Hi P40,
I'm sure there is a proper way to do it, but I don't know what it is. However, I can tell you what I did...for what that's worth. I just used some 400 and 600 grit wet sand paper and a little oil. I sanded the ways very lightly...more of a polish.
As for the gib strip, I clamped a strip of sand paper to the mill table, oiled it and ran the gib over it. I figured the table surface would be pretty flat. Even without using layout dye you can see where the paper is hitting the gib. I also checked the X axis gib with the edge of a parallel to make sure it was straight. Mine was bowed slightly so I bent it as flat as I could and kept sanding. Not ideal but better than nothing.
The tailstock gib was harder because you can't bend it at all. Just apply lots of elbow grease.
Of course this light hand finishing can't really account for more "serious" deviation or defect in the ways but it certainly helped smooth things out. |