How to Set Up a Rotary Table

Clean your new rotary table with mineral-spirit paint thinner. Rotary tables are shipped with a protective coating of grease that must be removed before use. Clean with a rag and small paint brush to get off all the grease. Allow to dry.

Zero the adjustment wheel. The rotary table has a handwheel on the side that selectively engages verniers to rotate the table to the degrees, minutes and seconds of arc required for a milling job. Turn the handwheel and engage each vernier so the zero markers on each scale line up with each other and with the reference mark inscribed on the table’s base.

Zero the table. Without moving the handwheel, loosen the worm gear lock screws on the side of the table base with an Allen wrench so the table can be freely rotated. Move the rotating table so the zero marker on the table lines up with the indicator reference mark on the base. Tighten the lock screws to tighten the worm drive and fix the table into position.

Mount the table into position on your machine tool to roughly line up with the tool’s spindle. Most rotary tables have clamps that engage mounting rails on the bed of the machine tool. Tighten the clamps with a wrench.

Center the table to your machine tool’s spindle. Clamp into your spindle chuck a pointed brass or steel rod with a diameter that fits closely but freely into the table’s center hole. Lower the rod to the table hole. Move the table as necessary to bring the center hole into alignment with the rod so the rod passes perfectly through the center hole. This completes the installation and basic setup.