I am native to drafting, but have almost no expierience machining what so ever. I have just bough a new Taig mill off of ebay and it has arrived at my house. I thought the best way to go through the learning process was to actually do it. Unfortunatly the mill came with ziltch for documentation. I have taken everything out of the boxes and inventoried everything and heres what I have. Keep in mind I have touched nothing assume I know nothing. Please help me out the best you can, I would really appreciate anything anyone wishes to contribute. Please forgive my lack of vocabulary I will describe things the best I can. Please direct me to anywhere, where I can pick up some basic knowledge.

Heres what I got.

Table - Everything bolted together ways slide smoothly and are tight, everything is oiled up
Head - Affixes to the back of the table with a big bolt. Ways tight and oiled. Rails where the headstock attaches are loose, headstock is clamped on. (I believe this is the stock taig spindle I have another ER16 spindle witch I want to use for the common collets, the pulleys are already on the stock taig headstock...)
Steppers - 1 270oz and 2 160oz
Motor - 1/4hp Pulley pressed on
Lead Screw Collars
Nylon Tubes
Motor Flange

I have mounted the stepper motors according to the documentation I have (three sheets of paper) and bolted on the head (not alligned or anything) Just generally sort of put everything together.

Some general questions I have are...
-Limit switchs, I am pretty sure I dont have any?
-I installed and ran mach3 with the driver attached to the laptop and there was ALOT of interference? Are laptops good at all for running mills? I have a desktop I can use but I am just wondering.
-I want to run coolant on my mill, how can I set it up so coolant doesn't go where I dont want it to? (steppers, lead screws...)
-I want to be able to run my mill for long periods of time without monitoring it

Topics I know A little about.
-Tramming

Thanks for reading I hope some one can help me.

I found some great refrences for "tramming" my mill on www.industrialhobbies.com

Try this web site. Also try Googling Taig. There’s an awful lot out there.

http://www.cartertools.com/

Phil

I have the following article that may be of use:

Setting up the Taig Mill (http://www.cartertools.com/millset.html)
Taig Mill CNC mounts (http://www.cartertools.com/mounts.html)
Adjusting backlash on the CNC mill nuts (http://www.cartertools.com/nutback.html)

Best thing is to get on the taigtools yahoogroup (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/taigtools/) and ask questions there.

For some reason I cannot access the Yahoo Group.

How can I go about removing the pulley from the taig spindle?

For some reason the URL got mangled it should be:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/taigtools/

As for taking the pulley off, remove the setscrew.
Then heat the pulley with a heat gun or torch until relatively warm, to expand it, and it should come off. Take care not to get the bearings hot (which is why I prefer a heat gun, rather than a torch)

For some reason the URL got mangled it should be:
http://groupyahoo.com/group/taigtools/


Jeepers, even when I just type it into the forum it gets mangled (passive agressive forum software that's jealous of ***********?)

The software substitited the asterisks for y a h o o g r o u p s...weird...works when I space between every letter....

h t t p : / / g r o u p s . y a h o o . c o m / g r o u p / t a i g t o o l s /

I am getting some wierd vibration in my z axis when I get up near the top of my travel... The motors are all perfectly tuned. Any ideas?

I am getting some wierd vibration in my z axis when I get up near the top of my travel... The motors are all perfectly tuned. Any ideas?

Well, at the top of the travel the force on the column is maximized, so that could be part of it (long lever arm with vibration at the end would vibrate more than if the vibration is halfway up), could be the unsupported end of the leadscrew whipping, could be stick-slip as the slide encounters an area with less wear (thus thicker so slide clearances decrease) than lower down.

What speeds in ipm are you moving the z-axis at?

I haven't calculated the the steps per inch yet. By the way thanks for the help. :D. Anywhere I can find out how to do that?

I haven't calculated the the steps per inch yet. By the way thanks for the help. :D. Anywhere I can find out how to do that?
Well, it depends on how many steps per one revolution your system produces. Each turn of the screw moves the axis .050" (20 tpi leadscrews), so for the stock Taig CNC system, which gives 400 steps per rev, you get .000125" per step, and 8000 steps per inch...I think....but that's outside my limited sphere of experience...

Tell me if you think I got this right...

