont fit the answers I dont exist so you are on your own now from me I was going to call them to give them an indication where Australia was I admit to wondering what else they sell for my own interest. As to how to use your gifted disk have a look on some lathe sites where they advertise indexing plates etc. Have a look via Google on Metal Lathe sites referencing indexing plates. Go to the IAP library join if needed it is often discussed there. Jet lathes in particular have add on disk advice etc. Good luck.

Kind regards Peter.

[James Combs]

Matt, one of the key things to consider is that it would be used in combination with other tools, typically you might use it on a wood lathe that does not have indexing to hold a "previously" turned spindle (maybe a table leg) while you use a router (preferable mounted on a slide) to route a flat, cove, slot or other feature along the length of your spindle. The indexing holes are used to insure that the spindle is rotated accurately to the next position for the routed flat, cove, or slot. For instance if you want three flats equally spaced on your spindle you would use three holes in the plate that are 120* apart to lock the spindle in place.

I noted on the web site you provide that the plates have different size center holes. Those center holes correspond with the various size spindles found on the various brands and sizes of wood lathes. Without seeing the instructions for mounting the plate I would guess that it would mount on the spindle of a lathe behind the faceplate or chuck that is in use. Or it could possibly mount on the hand wheel of some lathes. In any case it would be typically firmly mounted to the lathe spindle and there would be some kind of pin mechanism that would be used to pin the plate stationary at the various hole locations found on the plate.

Hope this helps picture how it might be used. I am sure there are other uses then what I have described.

[Peter Hay in Aus]

Matt, The definitive word fro the horses mouth. Google Indexing Wheel Basic Instructions By Iron Fire Innovations LLC all of this from Ironfire Innovations the maker of your disk.

Peter.

[James Combs]

Matt, The definitive word fro the horses mouth. Google Indexing Wheel Basic Instructions By Iron Fire Innovations LLC all of this from Ironfire Innovations the maker of your disk.

Peter.

Exactly, Ditto Peter's research. Matt, Just download the PDF file or print it out and you have most of what you need to put together a useful indexing system. http://store.workshopsupply.com/catalogue/pdf/IndexWheel-Instruction.pdf

[Richard Madden]

Matt,
I don't know if you have seen any of the twisted spiral finials I've shown here, but on those, I used the index feature on my lathe to mark four lines horizontally on the piece. If a lathe has an index feature, laying out four lines is not a big deal, but if you want to lay out more than 24 spaces (that's what my lathe has, 24 positions), or a multiple of marks that your lathes indexing can't provide, that is where the index wheel you have will come in handy. I made an index wheel with 144 equal spaces that I plan on using to lay out burn lines for basket weave patterns. I can mark out all 144 spaces if the piece I'm working on is large enough, or 72 spaces or any mutiple of 144. Pretty soon I'll be using that index wheel to lay out 16 equal spaces for a project. I can't do that with the index feature on my lathe. You may not use the wheel very often, but when you need it they are really nice to have.