GRS Satellite Turntable Package

dlilazteca

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I was trying it at GRS before it was announced, it is very stable, and rotation is smooth, lindsay also has one that is cheaper in price, but ive never tried that one, i wonder if you just buy the base and i can use my current grs turntable? Will have to call and ask.

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Karlspinks

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Nov 4, 2016
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London, England
I was trying it at GRS before it was announced, it is very stable, and rotation is smooth, lindsay also has one that is cheaper in price, but ive never tried that one, i wonder if you just buy the base and i can use my current grs turntable? Will have to call and ask.

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You can buy it with or without the "satelite" turntable. Without it comes with a 10" plate to mount your own turntable.
$795 stand and turntable
$499 stand and fixed top
$410 just the stand
 

FANCYGUN

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West Grove, PA
I bought one about three weeks ago I have been using a drill press stand set up attached to my workbench for a gazillion years with my microscope. Its a great setup but for larger pieces like an 1876 winchester I am working on it hits my bench making it necessary to raise everything up above the benchtop. Now my chair is higher off the floor than i like to have it. With the satellite stand sitting on the floor my chair and microscope height is consistant and comfortable. With the 76 action all i have done is slide it out away from the bench and extend my microscope. I find it very easy to adjust and am happy with it. All i purchased was the stand and attached my old turtable to it nice and easy Think i will sell my old drill press stand now and get it out of my way
 

Ishokenmei

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Aug 7, 2007
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I bought one about two weeks ago, and for the first time ever I am able to center my work under the microscope. I'm serious...for so long I chased my vise around trying to keep it center. I all most thought there was something wrong with my eyes. Attempt after attempt to get it centered met with negative results. However, after getting this system set up and center under the microscope, it was like an awakening. You ever have one of those internal jumping up and down moments? That's exactly what happened! No matter where I moved my vise under the scope it stayed center. If you purchase the system or any other turntable system out there you wont be disappointed. Good Luck! Also, my wife surprised me with a new microscope.

After I sold my old one, two weeks later a Leica A60 showed up in my workspace). I guess she watched me watching Sam on Youtube, and decided to get the scope. This scope has tremendous clarity, and I think it is a perfect fit for any turntable. Best of luck!
 

Sam

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Yes it works perfectly and is rock solid. It's got a gas spring inside the column that makes the vise glide up and down with very little effort. You really have to see it to believe it. The new turntable is a huge upgrade from the previous model, but the old turntable fits.

If you need more swing because of a long part, just slide it back from your bench a few inches and you're done. This can definitely be a replacement for the drill press stand. No holes to drill into the floor, no sawing and shortening of parts, etc. It's plug and play.
 

Diacutter

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Sep 12, 2007
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Kansas
Thank you very much to everyone who replied. i really appreciate your input. It has been very helpful!

Dave
 
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dlilazteca

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I ordered mine today, just the stand as I will be using my grs turntable i already own.

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fegarex

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Nov 8, 2006
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Ludington, MI
The package is awesome! I've used it at shows and it is great. While I stole the original idea, I am pretty much responsible for everyone using drill press stands. I just added another in my studio but it was before this stand came out. I wish I knew as I built in the drill press but I certainly like the Satellite much better. As Marty and others say, the ability to move it in or out is great. It's still super sturdy.
 

ringdoctor

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Jun 26, 2018
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Upstate NY
After using this stand in a class several weeks ago I purchased one for my shop.

I like it for all of the above reasons, plus the fact that I can move the stand off into a corner when I am primarily doing jewelry work and repairs, or quickly grab it again to use for setting work.
 

Sam

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I put some 3M super strong double sided tape under two of the feet on mine so it doesn't shift if I bump it with my chair leg. Still loving it, and I will probably sell my two drill press stand bases soon.
 

Goosebuster

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Jan 2, 2018
Messages
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When I saw this post I went "WOW', this is very similar to the one I built about three years ago so that I would have a portable unit.
The base unit is quite a heavy, ( aprox. 50 lb.) folding tripod stand from some other ??? machine. The upper portion is another snug fitting pipe that can be raised or lowered for sitting or standing, topped with a turntable riding on a Timkin taper bearing. The table has a brake and a 32 pos. locking pin. The 'T' bar supports are for the likes of swords and barrels.
The Unit is very solid. Hope this might help anyone wishing to build thier own.
 

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bildio

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Dec 11, 2010
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MD
I was trying it at GRS before it was announced, it is very stable, and rotation is smooth, lindsay also has one that is cheaper in price, but ive never tried that one, i wonder if you just buy the base and i can use my current grs turntable? Will have to call and ask.

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I use mine with the older GRS turntable. No problem.
 

ringdoctor

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Jun 26, 2018
Messages
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Location
Upstate NY
Besides the new GRS satellite stand I purchased a white nylon(?) pad to set my old engraver block on top of it, to allow me to easily shift the block to keep it centered under my Meiji.
Note: be very careful. Between that slippery devil of the pad, and the satellite stand, it could be very, very easy to slide the engraving block right off the edge of the stand if one is not aware.
This has not happened, but I quickly realized that the risk is there, it is so very easy to move the block.
I am not yet sure that I will continue to use the nylon pad, as it is easy enough to move the engraving block, without the reduced friction the pad provides.
 

mitch

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Jul 23, 2007
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Besides the new GRS satellite stand I purchased a white nylon(?) pad to set my old engraver block on top of it, to allow me to easily shift the block to keep it centered under my Meiji.
Note: be very careful. Between that slippery devil of the pad, and the satellite stand, it could be very, very easy to slide the engraving block right off the edge of the stand if one is not aware.
This has not happened, but I quickly realized that the risk is there, it is so very easy to move the block.
I am not yet sure that I will continue to use the nylon pad, as it is easy enough to move the engraving block, without the reduced friction the pad provides.

I've always thought it would be really neat to make a perforated base with a compressed air hook-up, so you could push a spring valve and the vise would float like the puck on an AirHockey table, but not slide around when you don't want it to. Some folks will know this concept is used in welding & fab shops for moving around heavy pieces, usually operated with a foot pedal.

You could rig a special vise 'donut' with a perf'd base plate and air fitting, then run a line off your engraving machine supply. Put a little push button valve right where you'd grip the donut to move it without air-assist. A regulator on the line would let you adjust the right amount of pressure/airflow so it just barely lifts the vise, not turn it into a foot-crushing runaway hovercraft.
 
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Doc Mark

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Hampton, Virginia
Cool idea Mitch, until you blow all those fine, sharp metal chips back into your face. "It's all fun until someone losses an eye." He, He. He.
 

mitch

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no, Mark, the air would be flowing down thru the donut vise base, probably with a felt strip 'skirt' to keep chips out from under it. at worst, it would blow some chips into your lap. envision an AirHockey table with the pressurized air blowing out of the puck, not the whole table.

i've actually given quite a bit of thought to this idea and would have built one years ago if i used a turntable set-up, but my prototype positioning vise doesn't need one.
 

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