20 tpi, 360° per thread, 7200° per inch, 1.8° per step (taken of the label of my deepgrove 270oz stepper...), equals 4000 steps per inch?

Can I install limit switches?

If I want to run coolant do I need to shield the ways, steppers, and lead screws?

Can I pump coolant with any sort of pump?

Tell me if you think I got this right...

20 tpi, 360° per thread, 7200° per inch, 1.8° per step (taken of the label of my deepgrove 270oz stepper...), equals 4000 steps per inch?

Can I install limit switches?

If I want to run coolant do I need to shield the ways, steppers, and lead screws?

Can I pump coolant with any sort of pump?

So 200 steps per revolution, times 20 revolutions to travel an inch, 4000 steps per inch. But your control may do half or microstepping which can increase the number of steps...best to check with Paul at Deepgroove.

You can install limit switches if your control has ports for them, or you can figure out how to interface. I just put some pics up on my pages by Rich Crook showing his limit switch mounts. Ask Paul/Deepgroove about interfacing limit switches.

For flood coolant you want to not get the motors soaking wet, but again it depends on what Paul/Deepgroove says about the stepper wiring...

The rest of the machine is fine as long as you use a rust inhibiting coolant.

I am currently running my machine at 32 000 steps per inch.

I cannot find the page on the limit switches mounts on your site?

I am in the progress of making a cabinet for my machine and setting up a flood coolant system.

Thanks for all your help so far.

I am using a 4axis xylotech driver and it apparently has no support for coolant on/off or limit switches, what sort of breakout board should I use and how should I set everything up?

Richard Crook's Taig Lathe and Mill Modifications. (http://www.cartertools.com/picture.html#rcrookstlam)

Has the pictures of his limit switches (only one way...)

Neat. The limit switches dont have to be momentary right? They can signal an estop and then you can use the over ride to back off the table and reset? I have some nice waterproof ones I want to use... Is there any way to wire these up without buying a new breakout board?

I am looking at vices any recomendations?

I have been looking at alot of your site, and I am not ashamed to say I am completely blown away, the level of skill and amount of work is amazing, great work on compiling everything.

A lot depends on the control and software you use, for the switches - I'm not the best person to ask, I suggest you ask on the taigtools group.
As for vises, most people like the import toolmakers screwless vises that Enco, Littlemachineshop.com, etc sell. Good capacity, accurate, inexpensive.
My site is the product of all the great people who have contributed - lots of talented people!

I am getting horrible accuracy and repeatability in my z axis. I will trying tightening up my gibs and adjusting the backlash. Could there be anyother reason for the inaccuracy?

What control software are you using?
Are you uing the stock Taig control and stepper motors?

Usually repeatability problems are due to incorrect acceleration, velocity and pulsewidth settings in the control software, sometimes compounded by gib, stepper mount, etc mechanical issues.


I am getting horrible accuracy and repeatability in my z axis. I will trying tightening up my gibs and adjusting the backlash. Could there be anyother reason for the inaccuracy?

I am using mach3 at the moment, xylotech board, and a deepgroove 270oz stepper on the z.

I tightened up the gibs, its odd though when I run the z on about a 20ipm rapid the motor sounds really good, but after about 2-3inches of travels the gib starts jamming or something and I get alot of vibration and noise. However on a little slower rapid (15ipm) it runs fine.

Its doing a little better now after I tightened up the gibs at 15ipm over .5" I am getting -.001" and a close to perfect repeatability.

Remember that the gib on z is a tapered gib and both the top and bottoms screws are positioning the gib in a tapered pocket to set clearance. So both screws once adjustements are made should be tight, otherwise it will bind on the upfeed.

I don't have any experience as yet with the xylotex board (got one, but haven't used it yet) but it may be that your acceleration and velocity settings are a bit high, and the pulsewidth is to short, a lot depends on the computer your are using, etc.

You may want to see if Deepgroove has any ideas as well...

So I would start by getting the z-axis to be smooth when moved by hand turning the screws both up and down, then if it persists start playing with motor tuning.

Are you lubing the slides with oil, etc? That helps a lot as well.

I am using mach3 at the moment, xylotech board, and a deepgroove 270oz stepper on the z.

