sherline, cnc, and masso

[Flyboy Jim]

The real boxes are inside of those boxes.   

Let the fun begin!        

Jim

PS: Love the picture of the boy and dog. Looks Norman Rockwell...ish. 

[crueby]

Oboyoboyoboy....

[Flyboy Jim]

Oboyoboyoboy....

So Bill and Chris................when do we show Zee the "secret handshake"?

Jim

[gerritv]

That is a great marketing ploy Zee. Along the lines of 'continued next season'

Gerrit

[Jasonb]

When Zee started this thread I bet he did not think CNC stood for Cartons 'n' Cartons 

[zeeprogrammer]

Got everything opened and checked against the packing slip.

a) The 5/32 T Driver was back-ordered. Really?
b) One page of their website, for the workshop package, shows a headstock spacer block but the packing slip doesn't list it. I'll have to contact them.
c) The CNC retro-fit kits are confusing. I'm not sure I got everything. I expect I did but will need to contact Sherline to verify. A dry run through the instructions should help.
d) I couldn't find the mill's Z axis backlash adjustment but it looks like it was pre-installed. Odd though, the installed one includes an oiler and I didn't think what I'd ordered had one.

Some first impressions...

1) Although I've seen these machines in person, I was still surprised to see how small everything is. That's more testament to what Chris, Jim, Bill, et.al. have accomplished on these machines. I mean Wow. 
2) Everything seems well made, accurate, and tight.
3) Well documented but I suspect I'll need to view some videos for help in assembly and installation.

When Zee started this thread I bet he did not think CNC stood for Cartons 'n' Cartons 

I'll say.  Nor did I realize everything was packed with white peanuts. What a mess!

Time to start a new thread and document my (mis)adventures.

[crueby]

Packing peanuts and grease - yum!

[Flyboy Jim]

Zee.............the Headstock Spacer may already be installed on the mill.

As you mentioned, the documentation is good and there's lots of instructional videos.

Have fun. 

Jim

[zeeprogrammer]

....the Headstock Spacer may already be installed on the mill.

Yep. Found it installed on the mill's spindle. Thanks!

Started putting the machines together. A little difficult with my left thumb still sprained (but better). At least my right shoulder is doing great. Only get pain when I lift my arms way high but getting there is no problem.

I have some extra parts after installing the motor(s). I hate that.
One washer extra for each machine. Not a biggie.
Wondering what looks to be a tommy bar for each. Looks like it fits the spindle but I don't know what it's for. Perhaps to turn it while fitting the belt?
Also a drawbar for each machine. Wondering what that's for. All the accessories that need one seem to include it already.

Question: When I apply power everything seems to be working fine. Without power, it's a bear to hand turn the spindle. Normal? I don't think I tensioned the belt too much (requires two hands and as I said before, my left hand is weak.)

Question: Installing the lathe's cross-slide. It just seems it's a bit loose. When I rotate the handwheel, it moves back and forth a bit and the thingie with the zero mark also moves back and forth a bit. The X and Y axes on the mill don't seem to do that (but they were pre-installed). I'll look closer and see if there's something different. But have any of you come across this?

I should start that thread. I'll have to duplicate some of the posts here into that.

[crueby]

They give you a pair of tommy bars (just short lengths of rod) that are put in the little holes in the spindle and the chuck so you can tighten/remove them. Lots of the accessories come with a set, keep them, they come in handy when they finally start to bend a bit over time.
The drawbars are used for certain accessories that go in with a morse taper. I switched to the screw-on holders for the drill chuck and mill holders, much easier to use and swap in/out.
When hand turning the spindle, if no chuck or faceplate on it is hard to turn since such a small diameter. Should be easy to turn the belt pulley. If the belt is too tight it will load it up, should be a little wiggle in the belt, not much.

On the cross-slide, check the tightness on the gib, if that is loose then things will wobble. Also, the Sherline depends on the handwheel against the frame to control the backlash distance, in the manual it shows how to tighten that up. There is also a star wheel gizmo underneath that controls the backlash. Even with things correctly adjusted you will get several thou of turning the wheel before anything moves, that is how they call it out in the handbook too. Nature of their design.

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks Chris. Very helpful. (I was turning the belt pulley and it was hard. More on this in a moment...) BTW Got a part number(s) on those screw-on holders for the drill chuck and mill holders?

At this point all I've done is assemble things with the knowledge that I will disassemble and then clean, oil, and align.

I found packing lists of the CNC retro-fit kits and it appears I have everything except a few 8-32 SHCS which is no big deal. Part of the confusion was that some parts were already installed on the lead screw mounts.)

So the only thing they didn't send is the 5/32 T driver.  That should be in the mail next week but who cares? If your shop doesn't have a set of drivers...you have no shop. 

A big warning I saw in several places of documentation was not to over-tighten. That's always been a problem for me. I tend to be ham-fisted and have stripped several bolts in the past.
So even with a weak left hand, I probably tensioned the belts too high.

[Flyboy Jim]

BTW Got a part number(s) on those screw-on holders for the drill chuck and mill holders?

Zee.............here's the screw on holder for the drill chuck: https://www.sherline.com/product/3074-drill-chuck-tool-holder/  Looks handy. I use my ER-16 collet holder most of the time for drill bits.

I'm looking forward to your dedicated Sherline thread. We can load you up with more information than you might want.

Jim

[crueby]

Thanks Chris. Very helpful. (I was turning the belt pulley and it was hard. More on this in a moment...) BTW Got a part number(s) on those screw-on holders for the drill chuck and mill holders?

...

They were in that email I sent you a few weeks ago:
Adapter for drill chuck - I got second drill chuck, leave one on tailstock arbor, one on this arbor
 https://www.sherline.com/product/3074-drill-chuck-tool-holder/
 End mill holder, 3/8"
 https://www.sherline.com/product/3079-end-mill-holders/

[gerritv]

I'm looking forward to your dedicated Sherline thread. We can load you up with more information than you might want.

Jim

Yep,  just point him to Luis Ally on YT.

Gerrit

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks Chris and Jim. It turns out I have those two holders.
Thanks Gerrit. The videos look interesting. Lots to see!