Author Topic: Workshop Log  (Read 42316 times)

Offline propforward

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Re: Workshop Log
« Reply #135 on: January 19, 2020, 01:33:09 PM »
It was a good opportunity to drain the old oil from the apron, and regrease gears, and freshen things up generally. Glad to have this done!
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Offline steamer

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Re: Workshop Log
« Reply #136 on: January 19, 2020, 05:45:05 PM »
Stuart,

Double check you leadscrew lock out.  If both the leadscrew and the feed got engaged at the same time, that broken pin could happen.  Standard design is to put a lock out bar on that prevents the half nuts from closing if the feed is engaged.  If something is wrong with that lock out bar, that damage could happen, and you might not even know it did.

Dave
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Offline propforward

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Re: Workshop Log
« Reply #137 on: January 19, 2020, 10:11:10 PM »
Thanks Dave, I appreciate the insight on that. I went out and checked and it seems to be properly working. I wonder if I could have strained that pin if I tried to feed the carriage by hand with the carriage locked, or something like that? Or even engaged the power feed with the carriage locked. I don't remember such an event, but could have done that in the past. Might have damaged the pin and it finally failed or something. I suppose having a weak link like that is no bad thing.
Stuart

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Offline steamer

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Re: Workshop Log
« Reply #138 on: January 20, 2020, 12:08:54 AM »
Thanks Dave, I appreciate the insight on that. I went out and checked and it seems to be properly working. I wonder if I could have strained that pin if I tried to feed the carriage by hand with the carriage locked, or something like that? Or even engaged the power feed with the carriage locked. I don't remember such an event, but could have done that in the past. Might have damaged the pin and it finally failed or something. I suppose having a weak link like that is no bad thing.

The lock out prevents them both from being engaged, you should have one or the other, but never both..   if you can in anyway get them both engaged....Track down the problem and fix it....Because it really shouldn't.

Dave
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Damned ijjit!

Offline propforward

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Re: Workshop Log
« Reply #139 on: January 20, 2020, 01:05:48 AM »
Got it. I'll check that operation tomorrow.
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Offline propforward

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Re: Workshop Log
« Reply #140 on: January 21, 2020, 02:54:47 AM »
Hi Dave,

I specifically checked operation of the half nut lever and power feed levers tonight, and it is not possible to engage both at the same time, so the safety is working. I can engage either one, but not both, no matter which one is engaged first. So, no nearer shedding light on the sheared pin mystery.

No matter, I'll keep an eye on the situation.

Tonight I was doing a little investigation in to chuck speeds, and finish on aluminum, brass and steel. Trying to just dial in some settings. I had some success.

Brass:





They actually look better in the flesh than in the picture.

I turned up the spindle speed significantly for the brass (also aluminum - apparently didn't take a picture though), and this seems to have helped consistency of finish a lot.

On steel, I also turned up the speed a bit, although not as much as the brass, and also got some decent results.





Pretty sure this is a piece of 12L14, so not that impressive, but nice enough anyway.

Also, my collet chuck went back on and stayed true, so I'm feeling better about it. Last time I installed it, it had gone way out. I'm happy about this because I think this chuck will be a key to helping to hold small parts on my lathe.

Now I have to figure out where all the vibration on my lathe is coming from. It shakes quite a lot. I think I need to beef up the stands it is mounted on, but also look at the drive train and see if something is not balanced. Or if the belts are too tight - or some kind of combination.

I feel like if I keep gradually dialing in this machine, it will help me make better and better parts. It seems to have come a long way in the last year, since I really started taking trouble to get it true and level.
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Offline steamer

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Re: Workshop Log
« Reply #141 on: January 21, 2020, 11:21:37 PM »
Hi Dave,

I specifically checked operation of the half nut lever and power feed levers tonight, and it is not possible to engage both at the same time, so the safety is working. I can engage either one, but not both, no matter which one is engaged first. So, no nearer shedding light on the sheared pin mystery.

No matter, I'll keep an eye on the situation.

Tonight I was doing a little investigation in to chuck speeds, and finish on aluminum, brass and steel. Trying to just dial in some settings. I had some success.

Brass:





They actually look better in the flesh than in the picture.

I turned up the spindle speed significantly for the brass (also aluminum - apparently didn't take a picture though), and this seems to have helped consistency of finish a lot.

On steel, I also turned up the speed a bit, although not as much as the brass, and also got some decent results.





Pretty sure this is a piece of 12L14, so not that impressive, but nice enough anyway.