I tightened up the gibs, its odd though when I run the z on about a 20ipm rapid the motor sounds really good, but after about 2-3inches of travels the gib starts jamming or something and I get alot of vibration and noise. However on a little slower rapid (15ipm) it runs fine.

Its doing a little better now after I tightened up the gibs at 15ipm over .5" I am getting -.001" and a close to perfect repeatability.

I have finally got the gib smooth, the repeatability is perfect however I do have some backlash (about .005"). In theory if I am milling and I travel down, that means I have about .005" I have to worry about that I could go further down without wanting to? Or will the gibs hold it in place?

The design of the mill is that the backlash on the z-axis is taken up by the weight of the head and motor - so the gibs should be just loose enough that the head never has backlash. If the gibs are too tight then the head can jump under load.
You should end up if the gib (and don't overlook the two clamping "shoes" on the z-axis that hold it to the slide) - is adjusted correctly with .001 or less backlash in the z-axis.
While the backlash is mechanically there (you can push the head up by hand and have backlash), in operation there should be no backlash when moved by the stepper motor.

I have finally got the gib smooth, the repeatability is perfect however I do have some backlash (about .005"). In theory if I am milling and I travel down, that means I have about .005" I have to worry about that I could go further down without wanting to? Or will the gibs hold it in place?

I believe I am loosing steps in the x axis when I change direction under a load. Thanks for all your help so far.

I believe I am loosing steps in the x axis when I change direction under a load. Thanks for all your help so far.

It could be that the gib is too tight, it could be the weight of the workpiece (if you are mahcining a huge piece of steel), it could be lack of lubrication on the slides, it could have nothing to do with lost steps and instead be backlash - what is the current backlash on the x axis? It could be the old culprits of velocity, acceleration and pulsewidth as well..

What feedrate were you using on the x axis when you lost steps?

Now are you using the 140 oz/in steppers on x and y that Deepgroove sells? That alone could be your problem.

Fixed.

I am currently using a flat bottomed table and now that my flood coolant system is finished and it is pumping quite alot of coolant up on the table I was wondering if there is any sort of commercial alternative to me fiberglassing up my table so it sll slopes to one place?

I am looking for something to face with in aluminum that will fit in the 3/8 shank...

Also I want to do some 45° chamfers, being that inexpierienced in machining... do you need to get a specific chamfering tooling or can you use counter sinking bits?

impact.....well search for a face mill......if you can't find one then find an endmill that is 1" wide and has a 3/8 inch shaft......otherwise you'll spend your life facing with a 3/8 inch end mill.....

Ive been looking haven't been able to find anything, I was wondering if anyone around has found anything they like.

Harbor Freight makes flycutters with 3/8" shanks, but if you have access to a lathe it is very easy to make a flycutter.

For a face mill you would have to make a special shank, but again not rocket science.

A good tool grinder would be able to grind down the shank of any endmill, which would work for light facing - you can sometimes find 1/2" dia 3/8" shank endmills.

Why do you need the shank to be 3/8". This is not a good technical solution for a face cutter due to reduce stiffness and therefore a reduction in the quality of surface finish.

Phil (chair)

I am looking for something to face with in aluminum that will fit in the 3/8 shank...

Also I want to do some 45° chamfers, being that inexpierienced in machining... do you need to get a specific chamfering tooling or can you use counter sinking bits?

If you're facing something like aluminum or plastic and are looking for a very smooth finish, I've always gotten good results on small parts by just regrinding by hand an old step shank endmill.

Knock back all but one flute to make a single point tool and then grind by eye a very shallow arc on the end face with the convex center near to but not right at the periphery. Hand stone the edge carefully, and you'll be amazed how mirror bright an aluminum surface can be.

I used an old 1/2" shank 3/4 endmill reworked in this fashion to cut a precision seven sided rotary aluminum mirror for a customer who was building some sort of optical lab prototype, and he was tickled to death with the level of surface finish.



Tiger

An afterthought: hss router bits are dirt cheap. Should be no problem doing the same with one of those, aside from having to hand grind a rake angle on the face (couple of minutes of dremel work), and 3/8 shank cutters with 3/4 diameter are easy to come by. They have the advantage of being pretty well balanced and beefy, unlike fly cutters.



Tiger