Making sense of Deckel dividing head tailstocks

Luke Rickert

Hot Rolled

Joined

Oct 24, 2007

Location

OSLO

• Apr 3, 2021

• #1

Hi everyone I have a tailstock that I am fairly sure is for some sort of Deckel dividing head. What I can't figure out is the center height. When I measure carefully with a MT2 arbor on a surface plate (compared to a pile of gauge blocks) I calculate 90.47mm, even if I am off by a bit a new dead center in the mint looking bore is visibly much higher than an 90mm gauge block. The base of the tailstock is in good shape (and flat stoned)

This seems really strange, are the tailstocks really fit to each index head separately? I would expect these to by more like Schaublin lathe tailstocks that are interchangeable with the same 102 center distance all the time.



thanks

Luke

 

Peter from Holland

Diamond

Joined

Jan 15, 2005

Location

The Netherlands

• Apr 3, 2021

• #2

I really do not know if the height of a Deckel dividing head is constant It only needs to be if you interchance this tailstock This tailstock is made for the L machines as these do not have a vertical surface it fits on So this is not intended to be used on FP1-FP2 or FP 3
On these machines it is operated with the overarm tailstock and the dividing head mounted on the vertical surface

Peter

 

Luke Rickert

Hot Rolled

Joined

Oct 24, 2007

Location

OSLO

• Apr 3, 2021

• #3

Thanks Peter, I know the normal overarm tailstock for the traditional FP machines which is much of the reason this one is so confusing. It is finely made bit of tooling but not useful for me. I still find it a little strange to me that all the index heads wouldn't be the same height but I understand how much cost that adds to production with no real benefit for the original purchaser.

It seems unlikely I will find anyone interested in it, I can perhaps repurpose/modify it for some other application. It would be more or less straightforward to grind and scrape it down to an even 90.00mm for example.

Luke

 

Peter from Holland

Diamond

Joined

Jan 15, 2005

Location

The Netherlands

• Apr 3, 2021

• #4

Those tailstocks bring decent money as it enables people to use the dividing head on all machines
Singer wants 550euro for one
Put it up for sale on Ebaykleinanzeigen

Peter

 

L

lucky7

Titanium

Joined

Sep 6, 2008

Location

Canada

• Apr 3, 2021

• #5

Peter, I don’t understand why a FP3L would need a special tailstock? Even though you’re mounting the DH body on 45deg table. Pics? Explanation? Thanks.

L7

 

Peter from Holland

Diamond

Joined

Jan 15, 2005

Location

The Netherlands

• Apr 3, 2021

• #6

On the L machine you cannot mount the dividing head vertically like normaly done on a FP1 FP2 or FP3
If mounted vertically one uses the overarm with tailstock
If mounted on a table the overarm would be in the way for the cutting tool The solution is the seperate tailstock
Peter

 

A

AlfaGTA

Diamond

Joined

Dec 13, 2002

Location

Benicia California USA

• Apr 5, 2021

• #7

I have one of those tail stocks and find it very useful....I mount my dividing head often directly on the work table, not wishing to muck about with removing a table to run a
simple dividing job....Allows use of the dividing head without needing the overarm....works fine, easier setup , quick on ,quick off.....
Also allows running the dividing head on my FP4NC by table mounting..."T" slot spacing is not correct, but again its not an issue. I just use two clamp bolts in the factory slots,(one side of the mounting flange)
along with two hold down clamps on the side opposite.....Works fine....
Cheers Ross

 

Peter from Holland

Diamond

Joined

Jan 15, 2005

Location

The Netherlands

• Apr 6, 2021

• #8

Documentation says it is for FP4 FP3l and KF


Peter

 

S

sneebot

Stainless

Joined

May 14, 2001

Location

Massachusetts

• Apr 8, 2021

• #9

As another data point-- I have one of these table mount centers that I got with some other tooling. I've never used it and this thread made me curious. I measured the center height and found it to be 90.4mm. I've not measured the center height of the dividing head I have to see if it matches.