Also, my collet chuck went back on and stayed true, so I'm feeling better about it. Last time I installed it, it had gone way out. I'm happy about this because I think this chuck will be a key to helping to hold small parts on my lathe.

Now I have to figure out where all the vibration on my lathe is coming from. It shakes quite a lot. I think I need to beef up the stands it is mounted on, but also look at the drive train and see if something is not balanced. Or if the belts are too tight - or some kind of combination.

I feel like if I keep gradually dialing in this machine, it will help me make better and better parts. It seems to have come a long way in the last year, since I really started taking trouble to get it true and level.

Very glad to hear that Prop, but I remain perplexed.    That damage was not subtle....it took some serious torque to double sheer that roll pin....Do you have longitudinal feed?....can you engage both at the same time?  ( longitudinal and cross feed)   Some lathes will let you do that simultaneously    SOMETHING did that....and it's telling us to keep looking....

Confused in Mass....

 
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Damned ijjit!

Offline propforward

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Re: Workshop Log
« Reply #142 on: January 22, 2020, 01:46:54 AM »
I’m confused also. My bet is on trying to hand crank the hand wheel with the saddle locked. There’s also the possibility of poor assembly by the manufacturer. The lathe does have power crossfeed as well, but the same lever engages either longitudinal or cross feed - it cannot select both.

Vexing!
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Offline propforward

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Re: Workshop Log
« Reply #143 on: January 30, 2020, 03:11:02 AM »
Important modifications to the shoppe today. New signage.





It's good to have some fun decor. I can't show some of it................
Stuart

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Offline propforward

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Re: Workshop Log
« Reply #144 on: September 19, 2020, 09:18:17 PM »
Well, continuing my messing about and diary of workshop improvements...............

I already mentioned this in the lockdown thread, but implementing this rather nifty microwave transmitter set up meant I could beam wifi from the house to the shed. These just plug into routers in each location. You can set them up to just beam the signals back and forth, or to allow a network to be set up between the buildings. Cheaper and easier than digging a trench and running a cat 5 cable, and as far as I can tell, no drop in bandwidth. I can stream movies in the shed if I really want to. Don't do it very often, but did it one time when I had the covid and was isolating. Isolating in my shed made it a little easier to deal with.





Not that internet is essential in the shed, but it sure is helpful when wanting to look up things quickly. Also means that because of "call over wifi" I can actually get phone calls in the shed. That may sound like a distraction, but when the call is "dinner is ready" it's not so bad. Besides, I can turn the blasted thing off any time, and I do. It's similarly nice to be able to make a call without having to go outside and wait for the phone to find a signal.

Anyhoo, made a couple of alterations to the mill. very minor.

First off, I added a lamp. I bought this with a magnetic base. It's just a cheap LED lamp, but gets some light to the tool area. Works well. Only trouble was it was always moving with the table and never staying pointed at the work, and I couldn't easily mount it to the mill column. Magnet wasn't strong enough. Then I realised it was just screwed in to the magnetic base - so I drilled a hole in the control box and mounted it to that. Now I can point it wherever and it stays pointing at the cutting tool. Magic.



The other alteration was to flip the power feed handle 180 degrees. now it points down out of the way - more importantly, when you move it left, the table goes left.



Had a few moments of frustration afterwards, when the motor drive apparently had lost all its power and wouldn't drive the table. But easily fixed by unlocking the table locking screws.  :facepalm:

Absolutely riveting stuff this.

But - today I ordered a 4 axis DRO set from DRO pros for the mill, so that might be more interesting. Fed up of counting handle revolutions, I am.
« Last Edit: September 19, 2020, 09:28:24 PM by propforward »
Stuart

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Offline propforward

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Re: Workshop Log
« Reply #145 on: September 29, 2020, 01:27:02 AM »
DRO is here. I am excited. Probably shouldn't be quite so excited........

Anyway. It's pretty much the top of the range kit DRO PRO's sell. I've read a lot of good reviews, it's likely way over the top for what I need. I should probably have spent more on a better quality mill up front, rather than on this kind of thing, but this is where I am, and believe it or not the parts I make on the mill have been getting more accurate over time, so I still think it's a reasonably good mil - it's a matter of working within its capabilities.

So, eye candy.



I splurged on the touch probe, since there is a better deal if you buy it with the kit.



One of the magnetic scales.



First tentative steps on figuring out the install..........

Just stick it here..........



