Author Topic: X3 mill table stop  (Read 6503 times)

Offline Firebird

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X3 mill table stop
« on: July 22, 2012, 11:10:18 AM »
Hi

Nothing clever or fancy here just something I should have done years ago, it makes repeated passes to the same length so easy. Dead easy to set and had a lot of use already. There are no plans I just cut them out of 1/2" steel bar. Drilled and tapped the Y table 6mm to hold the fixed centre piece



Cheers

Rich

chuck foster

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Re: X3 mill table stop
« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2012, 05:26:23 AM »
thanks rich

i was just thinking about making a stop for my mill, i looks like a handy little add on.

chuck

Offline cfellows

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Re: X3 mill table stop
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2012, 03:52:11 AM »
I have recently come to really appreciate adjustable stops on my milling table.



Some months back I installed the Igaging DRO's on my mill/drill, but they just aren't built well enough.  I won't go into the why, but my setup only lasted about a month then quit working.  Plus, the readouts are too hard to read.  And, stopping the movement of the table at an exact reading is difficult and stressful.

So, I removed the DRO's.  I had made the two aluminum blocks in the picture, plus new brass dovetail nuts behind them to hold the Igaging scale.  I discovered after removing the scale, that the new nuts and aluminum blocks made a very secure stop, much more secure than the ones which came on the mill/drill originally.  So, I've been using these a lot, especially with my V8 engine which requires a lot of repetitive cuts.  I used the stops, also, for example, when making the 1/8" wide slot in the bottom of the piston.  I find the stops are much better than a DRO for these applications because you don't have to watch for anything... you just stop cranking when the table stops moving.  It is also, in my case, much more repeatable.  And, it's a heck of a lot cheaper than a good set of DRO's.

DRO's are certainly good for a lot of other things.  But for simple repetitive milling operations, stops are hard to beat.  Now I have figure out how to install some stops on my Y-Axis.

By the way, Rich, your stops are a lot more robust than mine,  but mine still do the job, haven't had one slip yet.
Chuck
So many projects, so little time...

Offline Firebird

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Re: X3 mill table stop
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2012, 10:14:49 PM »
Hi Chuck and Chuck

I have been thinking about the Y axis as well  :thinking:

If you come up with good idea let me know.

Cheers

Rich

Offline Cedge

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Re: X3 mill table stop
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2012, 09:19:37 PM »
If you really want to enjoy your X3 mill, consider adding the power feed option. It adds a whole new level of operation capability. It's a little pricey, but one you've used it you'll consider it worth every penny. I even adapted one of the power feeds to my C4 lathe.... boy was that ever a grand idea...LOL  It rates second only to the addition of DRO's on my list of best upgrades.
Steve

Offline Firebird

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Re: X3 mill table stop
« Reply #5 on: July 30, 2012, 09:22:58 PM »
Hi Cedge

I do have a power feed on the X axis (not visible in this shot) and you are right it certainly make s life easier and relly smooth finishes are easy too. I'll try and dig out a photo showing it.

cheers

Rich.

Offline Firebird

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Re: X3 mill table stop
« Reply #6 on: July 30, 2012, 09:33:21 PM »
Hi

I found a bit of video for the power feed, I'll post it in a new topic.

Cheers

Rich

Offline Dan Rowe

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Re: X3 mill table stop
« Reply #7 on: August 04, 2012, 05:29:23 PM »
Hi Rich,
Thanks for showing this. Here is what I made for my knee mill. I have a set of round gauge blocks tapped 1/4-28 so I tapped the ends of the stops for the blocks.


Dan
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Offline doubletop

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Re: X3 mill table stop
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2012, 08:30:08 AM »
Make the set of the adjustable stops a bit taller and jobs being clamped to the bed can butt against them and be square to the table. Use your parallels if you need a bit of an offset to the center of the table.

Pete
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Offline Firebird

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Re: X3 mill table stop
« Reply #9 on: September 13, 2012, 08:19:58 PM »
Hi Pete

Thats a good idea, thanks  :ThumbsUp: I'll make another set.

Cheers

Rich

 

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