Author Topic: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines  (Read 34250 times)

Offline propforward

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #45 on: February 11, 2020, 08:00:33 PM »
I used to know slightly a woman named Pam who worked for Sherline and went to the shows from time to time.  She's a great machinist; I wonder if she's still there.

Apparently so.

https://www.sherline.com/about/sherline-people/
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #46 on: February 11, 2020, 08:42:45 PM »
Did you talk to Kat?

That's the one. All my communication with her was by email.

Her name stuck with me because one of my daughters goes by Kat (Katherine).
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
"To work. To work."
Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #47 on: February 11, 2020, 11:28:21 PM »
Checked the tram on the mill. Wow. It was pretty good.
Found the lock for the X axis. It was hidden behind the Y axis cover so that may be an issue (when working manually).
I'm thinking the mill is good to go...but see some questions later.

I can't find a lock on either axis for the lathe (Chris mentioned there is none for the carriage (which if he means X axis then that's the same on my bigger lathe).
But I'm very used to locking the lathe in Z when parting or facing.

I suspect locking an axis is not an issue when I go to CNC. Particularly for the mill where you could be driving in all 3 axes at the same time.

I tried checking the tram on the lathe but I'm struggling to figure out how to mount a dial test indicator. Nothing seems magnetic.
Marv's suggestion for a plate behind the lathe may do the trick.
I could also build a holder that fits the carriage.

Crud...I forgot the questions about the mill I was going to ask. Well, it is after 5:00 after all.

I'm thinking of doing a small project before converting to CNC.
Perhaps a couple of finger treadle engines I can give as gifts to the kids.
Any other suggestions? Must be fairly simple. I did candlesticks already.
No cannons. Kids aren't into that. Although I may do one for an old friend of mine.

Ah! I remember now. When tramming the mill, I used a square clamped to the table.
When I went to remove the clamp, the T-nut and bolt were tight. Had to bring out pliers. The bolt had gone past the T-nut and into the table.
I recall people making T-nuts in such a way that the bolt can't pass through it.

What do you do to ensure the bolt can't pass through the T-nut (on these Sherlines)? (I say bolt but probably should be stud.)

I'm having fun.

I've been reading up on documentation for the G540. Lots of good info I can download.
The Smoothstepper is a different story. The site is good but I can't find a downloadable version of their information. I can find things on other sites but I don't know if the versions are correct. This so reminds me of when we changed processor families and compilers back at...that place where I used to make money.
I'm still a paper guy and going back and forth between computers is a pain.
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
"To work. To work."
Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

Offline crueby

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #48 on: February 12, 2020, 12:11:44 AM »
Zee - here is how I put a dial on the lathe for trueing up and offsetting parts in the 4-jaw, couple simple blocks with a snug fit hole for the indicator, t-nut underneath to bolt it to the cross slide (Jim made one of these too).

For t-nut bolts, there is not much depth to have the nuts with a blind hole, unless you make them stick up higher from the table, which means you have to under-cut whatever you are bolting down. As you can see in the picture, I've down the same thing occasionally, can see some marks in the bottom of the slot. Go to the hardware store and get a selection of socket head screws different lengths, and some washers to put on top - solves that issue.


Offline crueby

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #49 on: February 12, 2020, 12:13:39 AM »
Oh - and I like the idea of doing some of the finger treadle engines while its still manual - will give you a better feel for speeds/feeds/etc and what 'normal' cuts sound/feel like on these machines. Who knows, you might get hooked on non-CNC (Come Over To The Grey (oily) Side, Durth! )  :ROFL:

Offline Flyboy Jim

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #50 on: February 12, 2020, 01:03:23 AM »
The Sherline T nuts I have have a restriction just before the bolt would come through the hole. However, I've found that if I tighten them hard enough I can force them past this restriction and still jam them into the table.  :facepalm:

If I remember right, there's a procedure in the lathe manual for checking alignment of the head stock by turning a length of material and then measuring the diameter at each end. Speaking of manuals, there's a huge wealth of information in all the manuals (and sheets that come with the accessories). Well worth reading. Also check out all the information by other users that's located on the Sherline website.

Jim
Sherline 4400 Lathe
Sherline 5400 Mill
"You can do small things on big machines, but you can do small things on small machines".

Offline crueby

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #51 on: February 12, 2020, 01:45:00 AM »
Jim, remember that Zee was a software engineer, he never reads manuals!!

Offline Flyboy Jim

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #52 on: February 12, 2020, 02:26:51 AM »
Jim, remember that Zee was a software engineer, he never reads manuals!!

Of course........................what was I thinking!  :facepalm2:   :Doh: :ROFL:
Sherline 4400 Lathe
Sherline 5400 Mill
"You can do small things on big machines, but you can do small things on small machines".

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #53 on: February 12, 2020, 02:58:09 AM »
 :facepalm2:
There's a word for you guys...but I'll keep it in the shop.  :D

Chris: Yes, I remember that. I should've mentioned it. That gives measurement to the carriage whereas the plate does not (easily).
Jim: I think you're referring to "Rollie's Dad's Method" which is what I was going for.
Jim: None of my nuts have that feature.

P.S. There's actually more than one word for you guys.

P.P.S. And no...they're not pretty.
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
"To work. To work."
Zee-Another Thread Trasher.

Offline crueby

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #54 on: February 12, 2020, 03:15:52 AM »
:facepalm2:
There's a word for you guys...but I'll keep it in the shop.  :D

Chris: Yes, I remember that. I should've mentioned it. That gives measurement to the carriage whereas the plate does not (easily).
Jim: I think you're referring to "Rollie's Dad's Method" which is what I was going for.
Jim: None of my nuts have that feature.

P.S. There's actually more than one word for you guys.

P.P.S. And no...they're not pretty.
I collect those kind of words. Email them!   :LittleDevil:

Offline Flyboy Jim

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #55 on: February 12, 2020, 04:04:40 AM »
:facepalm2:
There's a word for you guys...but I'll keep it in the shop.  :D

Chris: Yes, I remember that. I should've mentioned it. That gives measurement to the carriage whereas the plate does not (easily).
Jim: I think you're referring to "Rollie's Dad's Method" which is what I was going for.
Jim: None of my nuts have that feature.

P.S. There's actually more than one word for you guys.

P.P.S. And no...they're not pretty.

 :Lol:  :lolb:   :LittleDevil:
Sherline 4400 Lathe
Sherline 5400 Mill
"You can do small things on big machines, but you can do small things on small machines".

Offline awake

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #56 on: February 12, 2020, 05:36:26 PM »
To keep the studs from exiting the bottom of the nut, the standard procedure is to "stake" the bottom of the nut - displace a bit of metal with a punch to obtrude into the path of the stud. Of course, this is harder to do if the nut is hardened ... is it?
Andy

Offline crueby

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #57 on: February 12, 2020, 06:16:59 PM »
To keep the studs from exiting the bottom of the nut, the standard procedure is to "stake" the bottom of the nut - displace a bit of metal with a punch to obtrude into the path of the stud. Of course, this is harder to do if the nut is hardened ... is it?
File tested one of mine, its fairly hard, file wants to skate but will dig slightly.

Offline awake

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #58 on: February 13, 2020, 03:04:09 PM »
Hmm - if it is medium hard, might do better staking it with a small cold chisel rather than a punch. Won't take much ...
Andy

Offline kvom

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Re: From Manual to CNC - Sherlines
« Reply #59 on: February 13, 2020, 06:31:19 PM »
Of course your first project could be more t-nuts.  Then thread depth would be under your control.

 

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