The quill will be the trickiest install, but I can position the scale more or less as shown in this picture, and the gear selectors do not hit it. I am thinking either make the front quill stop solid and mount the read head to that, or make a bracket to mount on the quill clamp. Haven't decided yet, but I think either way will work.

For the other 3 axes, I think the mounting is simple enough. There is plenty of room for the X axis mount on the back side of the table, and similarly for the Y axis - that one just needs a bit more work on the read head bracket. There is loads of room for a column mount, so I am hopeful that I can at least get the X, Y and column sorted quickly.

I did think that getting a 4 axis kit was a bit OTT - but there was one time where I wished I could have raised the head without losing my location, so based on that I saved the extra and went for it.

Hope to show install success over the coming couple of weeks.

I have seen a lot of good reviews of DRO PROs stuff, so hoping for a good result. I think the key will be getting everything true - flat to the machine and parallel to axes movement. And rigidly mounted.

Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Offline Johnmcc69

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Re: Workshop Log
« Reply #146 on: September 29, 2020, 08:25:01 PM »
 :ThumbsUp:
 That's a good looking set up!

 John

Offline propforward

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Re: Workshop Log
« Reply #147 on: September 30, 2020, 02:14:09 AM »
Thanks, yes I am liking the kit so far (not that it's installed). Also the customer service - There were a couple of brackets missing, but I sent them an email and no quibble the parts are on their way. In the meantime, I made a start on installation. I'm trying the column first, just because it's really accessible, so a good first run to see what's what. Simple enough, I used double sided scotch tape to hold things in place while I checked travel and location, then used a transfer punch to mark hole positions, and drilled and tapped mounting holes.





Quick fit up to check travel limits:





All is well, nicely centered and no cutting of the scale needed on this one. I do need to mill a bit off the black bracket to get the read head closer to the scale, then align the scale and read head with a dial indicator, and snug it all into position.

That's enough for tonight though. It's a case of getting an hour here and there to gradually work on it.

« Last Edit: October 09, 2020, 01:35:17 PM by propforward »
Stuart

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Offline propforward

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Re: Workshop Log
« Reply #148 on: October 01, 2020, 01:57:07 AM »
Excitement today - my new knee arrived.



Been angling for one of these for a while. Heh. $69 shipped from a machinist supply in MI, sells on ebay. Fair prices and fast delivery.

Also, a little more on the DRO install. Tonight, I got the X-Axis scale mounted. This one needed trimming to fit on the mill table, but still has a couple of inches extra length over the travel. Cutting these down is a breeze. I used my bandsaw because it is now set up well, and cuts neatly and square. Took me a while to get it to that point, and a quality cutting blade was a big part of the equation. I ditched the cheapo Grizzly own ones and tried a Lennox, and that was the cherry on the cake after a lot of tedious adjustments. Worthwhile though.  :cheers:



Mounted on the back of the table - shortened to clear the cutting fluid drain. I considered moving the drain and just having the scale full table length, but there is no advantage to that in reality.



And it clears the oiler, without being above the table. So this is a win. Just got to get it properly parallel to the table top now.



So, little by little the install progresses.  :ThumbsUp:  ;D
Stuart

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Offline propforward

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Re: Workshop Log
« Reply #149 on: October 09, 2020, 01:58:11 AM »
More progress. After truing up the X and Y scales - managed to get them within .0005" parallel to their axis of travel, over the whole length according to my precision DTI - I did a test fit of the read heads. I discovered unsurprisingly that the supplied brackets needed a little alteration to get everything to fit. Not much though - .050" off one side on the Y axis bracket, and 0.080" off one side on the X axis. As a result, centered and gapped using the plastic shim that comes with the kit.

The Y axis read head I mounted by using a combination of two of the kit brackets. The first one is nominally from the knee kit.



Then supplemented that with their "simple" bracket, which just needed that bit of shaving on the rear where it mounts against the other bracket.



The Y axis is nice and solidly mounted.



The X axis was simpler, and just used the simple bracket.





The brackets have four grub screws in, which allow you to set the gap in front of the read head, and pivot the bracket about to get the read head parallel to the strip. It works very well. The brackets are just a die cast aluminum, so very easy to modify.

The read heads also have plastic wipers, which are missing from the above pics.

After all that, I couldn't resist trying it.



I'm very happy - I'm loving this already. Can't wait to make actual parts, but must finish install of at least the X, Y and U (column) axes. Then I'll need to make parts to mount the quill scale.

So - next is double check gap, add cable mount locations, level and mount the column axis scale and we're off and running!

Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

 

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