- Ideal for machining radial patterns such as flats, splines, and gear teeth
- Built-in detent mechanism indexes the spindle in 5° increments
- Laser-engraved collar provides 1° reference markings
- Rack gear system allows indexing to virtually any position using simple calculations
- Compatible with many Sherline workholding accessories
- Indexing head and tailstock mounted on a 12" dovetailed bed
- Rack gear for measuring radial movement
- Gear tooth cutter holder
- High-speed steel tool blank
- Faceplate
- 3-jaw and 4-jaw chucks
- Drill chuck
- Centers
- 15 aluminum gears
- Mounting brackets
- Engagement mechanism
- 4.00" (102 mm) handwheel
Indexing Attachment
Machining operations often require cutting features in a radial pattern rather than in a straight line. Common examples include gear teeth, splines, and flats on nuts. The Sherline Indexing Attachment provides an economical and highly accurate way to rotate and position a workpiece for machining these types of features.
Features & Benefits
Included Components
Spindle Compatibility
The indexing head uses a spindle with a #1 Morse taper and 3/4"-16 male thread, identical to Sherline lathe and mill spindles. This allows the use of common Sherline accessories, including:
Precision Indexing Capability
For positions beyond the standard 5° detents, the rack gear converts spindle rotation into measurable linear travel. This movement can be measured with the depth rod of a Vernier caliper, allowing extremely accurate indexing to an infinite number of positions.
Mounting & Use
The indexing attachment can be mounted directly to the table of a Sherline milling machine. The indexing head may also be used independently in a horizontal position similar to a rotary table.
Note: Use on a Sherline lathe with the vertical milling column is not recommended. However, it may be possible with shims installed to raise the unit high enough to clear the crosslide handwheel.
Thread-Cutting Attachment
A key advantage of owning a lathe is the ability to machine threads. While taps and dies can cut many threads, acquiring a comprehensive tap and die set to cover all non-standard thread sizes can be costly. Sherline provides a unique and versatile thread-cutting attachment for its lathe. This affordable attachment enables you to machine thirty-six different unified thread pitches (ranging from 80 to 5 threads per inch) and twenty-eight different metric thread pitches (ranging from .25 to 2.0 mm). It also allows for both left-hand and right-hand threading. A 60° carbide cutting tool is included, but you can also grind a standard high-speed steel tool to cut various thread forms at any pitch diameter. This versatility allows you to machine both standard and non-standard inside or outside threads, as long as they fall within the lathe’s size limitations.
Note: Ensure you lubricate the gears with light oil before using the threading attachment.
The attachment includes:
Thread cutting on the Sherline lathe is accomplished by gearing the spindle to the leadscrew. As the spindle is rotated using the handwheel mounted on the headstock spindle, the tool advances according to the gear ratio. Once the tool reaches the end of its movement, simply stop cranking, reverse the tool, and turn the spindle in the opposite direction until the tool passes its starting point. Reset the tool, and you’re ready for the next pass. It’s as straightforward as tapping! By using the supplied 127-tooth gear, you can cut true metric threads on an inch lathe or true inch threads on a metric lathe.
⚠️ Note: The thread-cutting attachment is not compatible with the 3C Headstock.
Adapting the Leadscrew Engagement Lever for Use with Digital Readout (DRO)
If you plan to use the leadscrew engagement lever with the Thread Cutting Attachment in conjunction with a Digital Readout (DRO), you will need to equip your lathe with the DRO sliding shaft (sold separately) for proper leadscrew engagement.Gear Selection Calculator
The Sherline Thread Attachment Calculator, created by Joo Beng Koh of Singapore, automates gear selection based on your desired thread count. Originally shared on the Sherline Lathe & Mill Facebook Group, Joo Beng graciously allowed us to feature this tool on our website. The calculator simplifies the setup process, particularly for users who frequently change their thread specifications.
For instructions, select the desired parameters in the light yellow fields, and the corresponding gear selections will appear in the green boxes. An accompanying image shows the correct gear placement along with step-by-step guidance for installation. This tool has greatly improved the process for Joo Beng and can help others as well.
Click here for Joo Beng Koh's Sherline Thread Attachment Calculator.
More Calculators
Visit our Calculators page to explore additional tools for gear tooth and thread calculations, including calculators for thread counts, helical gears, conversions, and more.
